Top players by position: 4 defensive linemen hold No. 1 rankings

Savannah Christian defensive lineman Elijah Griffin (95) tackles Cedar Grove quarterback Elliott Colson (1) during the Class 3A GHSA State Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Wednesday, December. 13, 2023, in Atlanta. (Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com)

Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Savannah Christian defensive lineman Elijah Griffin (95) tackles Cedar Grove quarterback Elliott Colson (1) during the Class 3A GHSA State Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Wednesday, December. 13, 2023, in Atlanta. (Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com)

GHSF Daily’s rollout of the Georgia Power 100 continues today with defensive linemen. The Georgia Power 100 is chosen primarily on high school production, though college potential is considered.

*Cam Brooks, Thomas County Central, Jr.: Brooks (6-2, 225) is the consensus No. 40 player nationally among juniors. He led Class 6A champion Thomas County Central with 8.5 sacks and 28 QB pressures as an edge rusher. He was first-team GACA and Recruit Georgia all-state. He is his school’s second-highest-rated prospect this century after Ray Drew.

*Jordan Carter, Douglas County, Jr.: Carter (6-4, 235) is the consensus No. 13 player nationally among juniors. On3 rates him the state’s No. 1 junior prospect. Carter was first-team GACA and AJC all-state last season, when he had 15 sacks and 13 other tackles for losses on a 12-1 Class 6A team.

*Julius Columbus, Gainesville, Sr.: Columbus (6-2, 285) had 20 sacks, 15 other tackles for losses and 18 QB pressures as an interior defensive lineman last season. He’s a two-year starter on Class 6A teams that are 26-2. A three-star recruit, Columbus committed to Duke in April.

*Christian Garrett, Prince Avenue Christian, Sr.: Garrett (6-3, 285) has started on Prince Avenue’s 2022 and 2023 Class A Division I championship teams and is a consensus top-150 recruit and the second-best Prince Avenue prospect in history behind Brock Vandagriff. He had 57 solo tackles and nine tackles for losses last season and was a unanimous first-team all-state pick. He won the Class A Division I shot put last spring with a throw of 49-8. Garrett committed to Georgia in June.

*Deuce Geralds, Collins Hill, Jr.: Geralds (6-2, 265) is a consensus top-100 player among juniors. He had 30 tackles for losses and 14 sacks for a 5-7 Class 7A team last season. He scored five rushing touchdowns. He had 10 sacks as a freshman. Geralds was first-team GACA and Recruit Georgia all-state.

*Isaiah Gibson, Warner Robins, Sr.: Gibson (6-5, 250) is a consensus top-40 national recruit and No. 2 at the edge position. He’s rated the No. 1 edge rusher by 247Sports. He had 19 tackles for losses in 2023 and made first-team GACA all-state for a 9-4 Class 5A team last season. Also started and had six sacks for Warner Robins’ 2022 state runner-up team. Gibson committed to Georgia in June.

*Elijah Griffin, Savannah Christian, Sr.: Griffin (6-5, 285) is the consensus No. 1 defensive line prospect nationally and the seventh-highest-rated Georgia recruit this century. He’s a four-year starter who got his first scholarship offer in middle school, Griffin was the AJC’s Class 3A defensive player of the year in 2023, when he had 31 tackles for losses for a 12-3 state runner-up team. He had 30 tackles for losses as a sophomore.

*RyShawn Perry, Newton, Sr.: Perry (6-3, 275) was the defensive player of the year in Region 4-7A last season. He made first-team Class 7A all-state with the AJC and Recruit Georgia. Perry is a consensus three-star recruit who committed to Central Florida in April.

*Justus Terry, Manchester, Sr.: Terry (6-5, 275) is the consensus No. 2 defensive line prospect nationally (No. 1 according to Rivals) and the 11th-highest-rated Georgia recruit this century. Terry was first-team AJC, GACA and Recruit Georgia all-state in 2023, when he had 13 sacks and 74 solo tackles for an 11-3 state runner-up team. Terry, previously committed to Southern Cal and Georgia, is likely to announce his college choice in December.

*Kevin Wynn, Greene County, Sr.: Kevin Wynn (6-2, 320) has a chance to become a rare three-time first-team all-state player. A consensus top-200 recruit, he is Greene County’s highest prospect this century, edging out former Georgia Tech QB Josh Nesbitt. Wynn had 30 tackles for losses for a 10-2 A Class A Division II team last season. He finished fourth in the Class A Division II shot put last spring. Wynn committed to Florida State in June.

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