Here are the Week 5 standouts from our weekend research. We have a brief write-up on each of the 12 athletes we selected, along with individual game footage from Hudl, when available.
Voting for the Player of the Week is directly underneath and ends Tuesday at 10 p.m. You can only vote once per hour! The winner will get a featured story on the website and a custom highlight video.
Eron Mallard
SR Benedictine
Wide Receiver
Benedictine took down undefeated Statesboro 42-21 behind the explosive legs of 2027 athlete Eron Mallard. The Cadets were down 14-7, but then Mallard scored the next four touchdowns on an efficient 6 receptions for 171 yards while also rushing three times for 57 yards. The Purdue commit helped his team to a 3-1 record and ranked #4 in 5A. No film yet from his great performance.
Cayden Hutson
SR Ola
Athlete
The Ola two-way senior did it all in their 35-19 victory over Perry. Hutson rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries, plus 7 tackles and forced a fumble on defense that was returned for a touchdown. On offense, the 6′ 190 athlete can make a cut on a dime, showing good burst to the 2nd level. On defense, he always finds himself around the football; he nearly caused a 2nd fumble in the game. Hutson is a true ball player. Ola moves to #10 in our 5A rankings and will face off against Jones County this upcoming Friday.
LJ Devine
JR Fitzgerald
Running Back
Devin makes the standouts for the 2nd consecutive week. The junior helped his team to a 25-20 win over 3A’s Worth County, rushing for 263 yards and two touchdowns on 39 carries. Devine has rushed for 466 yards in back-to-back weeks in big victories over Dodge County and Worth County. The junior back aptly named the Wild Hog is running wild and has his team in contention for the 2A state title.
Chance Wombles
JR Johnson Co.
Quarterback
Johnson County continues its undefeated season with a 57-0 beatdown of Wilcox County, where JR QB Chance Wombles had himself a game, completing 13 out of 14 passes for 400 yards and three touchdowns. The two-sport star (baseball too) has Johnson County ranked #2 in our Class A rankings, the highest since we started ranking 10 years ago. The 6’2″ 195 lbs. QB throws a tight spiral with some real heat to it; he looks to be the best QB at Johnson County since Brooks Norton, who played back in 2017, was named All-State honorable mention. Wombles is on the right track.
Sam Abney
JR Lovett
Quarterback
Lovett continues their undefeated season with an electric 21-14 win over Wesleyan, where JR dual-threat passer Sam Abney scored a 10-yard go-ahead score with 2:18 left. The explosive 6’2″, 190-lb. quick-twitch QB rushed for 91 yards on 16 carries and completed 12 passes for 144 yards. Lovett gets the major top 10 win in Private over Wesleyan and slots into the #5 spot for our weekly Private rankings.
Ta’Shawn Poole
SR Howard
Athlete
Howard competed in one of the most electric games of Week 5, beating Baldwin 49-43, and senior FSU commit Ta’Shawn Poole had nine receptions for 249 yards and six touchdowns, breaking the school’s single-game TD record. Poole also had 7 tackles, a tackle for a loss, and a 22-yard punt return. The senior, who was selected as an All-State defensive back in the preseason, looks like he’ll have an argument for All-State athlete for 4A if he continues this kind of production on both sides of the ball.
Kamari Frazier
SR Lithia Springs
Wide Receiver
Frazier put together one of the best performances of the 2026 season last Friday in a 36-35 win over Pace Academy. The senior receiver had 190 yards on 5 receptions for 2 touchdowns, another touchdown rushing for 9 yards, and also returned two kickoffs for a total of 143 yards. All of those spectacular numbers aside, the most important play of the night came on a two-point conversion at the end of the game to win. Frazier is a true gamer, proven to be one of the best returners in the state and with several years of great production at receiver.
Cameron Keeve
SR Bradwell Institute
Running Back
The emerging Bradwell Institute is 3-1 this year with some huge offensive games, and that was certainly the case in Week 5, where they beat Glynn Academy 54-43 in a barn burner. The explosive senior has legit 10.8 100m speed. He totaled 208 all-purpose yards, 128 rushing on 5 carries with two scores, and 80 receiving yards on 1 reception that also went for a touchdown. Keeve has made the top performers twice this season. The speedy SR back is 5’8″ and 165 lbs, and shows good hands and breakaway speed that D1 programs covet.
Jay Carson
JR Adairsville
Running Back
Junior running back Jay Carson had a huge game, rushing for 230 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 35-14 win over Pickens. The junior averaged 7.7 yards per carry with a long of 53 yards. The 5’9″ junior back is smooth changing directions, keeping his pads vertical, and getting upfield in a hurry. Very impressed with his vision and acceleration – definitely believe Carson’s recruitment will grab D1 schools’ attention in the coming weeks and months.
Jenssen Kaivani
SR Decatur
Quarterback
The DeKalb County single-game passing TD record was tied last Friday after SR QB Jenssen Kaivani detonated for 265 passing yards and 7 touchdowns in a 48-21 win over Meadowcreek. The 5’11” senior passer stands tall in the pocket, making really tough throws with guys in his face. He did a great job spreading the football around on Friday. We first saw the senior against Blessed Trinity in Game 1 at the Corky Kell, and although the SR had zero time to throw the ball against BT’s vaunted defensive line, Kaivani delivered some great passes. When given time, the senior can really showcase his training and refined skills – as seen in last Friday’s record-tying game.
Zavien Villafuerte
SR NW Whitfield
Running Back
In a game that featured powerful running backs, NW Whitfield senior Zavien Villafuerte was not to be outdone. The running back had 200 yards on the ground with 32 carries and 4 touchdowns, helping his team to a 42-28 win over Woodland-Cartersville. The 6′ 200 lbs. back had a miracle injury a few years ago that allowed doctors to discover an unidentified cancer that saved his life. Vilafuerte has gone through more than most high school athletes can imagine, but through that adversity, the senior overcame it all and is now helping his team to the #9 spot in our 4A rankings.
Elihue Simmons Jr.
SR Cass
Linebacker
Cass senior Elihue Simmons had 15 total tackles and was instrumental in a 31-21 region win over Villa Rica. Going up against one of the best rushing attacks in 5A, Simmons was all over the field, dragging down ball carriers, using his powerful 5’10”, 240 lbs. frame to stop the ball carrier in his tracks. Of note, each week, you’ll see big tackle totals, but rarely does the film back it up. Simmons was truly on a heater, crashing the gaps and hustling his tail off to make a tackle all over the field. His film down below is worth a watch.
