It’s hard to win a state championship in Georgia high school football, but for some of last year’s state champion teams, winning it for a second straight season in 2025 may not be as tough as we think.
Several defending state champions are returning major talent for the 2025 season, including Class 6A’s Grayson, Class 5A’s Milton, and Class 2A’s Carver-Columbus. Of course, talent doesn’t guarantee anything, but it sure helps the odds of making it back to the title game.
Let’s take a look at those 2024 state champions that could make another run at a football state title in 2025.
Grayson Could Repeat as Class 6A Football State Champion
The Class 6A defending state champion Grayson Rams will return starting quarterback Travis Burgess, who led the team to a 14-1 record and the championship in the state’s largest classification. Burgess is a dual-threat QB who finished last year with 2,225 yards passing and 23 TDs with just four interceptions. He also rushed for 596 yards and four more TDs.
He’ll have returning receiver Jonathan Stafford Jr. as a primary target in Grayson’s passing game for the 2025 season, and running back Joel Bradford is as much of a threat receiving as he is running the football.
Also keep an eye on newcomer Dawson Quarterman, a rising senior. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound transfer from South Florida is coming off a junior season that saw him catch 32 passes for 705 yards and seven TDs. Quarterman currently has several college offers, including West Virginia.
Despite losing leading rusher Elijah Miller to graduation, the Rams return plenty of experience in the rushing game with running backs Joshua “JT” Thomas, a rising senior, and Ashton Turner, a rising junior, along with Bradford, all of whom are expected to have meaningful carries this upcoming season.
Bradford could see time on defense as well. He has multiple offers from major colleges, including Nebraska and Pittsburgh.
Up front, the Rams return rising senior offensive linemen Kenneth Roby III, Alex Demesier, and Aiden Williams, along with rising junior linemen Jordan Agbanoma and Kendrayis “KD” Jones.
A whole lot of talent is returning for the Rams on defense, including two of the best linebackers in the state in five-star recruit Tyler Atkinson and four-star recruit Anthony “Ant” Davis Jr.
Despite losing four-star edge Andre Fuller Jr. to Georgia Tech, the defensive line will feature four-star edge rusher T.K. Cunningham, who has college offers from Baylor, Louisville, and Missouri, among others.
Despite losing starting cornerbacks Jaylon Williams and Vaughn Mitchom to graduation, Grayson will return ample talent in the defensive backfield in rising junior Rilee Drew, who is a standout defensive back, and rising seniors Eric Johnson and Hannibal Carter Navies.
Milton Looking for 3rd Straight Football State Title
If you think the Milton Eagles are satisfied with their two straight state championships, that would be a mistake, said Milton head football coach Ben Reaves.
“Our returning players have the desire and hunger to win,” Reaves said. “They have been a part of two state championships and are not satisfied. This team loves putting in the work and doing what is required to have another shot to play and hopefully win a Game 15.”
Yes, the team lost some talent, but Reaves said there are two ways of looking at it.
“Offensively, there is a ton of opportunity and also several big holes to be filled in key spots that led to a ton of points and explosiveness last season, specifically at QB, WR, and RB,” Reaves said.
But the Eagles will have enough overall returning talent, and some new faces at QB, to make another run at a state title.
Three-star tight end Grant Haviland and wide receiver Jordan Carrasquillo, both rising juniors, are being highly recruited and will be two primary targets for Milton’s new QB this year.
Speaking of quarterbacks, newcomers Derrick Baker and Brayln Albritton are battling this spring to see who gets the nod for the start of the 2025 season, which Reaves said could determine who replaces Luke Nickel.
“I cannot wait to watch those guys (Baker and Albritton) battle it out this spring and offseason,” Reaves said.
Midway through Spring drills, Baker seems to have the edge as the No. 1 guy, but summer 7-on-7s will give Albritton a chance to show his stuff too.
Rising senior lineman Madden Mones will return to anchor the offensive line this season.
