Meet the Georgia boys who starred as SBLive's multi-sport athletes of the year in 2021-22
LT Overton photo by Ed Turlington
Over the past week we've highlighted the top players nationwide in 2021-22 in volleyball, football and boys soccer — and a Georgia athlete made every list.
Now we're going to focus on the Georgia athletes who starred in more than one sport. We'll start with the boys, and the girls will post at the beginning of next week.
Bryce Archie, Baseball/Football, McEachern
The 6-foot-2, 198-pound recent graduate produced plenty of offense for the Indians football and baseball teams during the 2021-22 school year. Archie accounted for 2,695 yards of total offense and 31 touchdowns on the gridiron, while hitting .291 with 10 RBIs, a .761 OPS, 16 runs scored and 12 stolen bases on the diamond. Archie, who signed to play both sports at Coastal Carolina beginning this fall, was also one of McEachern's top pitchers, with a 3.59 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 39 innings over nine appearances to earn honorable mention All-State status in Class 7A.
D'ante Bass, Basketball/Track and Field, Windsor Forest
The 6-foot-7, 188-pound recent graduate showed plenty of hops on the basketball court and the track during his senior year. Bass was the Class 3A individual state champ in the high jump and finished as runner-up in the triple jump and third in the long jump to help to an eighth-place finish in the state meet. In hoops, the Georgetown signee earned first-team All-State honors in 3A after averaging team bests of 14 points and 6.4 rebounds in leading the 3A state runner-up Knights to the title game.
K.J. Bolden, Football/Track and Field, Buford
The 6-1, 185-pound sophomore made a big splash in two sports during the 2021-22 school year. He first lived up to his five-star billing on the football field, earning second-team All-Gwinnett County for his prowess on offense and defense in helping the Wolves to a third straight state title (second straight in Class 6A). Then in the spring, Bolden placed third in the triple jump to help Buford place sixth as a team.
Isaiah Bond, Football/Track and Field, Buford
Bond had a similarly strong dual-sport 2021-22 school year to his teammate Bolden. The 5-11, 170-pound recent graduate made his biggest impact on the football field, where he earned honorable mention All-State and first-team All-Gwinnett County honors by snagging 45 catches for 1,004 yards and seven touchdowns, as well as returning a kickoff for a score. The Alabama signee also helped the Wolves to a third straight state title. While the former Class 6A state champion in the 100- and 200-meter dashes was limited in his availability in this spring's track season, he did post the fastest time in the nation in the 200 at 21.06 seconds in a regular-season meet in March.
Vic Burley, Football/Track and Field, Warner Robins
The 6-5, 276-pound powerhouse showed plenty of strength in two sports during his junior year. During football season Burley was named the state's Defensive Player of the Year in Class 5A after compiling 54 combined tackles and assists, 14 tackles for loss, five sacks and 53 quarterback hurries in helping the Demons to the 5A state title. He is already verbally committed to play college ball at Clemson. Later in the school year, he was a qualifier in two events in the 5A state track and field championships, placing fifth in the discus and 10th in the shot put.
C.J. Clinkscales, Football/Track and Field, Buford
Yet another football/track standout at Buford who had a huge season in 2021-22. He was a first-team All-Gwinnett County and honorable mention All-State in Class 6A after piling up 904 yards of total offense and eight touchdowns in helping the Wolves to the state championship, and earned a scholarship to play college ball at Boston College. Then in the spring, Clinkscales contributed to Buford's sixth-place team finish by placing sixth in the long jump.
Kaleb Cost, Football/Baseball, Sandy Creek
The 5-11, 185-pound junior is a hot commodity among college football recruiting circles as a cornerback, boasting more than a dozen scholarship offers, including several from Power Five programs. He finished with 24 combined tackles, three interceptions and five pass break-ups, and few opposing quarterbacks dared to throw his way, and was named honorable mention All-State in Class 3A. But he made just as big an impact in baseball this spring as part of the Patriots' high-powered offense, as well as using his athletic talents in the outfield in earning first-team All-State honors in 3A.
Ethan Davis, Football/Basketball, Collins Hill
The 6-5, 221-pound senior is one of the top tight end prospects in the nation. He was a major force for the Eagles' state champion and nationally ranked football team as its third-leading receiver with 61 catches for 755 yards and eight TDs last fall. Davis also was the go-to guy for the Eagles on the hardwood in the winter despite being limited to just 11 games while recovering from minor injuries sustained on the gridiron. The Eagles were 7-8 before Davis' return in January, but went 8-3 afterwards, including finishing as Region 8-7A runner-up. The four-star prospect is verbally committed to Tennessee, and has stated his intention to try to play both football and basketball in college.
