Christian Heritage’s experienced JR John Stanley has looked impressive this season, impacting the game all over the field. The 6’3″, 240 lbs. athlete is a standout in the trenches where his versatility impacts both sides of the ball, but also at special teams as a long snapper.
Last week against Gordon Central, he was voted OL of the Week in the GHSA on our site. Stanley had a great block driving the defender completely off the field and out of bounds. That kind of urgency, leg drive, and activity is the resounding theme with his JR film at the top of the article.
“Junior year has been one of the more challenging years that I have experienced so far balancing both academics and athletics. I work hard both in the classroom and on the field and have a 4.28 GPA. I am a 3-year starter on the varsity football team, and I know my team is counting on me this season,” Stanley said about the season thus far.
The junior is playing his tail off with 30 tackles on defense, 5 tackles for a loss, and 3 sacks, along with good blocking on the other side of the line. Stanley talked about where he has improved the most over the last year.
“I feel like I have improved the most by maintaining the overall speed of the game, considering I start on both sides of the ball and special teams. My dedication to the offseason training and conditioning has improved my overall performance on the field,” he said.
On the recruiting front, Stanley has made strides visiting different colleges during the offseason, especially during the summer camp sessions, and while upcoming college visits are on his mind, nothing has materialized yet.
“So far, I have built relationships with many different coaches throughout the summer, and I am doing my best to get my name out there as much as possible. I have not taken any unofficial visits this season but plan to go to some game-day visits and continue to build relationships with the coaches that have reached out to me,” Stanley said.
The 2027 three-way player’s hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. As mentioned at the top, his film is littered with hustle plays that have a tangible impact on the game. Plus, he is a refined long snapper, and he is often the first guy downfield in punt coverage, which you love to see.
To display skill in so many aspects of the game shows Stanley’s work ethic is off the charts.
“I am not afraid to work hard. I hold myself to a high standard and consider myself to be very coachable. I cannot always control how things may fall, but I can control my attitude, my work ethic, and my grit,” he said.
Christian Heritage is 4-3 on the year with a big game tonight against Chattooga, who has one of the top DL in the class of ’27 lining up across. Stanley will have his work cut out for him, but tough circumstances should put the junior right at home, so be sure to follow @RecruitGeorgia to hear the latest news on Stanley and recruits across the state of Georgia.
