SEC, ACC schools drawn to Georgia’s offensive linemen

GHSF Daily’s rollout of the Georgia Power 100 continues today with offensive linemen. The Georgia Power 100 is chosen primarily on high school production, though college potential is considered.

*Chastan Brown, Northside (Warner Robins), Sr.: Brown (6-6, 240) made first-team GACA and honorable mention AJC all-state in his first season of varsity football last year, when he started at left tackle and allowed just one sack. He was Region 1-6A’s offensive lineman of the year. He also was a first-team all-region basketball player. Brown has developed into a consensus top-300 national prospect and Northside’s best OL recruit this century. He committed to Central Florida in July.

*Tavaris Dice, Hughes, Sr.: Dice (6-4, 295) is a consensus top-200 national prospect and the No. 5 recruit in Hughes history. Dice transferred before last season from Tri-Cities and made honorable mention AJC and first-team GACA all-state for Hughes’ 9-3 Class 6A team. He committed to Auburn in March.

*Juan Gaston, Westlake, Sr.: Gaston (6-8, 330) is a top-200 national prospect and Westlake’s best OL recruit this century. A left tackle, Gaston was first-team AJC, GACA and Recruit Georgia all-state for a 9-3 Class 7A team last season. He also was first-team all-region in basketball as his team’s best player. His father, Juan Sr., played basketball at Georgia Tech. The last elite Georgia prospect with his height/weight was Orlando Brown, now in the NFL, in 2014. Gaston committed to Georgia on Friday.

*Dontrell Glover, Hughes, Sr.: Hughes’ blind-side tackle, Glover (6-2, 315) is a consensus top-300 national prospect. He was first-team AJC, GACA and Recruit Georgia all-state for a 9-3 team last season. Glover started as a sophomore on Hughes’ 15-0 state championship team and as a freshman on a 13-2 state runner-up. His committed to Georgia in June.

*Brayden Jacobs, Milton, Sr.: Jacobs (6-7, 310) is a consensus top-250 national prospect who transferred to Milton from Buford on Friday, two weeks before those teams play each other. Jacobs made honorable mention AJC all-state last season for Buford, an 11-2 Class 7A team. His recruiting profile is similar to that of former Buford and current NFL lineman Vadal Alexander, a four-star recruit who was 6-6, 315 out of high school, then started four years at LSU. Jacobs is the son of former New York Giants RB Brandon Jacobs. Brayden Jacobs committed to Clemson in January.

*Alex Payne, Gainesville, Sr.: Payne (6-5, 265) is a top-200 national prospect and Gainesville’s third-highest-rated prospect this century behind Deshaun Watson and Tai’ler (T.J.) Jones. A left tackle, he was first-team all-region for a 12-1 Class 6A team last year. He started as a sophomore on Gainesville’s Class 6A runner-up team in 2022. Payne committed to North Carolina in January.

*Josh Petty, Fellowship Christian, Sr.: Petty (6-5, 265), a four-year starter, is the highest-rated Georgia line prospect this season and Fellowship’s top recruit in history by a wide margin. He’s the No. 37 overall player nationally in the 247Sports Composite and 247’s No. 5 offensive tackle. Petty was first-team AJC and GACA all-state for a 10-3 Class 2A quarterfinal team last season. He also started on defense and led Fellowship in tackles for losses and sacks. He is a former 285-pound Class 2A wrestling champion. He will announce his college choice Monday.

*Mason Short, Evans, Sr.: Short (6-5, 305), a four-year starter, is a consensus top-200 national prospect and Evans’ highest-rated recruit this century. Playing left tackle, Short was first-team AJC, GACA and Recruit Georgia all-state for a 4-7 Class 6A team last season. He committed to Georgia in April.

*Cortez Smith, Parkview, Sr.: Smith (6-3, 310) is the state’s top-rated inside OL prospect. He mostly played center last season but was comfortable as a pulling guard. He’s a top-150 overall player nationally and No. 6 at his position. He’s Parkview’s second-highest-rated recruit (behind Mike Matthews) since the modern rankings appeared in 2001. Smith was first-team AJC, GACA and Recruit Georgia all-state for a 7-4 Class 7A team last season. He won the Class 7A shot put with a throw of 56-2 last spring. He was runner-up in the discus. He committed to Georgia in July.

*Jacobe Ward, Benedictine, Sr.: Ward (6-4, 335) was first-team AJC, GACA and Recruit Georgia all-state as the right tackle for a 13-1 Class 4A team last season. Benedictine is 39-5 in his three seasons as a starter. He is a three-star recruit and Benedictine’s best OL prospect this century. He committed to Auburn in July.