Milton senior TJ Lester finished 2nd place for Week 9’s top plays. The running back took a handoff up the middle and made an elevator cut in a tight space before hitting a wall of defenders.
That doesn’t sound very exciting. Does it? Well, Lester was not done, and churned his legs forward, driving back several Gainesville players. Then a caravan of Milton teammates pushed the pile, and the scrum became a mass on a mission for the endzone. Amazingly, Lester crossed over the goalline precisely as he hit the ground, and the team celebrated in jubilation.
This is the second feature this season covering Lester, so we asked the Milton product what has transpired since.
“Senior year has been going really good since we last talked; me and my team are currently 8-0 right now working to win another state championship,” Lester said.
Lester ran for 149 yards on 19 carries for two touchdowns in their 42-24 win over Gainesville, earning him the Robbie Hunter MVP award after the game. Milton remains undefeated and ranked the #1 team in the GHSA Top 25.
The Eastern Kentucky commit has been impressive this season, playing against some of the top competition in the country, and showing incredible drive on each run. His determination to drive his legs through tackle attempts is Lester’s calling card and will be a factor at the college level.
Speaking of college, we asked the senior what he is looking forward to the most when it comes to the next level.
“What I’m most excited about for college football is the opportunity to compete at a higher level, experience the intense game-day atmosphere, and to build on what I was able to achieve in high school at the college level,” Lester said.
Earlier this season we talked about Lester’s recruitment, and although he remains loyal to EKU, it is hard to ignore his production against top competition senior year. His play style is extremely similar to Marietta alumni Kimani Vidal, who wound up at Troy, and just last weekend scored his first NFL touchdown for the San Diego Chargers.
Could that be Lester in 4-5 years? Possibly more likely than others realize, and while so many college evaluators get lost in the numbers, Lester has the intangibles and running instincts you need to be successful. His propensity to stack up yards, break tackles, and read his blocks are among the best in the state, so be sure to follow @RecruitGeorgia on Twitter/X to hear the latest on Lester and athletes all across the state.
