It’s been five years since 2020′s historic football recruiting class, where are they now?

Five years after the 2020 recruiting class left high school for the college ranks, the class looks like one of the best in state history. The 2020 class featured 15 top 100 players and 106 top 1,000 recruits. With that, the top 10 includes some of the best players the NCAA and NFL have seen in recent years.

10. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Dalton

Gibbs was a star at Dalton, rushing for 4,882 yards and 70 touchdowns, helping the Catamounts to three playoff appearances, including a semifinals appearance in his freshman season. Following his high school career, he headed to Georgia Tech, where he spent two seasons rushing for over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns, adding 773 receiving yards and five touchdowns. After his sophomore season, Gibbs transferred to Alabama, where he rushed for 926 yards with seven touchdowns while adding 444 receiving yards and three touchdowns. After his time with the tide he was drafted 12th overall by the Lions. In two seasons he has rushed 2357 yards along with 833 yards receiving, making two Pro Bowls along the way.

9. Myles Hinton, OT, GAC

Hinton came out of high school as the number two offensive tackle in the state. He helped GAC to four region titles over his high school career. Over his four years, the Spartans made two semifinals appearances in his sophomore and senior seasons and reached the state finals in his freshman season before losing to Cedar Grove. Following high school, he spent three years at Stanford, including starting seven games in 2022. After his redshirt sophomore season, he transferred to Michigan, where he won a national title in 2023. Following the 2024 season, Hinton declared for the NFL Draft.

8. Brian Branch, S, Sandy Creek

Branch came out of Sandy Creek as one of the top safeties in the country. Over his four years in Tyrone, Sandy Creek made the playoffs three times, including a semifinals appearance in his senior season. He then played college football at Alabama. With the Crimson Tide, he won the 2020 national championship as a freshman and was named a First-Team All-American. He was drafted in the second round, 45th overall. In his first two years in the league, he has been extremely productive, including making his first Pro Bowl in 2024.

7. Phillip Webb, OLB, Lanier

Webb was an elite outside linebacker prospect coming out of Lanier. He was one of the players who helped Lanier to prominence. He accumulated 216 tackles, 54 tackles for loss, and 26.5 sacks over his three seasons as a starter for the Longhorns. In his junior season, he helped Lanier to its only semifinals appearance while making the playoffs all four years of his career. After high school, he attended LSU, where he spent one season. Following his time there, he transferred to Jackson State, where he has spent the last two years accumulating 41 tackles and three sacks.

6. Tank Bigsby, RB, Callaway

Bigsby helped Callaway to prominence, making three semifinals and one quarterfinals appearance in his four years. Following high school, he attended Auburn University. With the Tigers, he was named SEC Freshman of the Year. Following his college career, he was drafted in the third round of the NFL Draft. Over his two seasons with the Jaguars, he has accumulated 898 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.

5. Tate Ratledge, OG, Darlington

Tate Ratledge was the top interior offensive lineman in the state in the class of 2020. Over four years with Darlington, he helped the Tigers to four playoff appearances, including two quarterfinals appearances. After high school, he attended the University of Georgia, where he had an amazing career. With the Bulldogs, Ratledge won two national championships, was a two-time All-SEC First-Team selection, and was named a First-Team All-American in 2024. Following the 2024 season, he declared for the NFL Draft, where he is expected to be one of the top interior linemen available.

4. Will Anderson, Edge, Dutchtown

Will Anderson was one of four five-star recruits to come out of the state in 2020. In his four seasons with the Bulldogs, he helped Dutchtown to four playoff appearances and two trips to the quarterfinals, the team’s first quarterfinal appearance since 2010. After his high school career, he attended the University of Alabama, where he won the 2020 national championship, was a two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and was a two-time unanimous All-American. Following 2022, he declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, where he was drafted third overall. In his two seasons in the league, he has won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and made his first Pro Bowl in 2024.

3. Brodrick Jones, OT, Lithonia

Brodrick Jones was the prototypical NFL offensive lineman. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 300 pounds in college, he had every tool he needed to be an elite lineman. In high school, he helped the Bulldogs to their only back-to-back playoff appearances in the 21st century. After high school, he attended Georgia, where he became a two-time national champion and was named First-Team All-SEC in 2022. Following 2022, he declared for the NFL Draft, where he was drafted 14th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

2. Myles Murphy, Edge, Hillgrove

Murphy was the prototypical edge rusher, standing at 6t-5 and weighing 260 pounds. He had 53 tackles and 10.5 sacks as a senior, helping the Hawks to four straight playoff appearances and a quarterfinals appearance in his junior season. After high school, he attended Clemson, where he had 119 tackles and 17.5 sacks while being named first team All-ACC in 2022. Following the 2022 season, he declared for the draft and was selected 28th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals. In his two seasons in the league Murphy has accumulated 40 tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks.

1. Arik Gilbert, TE, Marietta

Arik Gilbert was the highest-rated tight end to ever come out of high school. In his senior season, he had 1,860 yards and 15 touchdowns during Marietta’s 2019 championship season. Following his high school career, he spent the 2020 season at LSU, where he had 35 receptions for 368 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. After the season, he transferred to Georgia, where he sat out the 2021 season for personal reasons. In 2022, he caught two passes for 16 yards and a touchdown. Following the season, he transferred to Nebraska, where legal troubles have kept him from playing the past two seasons.

 

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