Gone are elite legendary QBs Bailey Fisher, Coey Watson and Cole Wright, and the athletic star AJ Curry, as well as others such as Jackson Bell, Jim Barnett, Clayton Dykhouse, Kaleb Crane, Hassan Brown, Cole Keener, etc.

Who will be the face of football this fall? The new crop of players will be different, but there is definitely some talent. Among our local programs, there are a number of guys that jump right off the page. Some obvious, and others who are poised to breakout in 2018. Here are the 43 guys to keep an eye out for in 2018.

9 FRONT-RUNNERS

These are the 9 returning players that have already proven to be top playmakers.

Colby Clark – Jefferson JR QB/LB
2017 Stats: 86 TKL, 6 TFL, INT (didn’t play much QB in ’17, but put up 1,000+ all-purpose as a freshman QB)

Sevaughn Clark – Dawson Co SR RB/QB
2017 Stats: 1,806 rush yds, 15 TD (316 ATT, 5.7 YPC) | 135 rec yds, TD

Donovan Curry – Habersham Central SR WR/DB
2017 Stats: 27 rec, 598 yds, 8 TD | 78 PR yds, 329 KR yds| 2 FUM REC, TD, 47 TKL, 1.5 TFL, INT, 4 PD, 2 BLK

Ryan Glass – Dawson Co SR WR
2017 Stats: 36 rec, 760 yds, 8 TD

J Ben Haynes – White Co SO QB
2017 Stats: 1,808 pass yds, 15 TD, 6 INT (125/204; 61%)

Braxton Hicks – Rabun Co JR WR/S
2017 Stats: 44 rec, 829 yds, 12 TD | 21 TKL, INT

Austin Jones – Rabun Co SR WR/S/KR
2017 Stats: 36 rec, 696 yds, 7 TD | 49 rush yds, TD | 137 TKL, 8.5 TFL, 5 INT, TD | 35 KR yds, 488 PR yds, 3 TD

Tre Luttrell – Habersham Central SR QB
2017 Stats (Gainesville): 1,300+ yds, 15+ TD; 500+ rush yds, 8 TD

Terrence Walker – Banks Co SR RB
2017 Stats: 710 rush yds, 10 TD (86 ATT, 8.3 YPC) | 109 rec yds, TD | 59 TKL, 13 TFL, 3 SACK, FF

12 DEFENSIVE STALWARTS 

These are the guys that do the dirty work and are set for HUGE 2018 seasons. *includes OL studs

Zac Baloga – Dawson Co SR LB
2017 Stats: 50 TKL, 16 TFL, 10 SACKS

Logan Barnes – Dawson Co SR
2017 Stats: 111 TKL, 4 TFL, INT, 2 FF

Jackson Colwell – Union Co SR
2017 Stats: 109 TKL, 3 TFL

Cody Dodge – Banks Co SR 
2017 Stats: 73 TKL, 16 TFL, 3 SACKS, FR | 20 rec yds

Zach Ferguson – Rabun Co SR LB
2017 Stats (Hab Central): 75 TKL, 14 TFL, 2 SACKS, FF

Aaron Hall – Jefferson SR DT
2017: 16 TKL; played through injury and missed nearly half of season

Jacob Lehotsky – Banks Co SR DB/P/ATH
2017: 62 TKL, 3 TFL, 3 INT, 2 FF; 332 ALL-PURP YDS, 1 TD; 26.5 PUNT AVG

Jay Lepkoske – White Co SR LB

 

Shawn Lovell – Rabun Co SR C
2017: 39 Pancake Blocks, 6 TKL

Austin Sosebee – Rabun Co SR
2017 Stats: 92 TKL, 16.5 TFL, 6 SACKS

Jackson Webb – Rabun Co SR LB
2017 Stats: 112 TKL, 12 TFL, 9 SACKS, 2 FF, BLK, 26 Pancake Blocks

Luke Wilson – Habersham Central SR S
2017 Stats: 61 TKL, 11 TFL, 1 SACK, FF, FR, BLK

22 UP & COMERS

These are the guys that are moving into more prominent roles in 2018. Some of these guys are proven but will get load the stat book even more this season.

Evan Abernathy – Dawson Co SR RB
2017 Stats (Lumpkin): 493 yds, 4 TD

Pierson Allison – Union Co JR QB
2017 Stats: 224 yds, 4 TD; 60 TKL, 2 TFL, INT

Brison Beck – Rabun Co SR RB
2017 Stats: 640 yds, 7 TD; 139 rec yds, 3 TD; 12 TKL

Dontarius Bailey – Habersham Central SR ATH

 

Trent Bradshaw – Towns Co SR LB/QB

 

Chad Buzzard – Union Co SR RB
2017 Stats: 523 yds, 5 TD; 87 rec yds, 2 TD

Zac Corbin – Jefferson SR WR/CB
2017 Stats: 521 yds, 11 TD; 71 TKL, 3 INT

Arian Curry – Habersham Central JR RB/ATH

 

Dylan Deaton – Commerce SR RB/S

 

Sawyer Drake – Union Co SR WR
2017 Stats: 630 yds, 8 TD

Sammy Elegreet – Jefferson SR WR/CB
2017 Stats: 652 yds, 2 TD; 16 TKL

Donsha Gaither – Jefferson JR RB
2017 Stats: 260 yds, 3 TD

Kanon Hemphill – Union Co SR WR
368 yds, 4 TD

Daniel Matkovich – Habersham Central SR RB
274 yds, 6 TD

Cayden Maxwell – Stephens Co SR WR
2017 Stats: 533 yds, 3 TD

Garmon Randolph – Jefferson SR TE
2017 Stats: 175 yds, 2 TD

Brian Smith – Union Co SR K
2017 Stats: 32/33 PAT, 3/5 FG; 41 PTS

Luke Smith – Lumpkin SR RB
2017 Stats: 638 yds, 4 TD

Gunner Stockton – Rabun Co FR QB

 

Will Travis – Towns Co SR WR/QB

 

Cody Versluis – White Co SR WR

 

DaJuan Wood – Commerce SR RB/CB

 

Did we miss someone? We’re human, so just shoot us a kind email and we’ll look into it. [brian@blitzsportsga.com]