In a state stocked with some of the finest and most talented high school football players of any in the country, trying to determine who the best high school football player in Georgia is in any given year can be a real crapshoot. But it’s fun to try.
Last season, the general consensus was that Collins Hill’s Travis Hunter was the No. 1 high school talent in the state. Every week it seemed that Hunter was making headlines with his game-changing plays – literally. Whether it was making drive-killing interceptions, game-saving tackles, timely forced fumbles and fumble recoveries, or breaking up passes, these all became nightly highlights for Hunter, and that was just on the defensive side.
Staying on the field and walking over to the offensive side, Hunter’s exploits were just as impressive: receiving touchdowns, rushing touchdowns, throwing touchdowns – the five-star recruit and Jackson State signee could do it all. One particular night last season really underscored his ability to completely take over a game. During a game between Hunter’s Collins Hill Eagles and then-undefeated East Coweta in the seventh week of the season, Hunter ended up with the following stats:
- A rushing TD
- A 70-yard interception return for a TD
- A 28-yard reception for a TD
- 11 receptions
- 134 yards receiving
Jaycee Horn, a first-round NFL draft pick last year, called Hunter “the best high school player I’ve ever seen.”
Hunter finished last season with 76 catches for 1,128 yards and 10 TDs on offense, and defensively he had 23 tackles, four interceptions and a forced fumble despite missing five games with a lower leg injury.
I think you get the point.
So, as we near the end of the 2022 regular season and get ready for the playoffs, let’s reflect for a moment and ask ourselves the question: If Hunter was the best high school football player in Georgia in 2021, who do we pass the torch to this season? Let’s consider the top two candidates: Buford running back Justice Haynes and Mill Creek safety Caleb Downs.
One of these two players would more than likely be the answer from most fans when asked to name the best high school football player in Georgia, and for good reason: When you take a look at the similarities in them, you’ll see they are almost endless:
- They are the two most highly ranked Class of 2023 seniors, are both five-stars, and are both committed to Alabama.
- They are both AJC Super 11 players and are both on MaxPreps’ Top 10 watch list for National Player of the Year.
- They both have fathers who played professionally. Gary Downs and Verron Haynes each spent seven years in the NFL as a running back.
- Downs is rated at .9947, while Haynes is at .9853 in 24/7 sports ratings.
Making the Case for Justice Haynes
Haynes has 1,006 rushing yards with 11 TDs for Buford so far this season, but sometimes stats don’t necessarily tell the whole story. Haynes is a player with the ability to change the game with one step.
Earl Williams, owner of Georgia Sports Performance, compared Haynes to Hunter, saying, “[Haynes] is without a doubt like Travis Hunter out of the backfield.” Williams dubbed Haynes the “most talented back I have seen in over a decade… in all facets of the game.”
Big-time players make plays on the biggest of stages, and that was the case last week when Haynes and Buford took on the Mill Creek Hawks in the biggest game of the year to date. The battle of the state’s top two Class 7A teams was played in front of more than 11,000 fans at Buford’s Tom Riden Field.
Haynes carried the ball 20 times for 214 yards and two TDs, and he also threw a 25-yard halfback pass for the game’s first TD. Haynes was also the upback in punt formation and ran for a 33-yard gain and crucial first down when Buford decided to call a fake punt. He also returned a kickoff for 37 yards. He became just the sixth player in state history to go over 7,000 yards rushing for his career.
Making the Case for Caleb Downs
Downs has 44 tackles so far this season from his safety position and is averaging 6.3 tackles per game while snagging three interceptions, one of which he returned for a TD. He has five PBU and one fumble recovery. He also has made an impact on offense, averaging 8.5 yards per carry on 26 attempts for 220 yards and 10 TDs. Downs has also caught 25 passes for 294 yards this season.
Like Haynes, Downs also played big in last week’s big game at Buford. He played the entire game at safety, but also lined up at RB, carrying the ball seven times for 81 yards and two TDs. A third TD was called back after a Mill Creek penalty. Oh, and Downs also had six receptions for 53 yards and kickoff return for 38 yards.
Jeff Sentell, who covers the top high school football recruits along with college football for Dawgnation.com and the AJC, says of Downs: “He’s the most college-ready safety I have ever seen covering high school players.”
Downs’ career numbers so far this season are 230 total tackles, six TFL, 17 interceptions, 479 rushing yards with 17 TDs, 441 receiving yards with three TDs, 261 kickoff return yards, and 226 punt return yards.
Dare to try to pick between these two great players as to who is the best high school football player in Georgia? Maybe we can have co-greatest players.
