Defensive players of the year lead strong group of Georgia linebackers
GHSF Daily’s rollout of the Georgia Power 100 continues today with linebackers. The Georgia Power 100 is chosen primarily on high school production, though college potential is considered.
*Tyler Atkinson, Grayson: Atkinson (6-2, 210) was named the GHSF Daily/AJC Class 6A defensive player of the year after leading Grayson to a 14-1 finish and the Class 6A championship. He also was the AJC’s Gwinnett County defensive player of the year. He is a four-year starter with 79 career tackles for losses, including 22 as a freshman. He has 31.5 sacks. Atkinson had two sacks and four QB hurries in a 38-24 victory over Carrollton in the championship game. He is the consensus No. 9 overall senior prospect nationally and the No. 1 linebacker and No. 1 Georgia player. He is the second-highest-rated Grayson prospect of all-time behind class-of-2013 defensive end Robert Nkemdiche. Atkinson committed to Texas in July.
*Khamari Brooks, North Oconee: Brooks (6-4, 220) was a GACA Class 4A co-defensive player of the year and the Region 8-4A co-defensive player of the year last season, when he had 113 tackles, 15 tackles for losses, 10 sacks and 24 QB hurries for the Class 4A championship team. Brooks also had 27 receptions for 517 yards and eight touchdowns as a tight end. Brooks was the only athlete in the 2024-25 academic year to make AJC first-team all-state in football and basketball. He also was the only athlete to start on state-winning football and basketball teams. He is the first top-200 national recruit in his school’s history. He committed to Georgia in June. He is a nephew Horace King, the first African American from the University of Georgia to play in the NFL.
*Max Brown, Jefferson: Brown (6-1, 215) was a first-team GHSF Daily/AJC all-state player as a sophomore last season on a 13-2 team that was the Class 3A runner-up. Brown had 74 solo tackles, 14 tackles for losses and two sacks. He also played significantly as a freshman. A top-400 national junior recruit, Brown is the third-highest-rated Jefferson prospect in history behind five-star recruits Malaki Starks and brother Sammy Brown. Brown committed to Clemson, his brother’s school, in June.
*Kaden Carter, Lamar County: Carter (6-2, 200) is a four-year starter. He had 55 solo tackles and nine tackles for losses last season for a 9-3 Class A Division I team. He made first-team GHSF Daily/AJC all-state and was the Region 4-A Division I defensive player of the year. A top-500 national prospect, Carter is the second-highest-rated Lamar County recruit of all-time behind current Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen. He committed to Maryland in April.
*Rodney Colton, Newnan: Colton (6-1, 220) is a four-year starter for a Class 5A team that was 9-3 last season. Colton had 51 tackles, 12 tackles for losses and six sacks and returned one interception for a touchdown last season. He made first-team all-region. A top-400 national recruit, Colton is the third-highest-rated Newnan prospect this century behind former Georgia players Alec Ogletree and Tray Matthews. Colton committed to Colorado in July.
*Anthony Davis, Grayson: Davis (6-2, 200) made GACA first-team all-state and GHSF Daily/AJC honorable mention last season for the Class 6A champions. Davis was Grayson’s second-leading tackler with 49 solo stops, 56 assists, 15 tackles for losses, three sacks and 10 QB hurries. He had a team-best nine solo tackles in the Class 6A final victory over Carrollton. He is a three-year starter and a top-400 national prospect. Davis committed to Ole Miss on Saturday.
*Jake Godfree, North Gwinnett: Godfree (5-11, 215), a starter since he was a freshman, had 75 solo tackles, 54 assists, 19 tackles for losses, six sacks, 11 QB hurries, two interceptions and four forced fumbles as a sophomore on a 12-1 Class 6A team. He and Brookwood running back Brayden Tyson were the only sophomores to make GHSF Daily/AJC first-team all-state in Class 6A. A consensus top-400 recruit, Godfree is the third-highest-rated LB prospect from North Gwinnett this century behind Barrett Carter and Grant Godfrey.
*Xavier Griffin, Gainesville: Griffin (6-3, 200) was a first-team GHSF Daily/AJC all-state player in Class 5A last season despite playing only eight games, as an injury cut short his season. He had 13 tackles for losses and six sacks. As a sophomore, he had 20 tackles for losses and nine sacks in a full season. He was an all-region basketball player as a junior and sophomore. Griffin is the highest-rated Gainesville prospect this century ahead of Deshaun Watson. A five-star recruit rated the consensus No. 17 player nationally, Griffin committed to Alabama in June.
*D.J. Jacobs, Blessed Trinity: Jacobs (6-5, 220) was the GHSF Daily/AJC Class 4A defensive player of the year, Region 6-4A’s defensive player of the year and the AJC’s North Fulton defensive player of the year as a sophomore, when he had 112 tackles, 32 tackles for losses, 11 sacks and two defensive touchdowns for an 11-2 Class 4A semifinal team. As the consensus No. 11 player on the 247Sports Composite, Jacobs is the highest-rated Blessed Trinity prospect in history just ahead of Steele Chambers and J.D. Bertrand. Jacobs is a son of former Georgia player David Jacobs.
*Brayden Rouse, Kell: Almost always the best all-around player on the field, Rouse (6-2, 220) is a middle linebacker/tight end who had 105 tackles, 14 tackles for losses and five pass breakups on defense and 25 catches for 378 yards and eight touchdowns on offense. He was first-team GACA all-state and honorable mention GHSF Daily/AJC all-state. Rouse is a top-100 national recruit who committed to Tennessee in July. Rouse is the second-highest-rated prospect in his school’s history behind Jonathan Dwyer, who is now on Kell’s coaching staff.