Georgia high school state championship game top performers

ATLANTA – The weekend at the Georgia state championships was full of good football. Many big names stepped up. A few new names showed up and showed out. There was even a bit of a torch handoff.

There were a few notable performances littered throughout the weekend.

Here are the top performers from an exciting weekend in Atlanta.

1. On3 MVP Five-star Plus safety Caleb Downs (2023)

Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek Five-Star Plus safety Caleb Downs got his state championship on Saturday night. It felt like a liberating experience for the Alabama commit.

Downs walked into Center Parc Credit Union Stadium with a stern look on his face. He glared in the direction of Carrollton pre-game.

Downs had a strong curtain call for his storied high school career. The five-star safety did his job on defense. He totaled six tackles. On offense, Downs scored three rushing touchdowns. One of them saw him go over the top of the Carrollton defense on the goal line.

Another score saw Downs break down a defender and showcase his speed to the outside before throwing two fingers and waltzing into the endzone.

Downs cracked a big smile as the clock ran down on the contest. He set the tone for Mill Creek as he has much of his career.

Downs also affirmed his commitment to Alabama following the game to On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons.

“It allows me to feel free, feel like I’ve done something in high school,” Downs, the No. 5 overall prospect and No. 1 safety in the 2023 On3 Consensus told Simmons. “It(‘ll allow) me to play free in college like I have no regrets. That’s a big thing for me.”

2. QB Julian Lewis (2026)

On3’s MVP of the weekend was Downs, but the offseason begins with the legend of Carrollton (Ga.) 2026 Julian Lewis growing to a boil.

The freshman quarterback was described with words like ‘phenom’, ‘special’ and others throughout the evening on Saturday. Lewis broke the state championship game passing yard record with 531 yards passing and five touchdowns.

Lewis’ stats were impressive. His demeanor has been a strong suit for him all season. Lewis looked the same no matter what was happening in the game. Mill Creek was a senior-ladened team that physically and psychologically challenged the freshman. He took their shots with indifference. Lewis did throw two interceptions, but he stood tall against what many had as the favorite in the highest classification in the state of Georgia.

Lewis will be a name and a face that will be plastered throughout the state this offseason. He’s no longer hype. He’s no longer the new kid. Lewis is a legitimate superstar in the state of Georgia.

3. QB Air Noland (2024)

Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes 2024 four-star quarterback Air Noland punctuated a big 2022 season with a state championship game win.

Noland put up 263 yards passing and three touchdowns. Noland ran for a score as well. The big play for Noland came as he scrambled a pitched the ball to a receiver on a third to seal Langston Hughes’ win.

Noland has nearly 30 offers at the moment.

4. QB Aaron Philo (2024)

Bogart (Ga.) Prince Avenue Christian 2024 quarterback Aaron Philo put on an air show on Thursday night. Prince Avenue had to come back from a halftime deficit.

Philo threw for 477 yards and 6 touchdowns to help Prince Avenue to a state championship.

5. ATH Bailey Stockton (2023)

Bogart (Ga.) Prince Avenue Christian athlete Bailey Stockton had one of the gutsiest performances of the weekend.

Stockton suffered a broken collarbone three weeks ago. He has surgery to repair the injury and returned to the field much earlier than expected.

Stockton showed up on Thursday with nine receptions and 145 yards and two touchdowns. Georgia State offered Stockton on Saturday after his performance.

6. CB Ty Adams (2023)

Swainsboro (Ga.) three-star cornerback Ty Adams will be heading to Chapel Hill to play defense. On Thursday, he shined as an offensive star.

Adams ran for 266 yards and four touchdowns. Adams also threw for 65 yards and collected five tackles and recovered a fumble.

7. LB TJ Harvison (2023)

Bowdon (Ga.) three-star TJ Harvison set the tone in the first game on Thursday. Harvison had a few loud tackles as a linebacker. He had six tackles. He made a big impact as a ball carrier as well.

Harvison ran for 216 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries to help Bowdon to a title.

8. WR/TE Caleb Odom (2024)

Carrollton (Ga.) 2024 tight end Caleb Odom has been one of the favorite targets of Lewis all season. The No. 112 overall prospect in the 2024 On300 rankings put up another strong performance.

Odom caught seven passes for 167 yards and a touchdown.

9. RB Cam Robinson (2023)

Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek running back Cam Robinson has been a big key for Mill Creek on their title run. Robinson saved one more performance for the state title game.

Robinson ran for 252 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday night.

10. LB Jeremiah Telander (2023)

Gainesville (Ga.) linebacker Jeremiah Telander kept flashing on Friday night. Telander, a Tennessee commit, collected 13 tackles, two sacks and four tackles for loss.

Tennessee coaches were in town throughout the weekend. Telander had the chance to play in front of head coach Josh Heupel.

11. ATH Robert McNeal

Bowdon (Ga.) 2023 athlete Robert McNeal made plays everywhere on Thursday. He had 86 yards rushing and two touchdowns. He threw for 79 yards and two touchdowns. McNeal added three tackles and a pass breakup as a defender.

10 others that shined

• OL Bo Hughley (2023)
• ATH Josh Britt (2023)
• ATH Jalewis Solomon (2024)
• LB Zayden Walker (2025)
• CB Za’Quan Bryan (2023)
• ATH Demello Jones (2024)
• DB Kaleb Cost (2023)
• CB Kayin Lee (2023)
• ATH Ricky Lee (2023)
• LB Jamal Anderson (2023)