Recently, passing attacks in Georgia high school football have flourished with more talented quarterbacks and receivers than ever. The latest star pass catcher out of Georgia is Travis Hunter, the Collins Hill cornerback who also managed to torch opposing defenses with his route running and receiving skills. The future of high school football offenses may be more geared to passing than rushing. With that in mind, here are the five highest single-season receiving leaders in Georgia high school football.
5. Travis Hunter: 1,746 yards in 2020
Hunter’s breakout season came in 2020, when he caught 24 touchdowns and averaged more than 115 yards a game. He hauled in 15 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns in a region victory over Mill Creek and put up 109 yards in the state title game against an extremely talented Grayson defense. Hunter has committed to Jackson State as a five-star cornerback.
4. Mike Kemp: 1,843 yards in 1968
Kemp’s 1,843-yard receiving campaign is already impressive, but having done it in a run-heavy decade prior to this century is stunning. In his senior season with now-defunct Tallulah Falls, Kemp led the Indians to an 8-1 season, which included a 34-0 rout of fifth-ranked Monticello. If Kemp’s impact wasn’t already present, it is worth noting that Tallulah Falls went winless in 1969 after he graduated. That was the program’s last season of football as well.
3. Arik Gilbert: 1,860 yards in 2019
As a 6-foot-5 tight end, Arik Gilbert was an easy target for star Marietta QB Harrison Bailey. That combination rattled defenses all season, culminating in a state title win over Lowndes. Gilbert averaged 17.7 yards per reception and asserted his dominance with a season-opening, 205-yard performance against a stout Rome defense. He now plays for the Georgia Bulldogs.
2. Jaden Gibson: 1,878 yards in 2021
Just this past season, Gibson of Rabun County notched a historic 1,878 yards in 13 games to rank second all-time. Granted, it was a huge benefit to have 5-star quarterback Gunner Stockton passing him the football against defenses in 2A. Regardless, Gibson helped the Wildcats average 48.6 points per game on the back of his 144.5 yards per matchup. His transfer from Dawson County seems to have paid off in historic fashion.
1. Marcayll Jones: 2,046 yards in 2018
It’s undoubtedly the greatest season by a wide receiver ever: Jones is the only receiver to record over 2,000 yards in a season. He did so with Warner Robins, who reached the state championship and infamously fell to Bainbridge despite Jones’s 14-catch, 178-yard receiving performance. Impressively, Jones achieved this record as a junior. He put up two 200-yard performances, using big plays to make a mark and demoralize his opponent. It will be nearly impossible to match or pass Marcayll Jones’ place among Georgia’s single-season receiving leaders in future years.
