Class 3A
*Best player: Jake Johnson, Oconee County. The 6-foot-6 tight end has 24 touchdown receptions the past two seasons. He has started in two state finals.
*Best position: Defensive line. All four are major Division I recruits.
*Most highly recruited: Johnson is the consensus No. 77 prospect nationally among seniors. He’s committed to LSU.
*That’s interesting: Clayton Hixon and Felix Hixon of Jackson are twins. One blocks, the other tackles.
*Snubbed: Westminster’s Holden Staes is a Notre Dame-committed tight end but competing against Johnson at his favored all-state position. Staes also led Westminster with 6.5 sacks.
*Underrated: Zach Holtzclaw, the son of a Dawson County preacher, looks more like Ronnie Van Zant – compare this to that - than a quarterback, but the 5-foot-11 gunslinger has thrown for 4,871 yards and 48 touchdowns in his career. And lord knows, he won’t change. Hope not. There’s a good story about him the Dawson County News.
*What else is new: Pierce County was a surprising first-time state champion last season, and the Bears are not going back into hibernation. They have three preseason all-state selections. Cedar Grove, winner of three of the past five state titles, has four selections and about as many more who could’ve made it, including defensive linemen Joshua White and Carlton Madden.
OFFENSE
QB - Zach Holtzclaw, Dawson County, Sr.
RB - D.J. Bell, Pierce County, Sr.
RB - Quintavious Lockett, Carver (Atlanta), Sr.
WR - Janiran Bonner, Cedar Grove, Sr.
WR - Tyler Griffin, Southeast Bulloch, Sr.
TE - Jake Johnson, Oconee County, Sr.
OL - Mateo Guevara, Cherokee Bluff, Sr.
OL - Clayton Hixon, Jackson, Sr.
OL - Addison Nichols, Greater Atlanta Christian, Sr.
OL - Austin Starr, Mary Persons, Sr..
OL - J.D. Trowell, White County, Jr.
ATH - Rashod Dubinion, Cedar Grove, Sr.
PK - Alex Bacchetta, Westminster, Sr.
DEFENSE
DL - Felix Hixon, Jackson, Sr.
DL - Quentel Jones, Peach County, Sr.
DL - Christen Miller, Cedar Grove, Sr.
DL - Darris Smith, Appling County, Sr.
LB - Donelius Johnson, Pierce County, Sr.
LB - Dialo Mosley, Carver (Atlanta), Sr.
LB - Jeremiah Telander, North Hall, Jr.
LB - Whit Weeks, Oconee County, Jr.
DB - Daytin Baker, Pierce County, Sr.
DB - Kayin Lee, Cedar Grove, Jr.
DB - Will Hardy, Greater Atlanta Christian, Sr.
DB - Jaden White, West Hall, Sr.
P - Brett Sterner, Harlem, Sr.
Coming Monday: Class 2A
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