Carlos Del Rio, the former McEachern quarterback who failed to gain eligibility after transferring to Grayson, is now enrolled at Cartersville, where he hopes to play his senior season.
Cartersville coach Conor Foster confirmed Wednesday that Del Rio is now a student at Cartersville but declined further comment. Cartersville, 4-1 and ranked No. 4 in Class 5A, is a perennial power that won two state titles when Trevor Lawrence was the quarterback.
Del Rio was on Cartersville’s sideline for Friday’s game against Cherokee but was not dressed out. The GHSA also confirmed Wednesday that it had approved Del Rio’s transfer on Friday, making him eligible.
A four-star quarterback committed to Florida, Del Rio was declared ineligible a month ago at Grayson when the GHSA ruled he did not meet transfer requirements for immediate eligibility. Those requirements require the full family unit to move into the new school’s attendance zone.
Del Rio passed for 4,655 yards in three seasons at McEachern.
He is the second Florida-committed player to be declared ineligible at one school and move to another this season.
Chief Borders, a linebacker who was a teammate of Del Rio at McEachern last season, was declared ineligible at Carrollton when it was found that he attended his new school before his family made a bona fide move. Borders now plays for Heard County.
Another high-profile transfer who failed to get eligibility is Valdosta quarterback Jake Garcia, who played Valdosta’s opener but was declared ineligible last week. Garcia, who committed to Southern Cal, moved from California after his home state moved its high school football season to the winter.
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