The state of Georgia has featured some prolific high school passers over the years. Trevor Lawrence remains the state’s top all-time passing quarterback, with nearly 14,000 career yards through the air. Gunner Stockton came close to matching that mark last season, but a loss to Thomasville in the playoffs prevented him from breaking the record.
Through six weeks this season, Carrollton’s freshman phenom, Julian Lewis, leads the state with 1,598 yards, 33 yards ahead of Tate Morris of McIntosh. Lithia Springs’ Jaique Hart and Northwest Whitfield’s Owen Brooker rank third and fourth, respectively, through Week 6. As we wait to see which – if any – of these four standouts finishes the 2022 season as the state’s leading passer, we look at back at the players who topped that list over the last five years.
2021 – Aaron Philo
All eyes were on Rabun County’s Gunner Stockton last season, but the future Georgia quarterback was outgained by sophomore sensation Aaron Philo of Prince Avenue Christian. Following in the footsteps of former Wolverine star Brock Vandagriff, Philo passed for 4,540 yards and 47 touchdowns in 2021. He averaged over 320 yards per game and posted seven performances with at least four passing touchdowns.
After an inauspicious start to his career against Calvary Day, Philo rebounded strong, passing for five scores and 554 yards against the Christian Academy of Knoxville in Tennessee. He never let up from there, leading the Wolverines back to the state championship with a 72.8% completion rate.
2020 – Brock Vandagriff
Not even COVID could stop Prince Avenue Christian QB Brock Vandagriff from becoming one of the top Georgia high school passers of the past five years, as he threw for 4,169 yards and 46 touchdowns in the pandemic-affected season. Averaging nearly 300 yards per game, Vandagriff put on a show every Friday, using consistency to fuel a Wolverines victory almost every week.
Halfway through the season, Vandagriff posted a 400-yard, five-touchdown performance against Hebron Christian and followed that up with a seven-touchdown game just a month later against Athens Christian. What often went unnoticed was Vandagriff’s ability to open the Wolverines’ rushing offense up. He facilitated a rushing attack that scored 38 times on the ground and allowed for Landon Owens to break off over 8 yards per carry. Vandagriff’s impact on his team was monumental and manifested into a state championship for the Wolverines.
2019 – Harrison Bailey
The state witnessed true excellence whenever Harrison Bailey of Marietta stepped onto the field and established himself as one of the top Georgia high school passers in recent years. Playing in the state’s highest classification, Bailey tore apart opposing defenses to the tune of 4,674 yards and 50 touchdowns. Barring a four-interception performance against Grayson, he was extremely secure with the football, turning it over only six times in the other 15 games.
Bailey found his two main targets often throughout the season, combining for 3,000 passing yards to tight end Arik Gilbert and wide receiver Ricky White, the state’s deadliest receiving duo. The pair also combined for 34 of Bailey’s 50 total passing touchdowns. Bailey truly caught fire during the region schedule, passing for 1,435 yards and 18 touchdowns in just five games, fueling a deep playoff run that resulted in a state championship win over Lowndes.
2018 – Dylan Fromm
It was the brother of then-Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm who led the state in passing this season. Dylan threw for 4,362 yards and 46 touchdowns in 15 games at Warner Robins. While Fromm wasn’t always the most accurate passer, he made up for it with over 36 passing attempts per game, the most of any quarterback on this list.
After a 441-yard night to open the season against Tift County, Fromm posted five more stat lines of over 300 yards, including a 17-point semifinals win over defending state champions Rome. Despite his dominance, Fromm couldn’t clinch a state title for the Demons, as Bainbridge exacted revenge in the championship game after an embarrassing 38-0 loss in the regular season.
2017 – Austin Parker
Without a reminder, is there any way you’d remember that Austin Parker of East Hall is one of the top Georgia high school passers of the past five seasons? The senior burst on the scene with over 4,500 yards and a stunning touchdown-to-interception ratio of 50 to 3. Parker averaged a whopping 380 passing yards per game and opened his record-breaking campaign with a 457-yard night in a 72-55 loss to Habersham Central.
He was nearly unstoppable all season long, passing for over 300 yards in all but two games and never throwing an interception in the regular season. Unfortunately, East Hall’s defense struggled all season long, allowing 26 or more points in all but two games and endings its season with a second-round playoff exit. Parker’s season will go down as one of the most underappreciated in Georgia high school football history.
