High School Football

Chubb moves into No. 1 spot on Player of the Year watch

ATLANTA — Nick Chubb, the Cedartown running back who rushed for more than 300 yards for the eighth time in his career last week, is the new leader of GHSF Daily’s Player of the Year Watch.

Chubb is the state’s leading rusher with 1,887 yards. His per-game average of 269.6 yards also ranks first, passing last week’s leader, North Oconee’s Kawon Bryant, who is averaging 255.8 yards.

Liberty County Raekwon McMillan, the former POY Watch leader, had another strong all-around game, including 14 tackles, but his team’s loss to Statesboro hurts his overall candidacy.

New to the list is North Gwinnett wide receiver Nate Brown, who has 14 touchdown receptions, at least one in each game.

1. RB Nick Chubb, Cedartown: Chubb Nick rushed for 355 yards and five touchdowns on 36 carries in a 42-34 victory over Pickens. For the season, Chubb has rushed for 1,887 yards on 179 carries (10.5 yards per carry) and scored 29 touchdowns in seven games, all victories. Cedartown is ranked No. 7 in Class AAAA. Chubb, the No. 1-rated running back prospect in Georgia, finished with 2,721 yards rushing in 2012, a state record for the regular season. Chubb is committed to Georgia.

2. QB Deshaun Watson, Gainesville: Watson was 18-of-23 passing for 215 yards and three touchdowns and one interception in a 58-8 victory over Salem. For the season, Watson is 159-of-219 passing (72.6 percent) for 2,080 yards and 26 touchdowns with three interceptions in seven games. He has rushed for 343 yards and four touchdowns on 44 carries. Watson, who is committed to Clemson, is the all-time Georgia leader in career passing yards with 11,442 yards.

3. LB/RB Raekwon McMillan, Liberty County: McMillan had 11 solo tackles, three for losses, in a 24-7 loss to Statesboro. He rushed for 34 yards on five carries. For the season, McMillan has 107 tackles, 21 for losses, five sacks and three forced fumbles. He has rushed for 417 yards on 45 carries (9.3 ypc) and has three catches for 74 yards. He has scored 10 touchdowns. Liberty County is 6-1. The consensus No. 2 college prospect in Georgia made the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Super 11 team.

4. Kawon Bryant, North Oconee: Bryant rushed for 194 yards and scored five touchdowns on five carries in a 42-7 victory over Franklin County. (Bryant was reported to have rushed for 232 yards, but North Oconee amended his totals Tuesday after reviewing film.) In six games, Bryant has rushed for 1,551 yards and 30 touchdowns on 151 carries (10.3 ypc) and has 10 catches for 140 yards. North Oconee is ranked No. 8 in Class AAA. Bryant is a junior.

5. DE Lorenzo Carter, Norcross: Carter had a season-high 14 tackles, 10 solo, and two tackles for losses totaling 14 yards in a 28-0 victory over ninth-ranked and previously unbeaten Collins Hill. It was the first shutout of Collins Hill in five years. For the season, Carter has 64 tackles, 18 for losses, and a sack. Carter is the consensus No. 1-rated college prospect in Georgia. Norcross is 5-2 and ranked No. 7 in Class AAAAAA.

6. QB Ty Clemons, McEachern: Clemons rushed for 63 yards on five carries and was 8-of-11 passing for 112 yards and two touchdowns in a 40-0 victory over South Cobb. Clemons played less than a half. On the season, Clemons has rushed for 851 yards and scored nine touchdowns on 59 carries. He is 51-of-85 passing for 759 yards and 11 touchdowns with three interceptions for a 7-0 team that is ranked No. 2 in AAAAAA.

7. WR Nate Brown, North Gwinnett: Brown caught eight passes for 146 yards and four touchdowns in a 50-47 victory over Mill Creek. Three touchdowns and a conversion came in the fourth quarter, when North Gwinnett came from 47-28 down to win. For the season, Brown has 32 catches for 559 yards and 14 touchdowns. North Gwinnett is 7-0 and ranked No. 1 in Class AAAAAA. Brown is committed to Missouri.

8. QB Adam Choice, Thomas County Central: Choice rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown and attempted only one pass, completing it for 28 yards and a touchdown, in a 62-7 victory over Northside of Columbus. For the season, Choice has rushed for 1,140 yards on 149 carries (7.4 ypc) and scored 10 touchdowns for a 6-1 team that is ranked No. 6 in Class AAAAA. He is 24-of-44 passing for 436 yards and four touchdowns with one interception. Choice also plays in Central’s secondary. A member of the AJC’s Super 11 team, Choice rushed for more than 1,500 yards each of the past two seasons.

9. Stanton Truitt, Monroe Area: Truitt rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns on just four carries in a 47-0 victory over Stephens County. He was 3-of-6 passing for 27 yards and a TD. Monroe Area had only 15 offensive plays in the first half and scored seven touchdowns on them. For the season, Truitt has rushed for 913 yards on 67 carries (13.6 ypc) and is 22-of-36 passing for 478 yards and nine touchdowns with two interceptions. Truitt has scored 14 touchdowns. Monroe Area is 6-0 and ranked No. 4 in AAAA. Truitt is committed to Auburn.

10. QB Brooks Barden, Cartersville: Team did not play last week. On the season, Barden is 78-of-129 passing for 1,341 yards and 21 touchdowns with two interceptions for a 6-0 team that is ranked No. 2 in Class AAA. He has 226 rushing yards on 28 carries (8.07 ypc) and has scored four touchdowns. Barden, rated by 247Sports as the No. 1 pro-style quarterback in the state, has committed to Marshall.

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