Bryce Dopson, Football/Swimming/Track and Field, Brookwood
Three-sport athletes are becoming more rare each year in this age of specialization. But the Brookwood junior is an even bigger rarity in which three sports he competes in. The 6-2, 180-pound rising senior started the 2021-22 school year with eight receptions for 184 yards and four TDs in helping the Broncos football team to the Class 7A state quarterfinals. As fall turned to winter, Dopson hit the indoor pool and qualified for multiple events in the 7A state swim meet, placing third in the 50-yard freestyle and swimming the anchor leg of the Broncos' fourth-place 200 medley relay team. Then in the spring, he qualified for multiple events in the 7A track and field championships, with his best result being a runner-up finish in the 110-meter high hurdles.
Jack Fabris, Baseball/Football, North Oconee
Another multi-talented, multi-sport contributor on the diamond and the gridiron, the 6-2, 185-pound defensive back was a first-team All-State selection in Class 4A in both sports. In addition to helping the Titans football team advance to the state quarterfinals in the fall, the switch hitter moved to the outfield in the spring after playing shortstop early in his career, and continued to thrive as a major contributor for the Titans' state championship squad. Fabris already has major college interest in both sports, including from Georgia and Georgia Tech.
Dylan Faulkner, Track and Field/Basketball, Calhoun
The 6-foot-8, 190-pounder excelled on the basketball court and the jumping lanes of the track throughout a highly successful junior season. He was a first-team All-State selection on the hardwood after averaging team bests of 21.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 3.7 blocked shots per game in helping the Yellow Jackets to the Class 5A state semifinals. He then made a quick transition to track and field, eventually claiming the individual state high jump title with a winning leap of 6-10, as well as placing seventh in the discus and eighth in the shot put to help the Jackets to a third-place team finish.
B.J. Gibson, Baseball/Football, Wilcox County
Speedy and very athletic, the 6-foot, 170-pound sophomore is a big-time prospect in both of his sports. He is already committed to play baseball at Tennessee after earning second-team All-State honors in Class A Public in the spring, but football programs at other Power Five conference schools like Georgia, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Texas A&M are trying to get the composite four-star prospect change his mind.
Justice Haynes photo by Josh Major
Justice Haynes, Football/Baseball, Blessed Trinity
The 5-10 and 200-pound junior played football and baseball at Blessed Trinity in 2021-22, but will transfer to Buford for his senior year beginning this fall. He is a compact, powerful and athletic presence on the baseball diamond in center field and on the mound as a left-handed pitcher. But he is even better known as a big-time football prospect as a composite four-star running back after running for 2,375 yards and 29 TDs in earning first-team All-State honors for a Class 5A semifinalist. He has more than three dozen scholarship offers, including powerhouse programs like Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio State and USC.
Colin Houck, Baseball/Football, Parkview
The 6-3, 195-pound junior is one of several big-time two-sport college prospects from Gwinnett County. In baseball, he had another strong season at the plate despite moving to shortstop from third base, where he had a monster sophomore year. While the Panthers saw their three-year reign as Class 7A state champs end in the state semifinals this spring, Houck was named first-team All-State in 7A after finishing with a .412 average, 15 home runs, 44 RBIs, 10 doubles, a triple, a 1.443 OPS, 43 runs scored and nine stolen bases. Houck is also a three-star quarterback prospect after throwing for 2,142 yards and 19 TDs in 11 games. He has numerous Power Five offers to play both football and baseball, which he plans to do no matter where he goes.
Eddrick Houston, Football/Wrestling, Buford
Strength, athleticism and physicality are the trademarks for this 6-4, 257-pounder after a big-time sophomore year on the gridiron and on the wrestling mat. Houston is already a four-star football prospect as an edge rusher, where he wreaked havoc on opposing quarterbacks to earn third-team All-Gwinnett County honors and help the Wolves to their third straight state title. He then moved to the mat in the winter, where he placed sixth in the 285-pound weight class of the Class 6A state championship tournament.
Sam Horn, Football/Baseball, Collins Hill
Football fans know all about the 6-4, 200-pound recent graduate's exploits on the football field in leading the Eagles to a Class 7A state championship and national ranking last December, when he threw for 3,986 yards and ran for 621 more and accounted for 44 total touchdowns to earn first-team All-State honors from Class 7A. Horn also used his powerful right arm on the mound for his senior season with the Eagles baseball team to nearly equal effect this spring, earning first-team All-State in 7A. Horn is signed to play football and baseball at Missouri beginning in the fall, though he is also projected to be a fairly high-round prospect for this month's Major League Baseball Draft.
Isaac Hubert, Football/Wrestling/Lacrosse, Creekview
The recent graduate was very busy throughout his career playing for three Grizzlies teams. On the football field, the 5-11, 195-pound senior collected a team-best 100 combined tackles and assists, including 18 tackles for loss and four sacks, plus an interception and three pass break-ups. He then moved indoors to post a fourth-place finish in the Class 5A 195-pound weight class in helping the Grizzlies to a third-place team finish in the state wrestling meet. He moved back to the field in the spring, where he led the Creekview lacrosse team with 59 groundballs and 25 takeaways. Hubert has signed to play football for Air Force.
