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Woody's World: News, notes and more from Week 1 in Georgia

Barrett Carter
Barrett Carter
Woody Wommack • Rivals.com
Social Media Director
@rivalswoody

The state of Georgia kicked off its football season over the weekend, a few weeks later than expected. But there was still top talent from around the state in action. Rivals.com's Woody Wommack took in two games -- Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern at Suwannee (Ga.) North Gwinnett and College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy at McDonough (Ga.) Eagle's Landing Christian Academy. He shares his thoughts from the two contests.

THE HEADLINERS

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It's hard to find a bigger headliner than Carter, the nation's No. 1 inside linebacker and a long-time Clemson commit. Carter was all over the field on Thursday night, scoring on a pick-six on defense, running in a touchdown and also throwing a successful two-point conversion pass. What really jumps out about Carter, especially at field level, is his speed at his size. He flies around the field and cover a lot of ground in a hurry. Carter's ability to cover in the passing game is also impressive, especially for a guy that plays inside.

This was my first chance getting to watch Dubre and I have to say I came away pretty impressed. He has great size and is very aggressive and made some pretty big hits on ball carriers. Many believe that Dubre will end up at Stanford and he looks like a perfect fit for the Cardinal scheme. He's a big of a throwback to big 'backers of years past, but I think he can be an impact player at the next level based on what I saw.

Estes is expected to play center for Florida State but in Friday's game he worked mostly at tackle, while also playing some snaps on defense. He didn't have any "wow" blocks, but he also didn't have any blown assignments. While playing defense he showed a good motor and athleticism, traits that will serve him well in his full-time duty on the offensive line with the Seminoles.

Gee had a nice performance, making several tackles on defense while also making plays as a wide receiver on offense. Gee packs a punch from the safety position and he came up and made some big hits, while also doing a nice job in the secondary. Playing both ways might have taken its toll on Gee as the night went on and he suffered a minor injury, although he did return to the game. With his length and playmaking ability it's easy to see why LSU tabbed him to join their secondary corps.

It was a tough start to the year for Hoffler as he struggled to make a major impact in his first game. Hoffler played mostly standing up and while he projects to defensive end at the next level, he will need to add quite a bit of bulk to his frame. Obviously it's only one game, but Kansas State fans will need patience for him to grow into a contributor at the next level.

It was a pretty nondescript night for the player they call "Taco" as he didn't see many balls come his way in the secondary and he wasn't involved in many tackles. He made his biggest impact in the passing game, where he made a few grabs, but most were for short gains. Wright's willingness to play both ways and his solid hands were good to see and those ball skills should serve him well at the next level.

THE UNDERCLASSMEN

One of the nation's top running backs in the Class of 2022, Alston didn't disappoint in his first game of the season. He showed great speed and used his strength to break several tackles. His lower center of gravity makes him tough to bring down and he would have had a bigger night had he gotten some more help from his offensive line. Alston is a priority for schools like Notre Dame and Louisville and it's easy to see why.

After stepping into the lineup for four-star Florida QB commit Carlos Del Rio, who transferred out of McEachern, Archie had his share of struggles. While he flashed his arm strength and elusiveness, he also made several gambles that led to turnovers and cost his team. After a great summer that put Archie on the verge of four-star status, he will need to settle in and get used to the game speed in order to live up to his ranking.

Simmons didn't have a Rivals.com profile before Friday's game but he made quite the impression. He was all over the field for ELCA, making several tackles and then capping off his breakout performance with a game-sealing pick-six. Simmons has good size and he could grow into a linebacker down the road but his nose for the ball was hard to ignore.

Williams didn't get many opportunities but he showed flashes, both as a runner and as a receiver out of the backfield. Williams is a tough runner and he doesn't shy away from contact and made an excellent catch down the field at one point in the game. Schools like Maryland and East Carolina are already showing interest and if his workload increases as the year goes along, more schools should join the mix.

THE SLEEPERS

Anderson had a pretty good start to the season, making several catches and showing a nice ability to go up and traffic and bring down the ball. He's also tough to bring down with the ball in his hands and showed a nice ability to make people miss. Army seems like the school to beat in his recruitment at this point.

Brebnor had a good night, making several plays in the defensive backfield, including an interception and a pass breakup. An undersized safety, Brebnor covers a lot of ground and isn't afraid to hit either. He has some FCS offers as well as an offer from Army and he should be a productive player at the next level.

A two-star prospect who recently committed to FCS program Furman, Gilliom had a pretty nice night, including a 97-yard interception return for a touchdown. Gilliom finds a way to make plays and was pretty good in coverage as well, also breaking up a pass. He's a nice get for Furman and should be an impact player at the next level.

Truesdell is ranked as a three-star and had some Power Five opportunities earlier in the process but is now a target of several Group of Five and FCS programs. On Friday he showed a willingness to fly around the field and found himself near the ball on several occasions, including recording a sack. Truesdell is a bit of a tweener, but his ability to cover ground should make him a good fit in the right defense.

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