Defensively, Milton welcomes back three-star outside linebacker Billy Weivoda, a rising senior who was a defensive menace for opponents and a big part of the Eagles’ championship defense in 2024. As a junior, Weivoda made 89 tackles, including 13 tackles for loss and 8 ½ sacks; blocked three punts; and recovered two fumbles.
Highly recruited defensive backs Tristan Lester and Lawson Estes are back, as are defensive linemen Christian Hunter and Gage Lawrence. Lawrence could also see time at tight end in 2025.
On special teams, Milton welcomes back Graham Coady, who is one of the best long snappers in the state, and punter Ciaran Meenan. Athlete Ayden Williams will be used primarily as a return man on special teams for the 2025 season.
Carver-Columbus Hunting for Another Football State Title With Loaded Roster
How talented are the defending Class 2A state champion Carver-Columbus Tigers going to be in 2025? Let’s just say that the administration at Carver High School may want to go ahead and make a place for another state championship trophy, just in case.
The Tigers will return most of the playmakers from last year’s 15-1 state championship squad, making them one of the most talented teams from top to bottom in the state in 2025.
Looking at the offense, Carver is once again super loaded with talent.
Yes, the Tigers will miss playmaker Braylon Jakes, who is off to Albany State University, but they will rely on three-star wide receiver Kei’Maurii “KJ” Miles to make up for that loss. Miles, who was injured for most of the 2024 season, is healthy again and will be the go-to receiver for Carver in 2025. He has committed to North Carolina.
The man getting him the ball will be returning starting quarterback Matthew Mungin III. He finished a successful junior season in 2024, completing 19-of-20 pass attempts for 327 yards and four TDs in the Tigers’ win over Burke County in the state title game.
The RB room at Carver will be full of stars this season, including returning Region 1-2A Player of the Year Jakobe Caslin, who finished 2024 with 1,385 yards rushing and 12 TDs, along with 766 yards receiving and six more TDs.
Joining Caslin will be three-star running back Kelston Tarver, a rising senior who has several offers from mid-majors.
Look for much-heralded rising freshman Zach Watts to see playing time at running back in his first season with the varsity squad. Watts is a middle school phenom and considered one of the top-ranked eighth-grade RBs in the country. Watts has already received multiple offers from Division I colleges, including Mississippi State, USF, and Texas A&M.
The offensive line will be anchored by a couple of returning four-star recruits. Rising senior Parker Pritchett is a 6-foot-4, 310-pound interior lineman and has committed to Auburn. The other standout offensive lineman is rising junior Terrance “Tre” Warren III, who has college offers from Ohio State and South Florida, among others.
Rising senior Zamar “Zebo” McGee will see time on both the offensive and defensive lines this season.
Carver’s defense may be even more talented, despite losing five starters on that side of the ball. Carver was hit hard in the linebacker group, with Ja Wisdom, Zay Billingsley, AJ Wilson, and Kolin Hodge all lost to graduation. Safety KB Holley will also be missed in Carver’s secondary.
There is more than enough returning talent to still give Carver one of the best defensive units in Class 2A.
The Tigers will have four-star edge Tristian Givens, a rising senior, back for 2025. He’s a menace for opposing offenses and will give Carver a huge advantage upfront again this year. Givens is being offered by just about every major college in the country, including Southern California and Tennessee.
Rising sophomore Kingston “Boogeyman” Brown is an edge rusher who, at just 16 years old, stands at 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds and is still growing. He has several college offers, including South Carolina.
With Brown and Givens on either side of the defensive line, they’ll be a formidable pass-rushing and run-stopping duo.
McGee will also see time on the defensive line in 2025.
The rest of the defense will be stout, especially in the secondary with safeties Antavius Watts and Markevious Yancie, nickelback and athlete Damarcus “Booba” O’Neal, and cornerback Cam “Cbeezy” Bailey, all rising seniors.
Look out for Carver in 2025.