Armond Jones, Wrestling/Football, Mountain View
After an outstanding fall in which he posted 64 combined tackles and assists, including 17 tackles for loss and three sacks, and three caused fumbles for the Bears football team, the 5-11, 195-pound recent graduate had an even bigger wrestling season. Jones dropped enough pounds to qualify for the 182-pound division, and then won the weight class' state championship in Class 7A. He is signed to play football at NAIA member Shorter University in Rome.
Dylan Lonergan, Football/Baseball, Brookwood
Like Horn and Houck, the 6-2, 215-pound junior has earned national attention from college and professional scouts in his respective sports. Lonergan is known more for his prowess on the gridiron as a four-star quarterback prospect after throwing for 3,392 yards and running for 645 more and combining for 39 touchdowns, earning honorable mention 7A All-State honors and helping the Broncos to the state quarterfinals. On the diamond, he was a first-team, All-Gwinnett County selection after going 7-1 with a 1.40 ERA, a .162 opponents batting average and 64 strikeouts in 50 innings, and had another strong season on the mound and at the plate this spring. Lonergan is looking to play both sports in college and will choose between Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, South Carolina and Stanford.
Dainsus Miller, Football/Track and Field, Creekside
The 5-11, 160-pound speedster had a big senior season on the track this spring, finishing as Class 5A state runner-up in the triple jump and medaling in the 300-meter hurdles and both the 400 and 1,600 relays to help the Seminoles track and field team to a tie for seventh in the state meet. But Miller's future in college will be in football, where he will play safety at Marshall after a senior season in which he recorded 51 tackles, an interception and 15 pass break-ups en route to being named first-team All-State in 5A and helping Creekside to the state semifinals.
Chris Nelson, Track and Field/Football, South Forsyth
Speed is the most obvious asset that the 5-8, 150-pounder displayed during his junior year at South Forsyth in 2021-22. Nelson's most notable accomplishments were on the track this spring. Nelson won the Class 7A state championship in the 200-meter dash (for the second straight year) and finished as state runner-up in the 100 and the long jump individually, and was part of the third-place 400 relay team to help the War Eagles to a third-place team finish. He was also solid on the football field last fall, where he accumulated 946 all-purpose yards and accounted for seven touchdowns, and added an interception on defense. His recruiting is beginning to heat up, and he already has a scholarship offer from Georgia State.
Lebbeus “LT” Overton, Football/Basketball, Milton
Overton was supposed to be gearing up for his senior year this summer. However, the 6-5, 270-pounder was able to finish his classwork early and reclassify for the Class of 2022 and sign to play football at Texas A&M. This was after a 2021 season that saw him named first-team All-State after posting 54 total tackles, including 16½ for loss and 7½ sacks, plus 31 quarterback hurries and six pass break-ups as part of the Eagles' Class 7A state runner-up team, which made him one of the top defensive linemen in the nation. He was also a big part of Milton's basketball program as a power forward, playing a major role in a state championship team in 2020-21, and helping the Eagles back to the state quarterfinals this winter.
Dwight Phillips Jr., Track and Field/Football, Pebblebrook
The 5-11, 170-pound rising junior had a big sophomore year on the gridiron and the track. On the football field, he piled up 1,210 all-purpose yards and accounted for 10 touchdowns in helping the Falcons to nine wins and a berth in the Class 7A state playoffs. He already holds scholarship offers from nearly two dozen Power Five programs. On the track, Phillips, the son of Olympic gold medalist Dwight Phillips Sr., was even more impressive, edging Nelson for the Class 7A 100-meter title at the state track championships.
William Stimmel, Football/Wrestling, Lovett
The 6-3, 252-pound recent graduate powered through his senior year, earning first-team All-State honors on the football field as an offensive lineman in helping the Lions to the second round of the Class 2A state playoffs in the fall. He will play collegiately at Division III Hampden-Sydney College. He then dominated on the mat throughout the wrestling season, finishing as the 285-pound state runner-up in 2A individually and helping the Lions to the team titles in the state duals and traditional format tournaments.
Justin Thomas, Baseball/Football, Benedictine
With a compact but athletic frame, the 5-11, 173-pound recent graduate is known for his aggressiveness in running down fly balls in the outfield in baseball and hitting the hole as a running back in football. On the gridiron, Thomas was a first-team All-State selection in Class 4A after running for 1,426 yards, producing 2,626 all-purpose yards and scoring a combined 39 TDs in helping the Cadets to the 4A state championship. He had just as big an impact on the diamond, also earning first-team All-State honors in Class 4A. He has signed with Georgia to play baseball beginning in the fall.
