Top Georgia high school football players in the updated 2026 Rivals Industry Rankings

Georgia is one the premier destinations for high school football talent across the country, with dozens of Peach State players considered to be among the nation’s most sought-after recruits.

In the 2025 class, the state had a whopping 36 players ranked among the nation’s top 300, second only to Florida (37) and Texas (42). And that’s despite having one-half the population of the Sunshine State and one-third of the Lone Star State’s numbers.

2026 looks to be another banner year for talent, with 12 players among the top 100 in the updated Rivals Industry Rankings and 45 blue-chippers in total. With the latest rankings updates factored in after the beginning of football season, Rivals is breaking down the top 10 high school players in Georgia:

1. LB Tyler Atkinson

High School: Grayson
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 12 (#1 LB)
Status: Committed to Texas

Atkinson is a multi-time high school All-American already and is one of the nation’s most ballyhooed recruits. He participated as a junior in the Navy All-American Bowl in January after a 2024 campaign where he totaled 166 tackles, (32 TFLs), 46 quarterback hits, 13 sacks, an an interception. He is already off to a strong start as a senior as well with 16 tackles, 8 TFLs and a pair of sacks in the the two games he has stats listed for.

2. LB Xavier Griffin

High School: Gainesville
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 20 (#2 LB)
Status: Committed to Alabama

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Griffin was an early commitment to USC and another dynamic linebacker from inside the state’s borders. However, he backed off that pledge in May and then chose Alabama a month later. In addition to being a star on the gridiron, he’s also an All-Region basketball pick. Despite dealing with injuries in 2024, he racked up 43 tackles and six sacks. This year, the Red Elephants are off to a 3-1 start with Griffin totaling 14 tackles and a pair of sacks.

3. TE Kaiden Prothro

High School: Bowdon
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 26 (#3 TE)
Status: Committed to Georgia

Prothro is a quarterback’s dream, standing in at 6’6 with exceptional leaping ability and soft hands. He was a top performer earlier this month at Under Armour’s camp in Atlanta, and is also a standout baseball and basketball player. He burst onto the football scene last fall with 1,203 yards and 21 touchdowns on 56 receptions for Bowdon. He is already off to a big start in 2025 with 19 catches for 398 yards and seven scores.

4. CB Jorden Edmonds

High School: Sprayberry
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 29 (#3 CB)
Status: Committed to Alabama

Edmonds skyrocketed up the rankings this spring. In February, he sat outside the top 10 in his own state state and now checks in as one of the country’s top 32 prospects. He starred on both sides of the ball as a junior, hauling in 32 receptions for 648 and 4 TD on 20.3 yards per catch on offense. Defensively, he is a lockdown corner who also recorded 30 tackles and 1 TFL. He has followed that up with 19 catches, 369 yards and seven scores through five games, to go along 17 tackles and an interception.

5. EDGE Bryce Perry-Wright

High School: Buford
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 39 (#7 EDGE)
Status: Committed to Texas A&M

Playing for state and national powerhouse Buford, Perry-Wright has been on the national radar for most of his high school career. He anchors one of the Peach State’s best defenses in 2025, with Buford off to an undefeated start. Despite often facing double teams, he has already totaled 27 tackles, five tackles for loss and a sack for the Wolves.

6. S Jordan Smith

High School: Houston County
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 61 (#6 S)
Status: Committed to Georgia

Smith checks in as one of the country’s best safety prospects, ranking No. 6 nationally at his position. As a junior, he totaled 85 total tackles, three TFLs, two interceptions, seven pass breakups, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. So far this fall, he has tallied 13 tackles for a Douglas County squad that is off to a 3-2 start.

7. EDGE Tristian Givens

High School: Carver
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 68 (#11 EDGE)
Status: Committed to Texas A&M

Givens is one of the country’s most impressive two-way athletes, playing wide receiver and defensive end while checking in at 6’4 and over 200 pounds. He is primarily projected to play the latter at the college level, and teams across the country were breaking down his door to sign him before he committed to the Aggies.

8. EDGE Jamarion Matthews

High School: Gainesville
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 78 (#13 EDGE)
Status: Committed to Alabama

Matthews is coming off a highly productive junior season with 57 tackles, 17 sacks, 29 tackles for loss and 15 quarterback hurries at Sparkman (Ala.). In February, he transferred from Sparkman to Gainesville, and a few weeks later committed to the Crimson Tide despite leaving his home state for the final year of his high school career. Across the three games his stats have been posted for this fall, Matthews is up to 13 tackles, 5 TFLs and 3 sacks for the Red Elephants.

9. WR Aaron Gregory

High School: Douglas County
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 88 (#10 WR)
Status: Committed to Texas A&M

A 6-foot-3, 170-pound wideout, Gregory is one of a handful of elite prospects on Douglas County’s loaded roster. He hauled in 53 passes, totaling 914 yards and nine touchdowns last fall. And he is building on that again through the early part of the season in 2025. After just five games, he already has 32 catches, 489 receiving yards and two touchdowns, averaging just under 100 yards per contest.

10. CB Lasiah Jackson

High School: Lee County
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 89 (#13 CB)
Status: Committed to Stanford

Jackson has seen his stock rise significantly in recent months — both in the recruiting rankings and in his recruitment in general. An early Stanford commit, he’s now considering Auburn and a host of others who have come after him hard this fall. The 6-foot-3, 170-pounder totaled an impressive 54 tackles and two sacks from his defensive back spot last year, and he’s doing more of the same in 2025 with 34 tackles in just four games.

Other top-ranked high school players in Georgia

11. Deuce Geralds – Collins Hill
12. Brayden Rouse – Kell
13. Earnest Rankins – Cedar Grove
14. Jonaz Walton – Central
15. Jae Lamar – Colquitt County