High School Football

AJC names Super 11

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has named the Super 11 for 2012. It's the newspaper's picks for the best 11 high school football players in the state. The paper began picking the Super 11 in 1985. Hines Ward, Champ Bailey, Jamal Lewis and Calvin Johnson are among those who made the list over the years.

Who made the list this year? Take a look.

Montravius Adams, Dooly County

Position: DT

Height, weight: 6-foot-4, 285 pounds

Class: Senior

College choices: Has numerous offers, but is uncommitted. Auburn and Clemson appear to be the leaders.

2011 season wrapup: Adams had 44 tackles for losses and more than 20 sacks for a 7-4 playoff team. He was the Region 4-A Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-state.

School's first Super 11 since: Adams is the first.

What's interesting: Adams is the No. 1 defensive tackle prospect in the country, according to Rivals and Scout, and would be the best defensive line recruit from Georgia in decades, if not for Robert Nkemdiche of Grayson.

Ridgeland safety Vonn Bell scored 14 touchdowns last season, including three on fumble recoveries. (Jason Getz, jgetz@ajc.com)

Vonn Bell, Ridgeland

Position: S

Height, weight: 6-1, 190

Class: Senior

College choices: Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Texas, Clemson

2011 season wrapup: Bell was a first-team all-state selection for a 7-5 Class AAA playoff team. He finished with more than 100 tackles and 1,000 all-purpose yards. He scored 14 touchdowns, including three on fumble recoveries.

School's first Super 11 since: Bell is the first.

What's interesting: Bell's first sports awards came in swimming. His father, a former football player at Murray State, worked for the YMCA and introduced his son to that sport and several others at a young age.

Shamire DeVine, Tri-Cities

Position: OT

Height, weight: 6-6, 360

Class: Senior

College choices: Committed to Georgia Tech

2011 season wrapup: DeVine was an honorable mention all-state selection for a Tri-Cities team that set a school record for victories (10-3) and reached the Class AAAA quarterfinals. He finished with 80 pancake blocks and only allowed two sacks.

School's first Super 11 since: DeVine is the first.

What's interesting: DeVine is one of three major-college prospects on his high school team's offensive line. The others are Jeremi Hall, also committed to Tech, and Dominique Threatt, committed to South Florida.

Camden County defensive back J.J. Green is the school's first Super 11 player. (Jason Getz, jgetz@ajc.com)

J.J. Green, Camden County

Position: RB/DB

Height, weight: 5-9, 170

Class: Senior

College choices: Committed to Georgia

2011 season wrapup: Green was a first-team all-state player for a 12-1 team that reached the Class AAAAA quarterfinals. He had 912 yards rushing and 337 receiving, scored 21 touchdowns and averaged 26.8 yards on punt returns. On defense, he intercepted three passes and blocked three kicks.

School's first Super 11 since: Green is the first.

What's interesting: Green's school has won 125 games and three state titles during the past 10 years, but has never had a classification player of the year or a Super 11 player until now.

Tyren Jones, Walton

Position: RB

Height, weight: 5-9, 200

Class: Senior

College choices: Committed to Alabama

2011 season wrapup: Jones led the state in rushing with 2,375 yards and was named The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Class AAAAA Offensive Player of the Year. He scored 33 touchdowns in leading the Raiders to a 14-1 season and their first trip to the state championship game.

School's first Super 11 since: Chase Thomas in 2007.

What's interesting: Atlanta's entry into the Arena Football League in 2002 brought Jones to metro Atlanta. His father, Tyrone, was a star wide receiver on those early Georgia Force teams.

Brandon Kublanow is one two Walton players in the Super 11. (Jason Getz, jgetz@ajc.com)

Brandon Kublanow, Walton

Position: C

Height, weight: 6-3, 290

Class: Senior

College choices: Committed to Georgia

2011 season wrapup: Kublanow helped pave the way for a Walton offense that averaged 313 yards per game, including 207 rushing. He was first-team all-state in Class AAAAA, the only offensive lineman to be a unanimous selection.

School's first Super 11 since: Chase Thomas in 2007.

What's interesting: Kublanow and Tyren Jones are the ninth pair of teammates to make the Super 11 since its inception in 1985, but they are the first who are a running back and an offensive lineman.

Carl Lawson, Milton

Position: DE

Height, weight: 6-3, 245

Class: Senior

College choices: Committed to Auburn

2011 season wrapup: Lawson was named to the all-area and all-region team in 6-AAAAA. He is considered one of the nation's top 10 prospects at defensive end. Milton finished 4-7, but reached the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

School's first Super 11 since: Sean Bailey in 2002.

What's interesting: His father, Carl Lawson Sr., was a fullback on Georgia Tech's 1990 national championship team, but Lawson Jr. never seriously considered Tech or Georgia.

Johnathon McCrary, Cedar Grove

Position: QB

Height, weight: 6-4, 200

Class: Senior

College choices: Committed to Vanderbilt

2011 season wrapup: McCrary passed for 2,643 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2011 and could threaten the state record for career passing yardage this season. He led Cedar Grove to a 7-4 record, giving it back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1999.

School's first Super 11 since: Josh Jarboe in 2007.

What's interesting: McCrary gets up at 5 a.m. every day and listens to motivational speakers and works out. He prays five times a day. He checks the house each night to make sure lights are off and doors are locked and his father is OK before going to bed.

Robert Nkemdiche, Grayson

Grayson defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche is committed to Clemson. (Jason Getz, jgetz@ajc.com)

Position: DE

Height, weight: 6-5, 275

Class: Senior

College choices: Committed to Clemson

2011 season wrapup: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's all-classification player of the year had 18 sacks and 36 tackles for losses for a Class AAAAA championship team that allowed only 38 yards rushing per game. Nkemdiche, considered the nation's top senior, also rushed for 528 yards and 17 touchdowns.

School's first Super 11 since: Lorenzo Washington in 2003.

What's interesting: Nkemdiche is the only Super 11 player this season, if ever, with a Wikipedia bio while in high school. He has 8,867 followers on Twitter. A recent post: "It's not what I've done. It's what I'm fixing to do.''

Eddie Printz, Lassiter

Position: QB

Height, weight: 6-4, 200

Class: Senior

College choices: Committed to UCLA

2011 season wrapup: Printz completed 277 of 442 passes for 3,350 yards and 28 touchdowns and led Lassiter to the state semifinals for the first time in school history. He was a second-team all-state player in Class AAAAA and could challenge the state record for career passing yards.

School's first Super 11 since: Printz is the first.

What's interesting: Printz is a member of Lassiter's DECA Club for students with a career interest in business. He was a finalist in the Georgia competition last year and earned a trip to nationals in Salt Lake City.

Demarcus Robinson, Peach County

Position: WR

Height, weight: 6-3, 200

Class: Senior

College choices: Committed to Clemson

2011 season wrapup: Robinson, the consensus No. 1 receiver prospect in Georgia, had 52 receptions for 1,027 yards and 10 touchdowns and was named first-team all-state in Class AAA. Peach County finished 13-2 and reached the state championship game.

School's first Super 11 since: Chris Slaughter in 2005.

What's interesting: Robinson is Peach County's fifth Super 11 player in the past 10 years, the most of any Georgia school. The others were A.J. Bryant, Darius Dewberry, Tony Wright and Chris Slaughter.