ITG Next 100: The Top 100 Players in the State of Georgia

Who is the best of the best? Who runs the Peach State? We bring you the ITG Next 100, the top 100 players who will have the biggest impact this season. 

An offseason that has felt longer than Brett Favre’s retirement saga and The Rolling Stone’s retirement tour(s) put together is finally coming to a close. From coaching searches to no spring football to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Friday night lights are at the end of the tunnel. While your Friday nights will surely look a lot different in 2020, I’m sure we can all be happy in saying football is back. And in the Peach State, that means it’s time for some bragging rights. 

Georgia football breeds talent. In the NFL, Georgia currently sits in fourth among states that produce talent that reaches the league. The Peach State currently sits behind Florida, California, and Texas, three states with significantly higher populations. 

With excellent production comes excellent talent. Georgia certainly never lacks in that, and the classes of 2021 and 2022 mean that Georgia will stand out among the best in the country once again. Here are the ITG Next 100, the top 100 players who will have the most impact in the 2020 season.

1. Travis Hunter, Collins Hill, CB/WR

   Hunter is a lockdown cornerback at Collins Hill. His 247Sports rating is the highest among all Georgia defensive backs and showed it with seven interceptions last season. I forgot to mention his production at wide receiver, where he finished with over 900 yards and was one of the top receivers in the state as well. Hunter is an athlete who can do it all and likely will do it all for the Eagles.

    

2. Amarius Mims, Bleckley County, OT 

   Mims is a freakish athlete who is a monster on the offensive line for the Royals. Not many people are blessed with his frame. At 6-foot-7 and well over 300 pounds, he can still move well. He is rightfully rated as the top offensive lineman in the country.

    

3. Brock Vandagriff, Prince Avenue Christian, QB

   Vandagriff is a talented quarterback with a terrific arm who has grown tremendously throughout his high school career at Prince Avenue Christian. He would’ve led the state in passing if he stayed healthy last season, and he will have eyes on a state championship in 2020.

    

4. Smael Mondon, Paulding County, LB 

   Mondon is a terrific linebacker for the Patriots; he collected 48 tackles and over 1,000 all-purpose yards for a team that struggled last season. Mondon has great length, as evidenced by his three blocked field goals last season, and he competes in five different track and field events. That should tell you all about his athleticism at the linebacker position.

    

5. Terrence Ferguson, Peach County, OT  

   Another offensive lineman with terrific size, Ferguson plays big and plays mean on the football field. A devastating run blocker who has committed to Alabama, it doesn’t get much better than this Peach County all-world talent in the trenches.

    

6. Deion Colzie, Athens Academy, WR 

   If you were to build a wide receiver in a factory, it’d look a lot like Deion Colzie. He’s got speed to burn, great length, and leaping ability. Colzie can run any route and be incredibly successful. He’s the top receiver for a reason and will be carrying the Spartans deep into the playoffs.

    

7. Gunner Stockton, Rabun County, QB 

   A quarterback who is on track to become the highest passing quarterback in Georgia state history, Stockton is a terrific athlete at Rabun County. He led his team in passing and rushing last season and is the biggest reason the Wildcats are thinking state championship.

    

8. Barrett Carter, North Gwinnett, LB 

   An outside linebacker with 73 tackles and 10 sacks last season, Carter can do it all for the Bulldogs. A terrific linebacker with a great range to make tackles, he’ll have a major impact on the team’s success.

    

9. Jacurri Brown, Lowndes, QB  

   Brown was terrific last season for the Vikings, leading them to the state championship game before falling to Marietta. Reports indicate that Brown is working a ton this offseason on his passing, and with new head coach Jamey DuBose, it could be a match made in heaven between star quarterback and brilliant head coach.

    

10. Cody Brown, Parkview, RB  

    The best running back in the state is a tank, and he doesn’t go down easy. Cody Brown was a catalyst to Parkview’s run to the semifinals last season and is the biggest reason the Panthers are thinking they can make it back to that level and then some.

     

11. Micah Morris, Camden County, OT 

    A potential sleeper in 7A, Camden County is optimistic about the season thanks to their strength on the offensive line. It starts with Morris, who can just move the bodies on the defensive line better than anyone else. The Georgia commit is unstoppable when he’s at his best.

     

12. Deyon Bouie, Bainbridge, WR/CB  

    Another player who does it all for his team, Bouie is slightly undersized but makes up for it by playing with tenacity in his game. With six interceptions his freshman year as a state champion, Bouie has proven he can be one of the best and compete with the best.

     

13. Daniel Martin, Marietta, LB  

    One of the best players on a defense that won a state championship, Martin finished fourth on the team in tackles last season. He’ll take over the prime time role for the Blue Devils as their top player on a title defense team.

     

14. Nyland Green, Newton, CB  

    Green is the complete package for Newton with great size to match up with any wide receiver opposite him and the ball skills to make a play. He finished with six interceptions last season and knew what to do with them, returning two for touchdowns in a terrific season.

     

15. Jake Garcia, Valdosta, QB  

    For any boy band fans, meet the new kid on the block. Garcia threw for over 2,300 yards last season, completed 70% of his passes, and had 25 touchdowns. The USC commit checks all the boxes in terms of playing quarterback. The question for him is can he learn the Valdosta offense in time to start the season?

     

16. David Daniel, Woodstock, WR/S  

    Daniel does a little bit of everything for Woodstock, contributing on offense, defense, and on special teams as a kick blocking specialist. He can cover a lot of ground on defense and projects as a standout strong safety for his willingness and ability to play in the box. Daniel is simply one of the hardest working players on the field, and his production shows it.

