Georgia High School Football Daily published its preseason all-state teams in each of five classifications this week.
Exclusive to MaxPreps, here is GHSF Daily’s all-class preseason all-state team. Players are chosen predominantly for their on-field performance:
OFFENSEQB Nick Marshall, Wilcox County (Rochelle), Sr.: Passed for 2,956 yards and 32 touchdowns in 2009 while leading Wilcox County to the Class A title. Marshall has committed to Georgia, where he will play defensive back in football and guard in basketball. He’s one of Georgia’s top recruits in both sports.
RB Isaiah Crowell, Carver (Columbus), Sr.: Rushed for 1,907 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2009 and had 241 more yards receiving. Carver is ranked No. 2 in two preseason Class AA polls. Crowell has indicated that Alabama and Georgia are his college favorites.
RB Ralph D. Abernathy IV, Westminster (Atlanta), Sr.: Rushed for 1,501 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2009 and caught 33 passes for 325 yards and 5 TDs. Westminster is ranked in the Top 10 of two preseason Class AA polls. Abernathy, the grandson of the late civil rights leader Ralph David Abernathy, has college offers from Mississippi, Cincinnati, Louisville and Air Force.
WR Chris Conley, North Paulding (Dallas), Sr.: Caught 81 passes for 846 yards and six TDs in 2009 for a 5-5 team. North Paulding will be playing a region schedule for the first time this year. Conley has committed to Georgia.
WR Zack Walker, Johnson County (Wrightsville), Sr.: Caught 72 passes for 1,172 yards and 14 touchdowns in 10 games 2009. Johnson County, 8-2 last season, is a favorite in Region 3-A this year. Walker is not the most highly recruited receiver in Georgia – he has an offer from Southeastern Lousiana – but has been the most productive.
Jay Rome
Tom Lemming photo
Caught 25 passes for 452 yards and three TDs in 2009. Valdosta is ranked No. 10 in Class AAAAA in one preseason poll. Rome, who was his region’s player of the year in basketball last year, has offers from several SEC and ACC schools.
OL Thomas O’Reilly, Pope (Marietta), Sr.: O’Reilly was first-team all-state in Class AAAAA in 2009 and was the Cobb TD Club’s offensive lineman of the year. He has committed to Auburn.
OL Watts Dantzler, Dalton, Sr.: Dantzler was first-team all-state in Class AAAA in 2009. He has committed to Georgia.
OL Xzavier Ward, Colquitt County (Moultrie), Sr.: His coach, Rush Propst, calls Ward the best offensive lineman he has ever coached. Ward has several offers from ACC and SEC schools.
OL David Andrews, Wesleyan (Norcross), Sr.: Andrews was a first-team all-state player in Class A last year for a team that has won a state title and reached the quarterfinals the past two seasons. Andrews has committed to Georgia.
OL Alan Posey, Clarke Central (Athens), Sr.: Posey was a first-team all-state player in Class AAAA in 2009 for a team that reached the state final. Posey has committed to Tennessee.
DEFENSEDL Xzavier Dickson, Griffin, Sr.: Had 94 tackles, 36 of them for losses or sacks, in 2009. Griffin is ranked No. 2 in most preseason polls in Class AAAA. Dickson has offers from several ACC and SEC schools.
Ray Drew
Tom Lemming photo
Had 72 tackles, 22 of them for losses or sacks, in 2009. His team is ranked in the Top 10 of every preseason Class AAAA poll. Drew is generally regarded as the No. 1 college prospect in Georgia.
DL Sterling Bailey, East Hall (Gainesville), Sr.: Made 68 tackles, including 22 for losses, while playing in only seven full games due to injuries on an 0-10 team. Bailey Bailey has committed to Georgia.
DL Stephon Tuitt, Monroe Area (Monroe): Had 67 tackles, including 14 for losses or sacks, on an 0-10 team. Tuitt will play tight end this season in addition to the defensive line. He has offers from over 30 major Division I-A schools.
LB A.J. Johnson, Gainesville, Sr.: Credited with 159 tackles on a team that went 14-1 and was the Class AAA runner-up in 2009. Johnson reportedly is down to Clemson, Florida and Tennessee as his college choices.
LB James Vaughters, Tucker, Sr.: Averaged a team-leading five solo tackles per game as a junior, though his season was limited to nine games because of injury. As a sophomore, Vaughters was the team leader in sacks as Tucker won the Class AAAA championship. With a 4.0 GPA, Vaughters has committed to Stanford.
LB Terrance Smith, Southwest DeKalb (Decatur, Ga.), Sr.: Made 111 tackles – 22 for losses or sacks – for a 9-2 team in 2009. Smith, a linebacker/defensive end hybrid, has committed to Florida State.
ATH Brian Randolph, Kell (Marietta), Sr.: Rushed for 1,303 yards and made 136 tackles for a 6-5 team in 2009. Kell will be a favorite in Region 4-AAAA this year. Randolph has committed to Tennessee.
DB Geraldo Orta, Lowndes (Valdosta), Sr: Had 73 tackles and six interceptions for a 10-2 team in 2009. Lowndes is nationally ranked in many preseason polls. Clemson is the reported leader among several college choices for Orta.
DB Malcolm Mitchell, Valdosta, Sr.: Was first-team all-Region 1-AAAAA as a junior for a 7-4 team. Georgia, Alabama and Florida are his reported leaders in recruiting.
DB Damian Swann, Grady (Atlanta), Sr.: Caught 48 passes as a wide receiver and made 67 tackles with six interceptions as a defensive back on a 10-2 team. Swann reportedly has two college favorites – Alabama and Georgia.
SPECIAL TEAMSP Will Monday, Flowery Branch, Sr.: Averaged over 40 years per kick last season and is rated by one kicking camp as the top high school punter in the nation. Monday has committed to Duke.
PK Ammon Lakip, Chattahoochee (Alpharetta), Sr.: Made seven of eight field goals (with a long of 52 yards) and kcicked 34 of 42 kickoffs for touchbacks in 2009. Lakip is rated the No. 1 high school place-kicker in the nation by one kicking camp. He is not committed.