     

17. CJ Washington, Cedartown, DE/RB  

    Washington led the state of Georgia in sacks last season with 21. He’s another guy who will impact Cedartown on both sides of the ball and is a beast on the defensive line. Keep an eye on him as he continues to make an impact over the next two seasons with the Bulldogs.

     

18. Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Grayson, QB  

    Del Rio-Wilson proved last season he can be one of the best quarterbacks in the state of Georgia. He did it again at the Elite 11 camp this offseason. Now he goes to Grayson to play for a team with sky high expectations. Part of a transcendent transfer class for the Rams, Del Rio-Wilson will be expected to help bring a state championship to Grayson, and he has the talent to deliver.

     

19. Chazz Chambliss, Carrollton, LB 

    The do-it-all linebacker is perhaps the best pure tackler in the state of Georgia. He’s a monster in the middle and leads a defensive class at Carrollton that has the Trojans thinking the step up to 6A will be no problem.

     

20. Tyre West, Tift County, DE  

    One of the best athletes on the defensive side of the ball, West is a guy who takes on constant double teams for the Blue Devils. But he takes it in stride and is able to still generate pressure on the quarterback and make an impact. Entering his junior season in one of the toughest regions in the state, West will be a menace in opposing backfields once again.

     

21. Nathaniel Wiggins, Westlake, CB

22. Cane Berrong, Hart County, TE

23. Daejon Reynolds, Grayson, WR

24. Dacari Collins, Westlake, WR

25. Jayden Thomas, PACE Academy, WR

26. Dylan Fairchild, West Forsyth, OG

27. Sam Horn, Collins Hill, QB

28. Jaquez Smith, Westlake, WR

29. Malaki Starks, Jefferson, S/WR

30. MJ Morris, PACE Academy, QB

31. Aalah Brown, Valdosta, WR

32. Phil Mafah, Grayson, RB

33. Trenilyas Tatum, Mount Zion, LB

34. Chief Borders, Carrollton, LB

35. Gabe Ervin, Buford, RB

36. Mykel Williams, Hardaway, DT

37. Thomas Davis, Lowndes, DE/LB

38. Khari Gee, Woodward Academy, S

39. Sirad Bryant, Crisp County, S

40. Jake Johnson, Oconee County, TE

41. Caleb McDowell, Lee County, RB

42. JaDarian Rhym, Valdosta, CB

43. Janirian Bonner, Cedar Grove, WR

44. Weston Franklin, Wayne County, OG

45. Khristian Zachary, Carrollton, DE

46. Addison Nichols, GACS, OT

47. Bryson Estes, ELCA, C

48. Antonio Martin, Langston Hughes, RB

49. Chauncey Magwood, Lee County, WR/QB

50. Lemeke Brockington, Colquitt County, WR

51. Miles Campbell, South Paulding, TE

52. Victoine Brown, Grayson, DE

53. Tyler Morehead, Clinch County, RB/QB/S

54. Jamie Felix, Camden County, RB

55. Amaad Foston, John Milledge Academy, RB

56. Elijah Pritchett, Carver (Columbus), OT

57. Josh Moore, Marist, S

58. Marlin Dean, Elbert County, DT

59. Justice Haynes, Blessed Trinity, RB

60. Zamon Ross, Schley County, S

61. Khalil Anderson, Riverwood, CB

62. Javonte Sherman, Valdosta, WR

63. Bubba Chandler, North Oconee, QB

64. Stantavious Smith, Dougherty, DE

65. Christen Miller, Cedar Grove, DT

66. Chris Paul Jr., Crisp County, LB

67. Jaden Slocum, Alpharetta, S

68. Colten Gauthier, Hebron Christian Academy, QB

69. Cameron Ball, Tri-Cities, OT

70. Hugh Laughlin, Athens Academy, OT/DT

71. Trevin Wallace, Wayne County, LB

72. Martez Thrower, Wilcox County, LB

73. Jakiah Leftwich, Westlake, OT

74. Demarko Williams, Westlake, CB

75. Cedric Seabrough, Swainsboro, TE

76. Jaron Willis, Lee County, LB

77. Samuel Mbake, Brookwood, WR

78. Kaleb Edwards, Dacula, S

79. Shaun Hardy, Camden County, WR

80. Antario Brown, Beach, RB

81. Baron Hopson, Lee County, LB

82. Jackson Hamilton, Blessed Trinity, LB

83. West Weeks, Oconee County, S/WR

84. Kani Walker, Douglas County, CB

85. Frederic Seabrough, Swainsboro, TE

86. Ty Furnish, Blessed Trinity, OG

87. Amari Wansley, Buford, S

88. Ronnie Hamrick, Parkview, CB

89. Omar Daniels, Colquitt County, CB

90. Quincy Bryant, Parkview, CB

91. Noah Collins, Grayson, DE

92. Patrick Tukes, Telfair, DT

93. Gabriel Benyard, Irwin County, CB/RB

94. Jayden Johnson, Cedartown, CB/QB

95. Leo Blackburn, Westlake, TE

96. Michael Mincey, Ware County, LB

97. TJ Quinn, Lowndes, S

98. Jaylin Alderman, Valdosta, LB

99. Royce White, Troup, OT

100. Ahmad Walker, Warner Robins, LB

Written by: Kyle Grondin