With the Philadelphia Eagles defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX 40-22, there’s been a lot of discussion about the number of players on the Eagles roster who attended the University of Georgia.
But what about the players that played their high school football in Georgia?
The players who trained in the Georgia sun. Earned their stripes on the gridiron under some of the nation’s brightest lights of high school football?
Darius Slay Jr.
Darius Slay was drafted in the second round by the Detroit Lions in 2013. In 2020, the Philadelphia Eagles sent a third and fifth round pick to the Lions in exchange for Slay. Since the trade, he’s made the Pro Bowl three times and has been an integral part of this Eagles’ championship defense. Before he became a Super Bowl champion, he was just a kid from Brunswick.
Slay graduated from Brunswick High School, where he was a three-sport athlete—lettering in football, basketball, and track. Slay jumped on the scene for college scouts during his sophomore year as a running back while rushing for 1,127 yards on 142 carries and 13 touchdowns. An injury ended his junior season after only five games, but he returned for his senior season, rushing for over 1,300 yards and 15 touchdowns. He really started to stand out on the defensive end his senior year with six interceptions, earning himself all-state honors as a defensive back and a kick returner. He would later have his jersey retired in the summer of 2023 for his contributions on the field for the Pirates and his work in the community. Slay would go on to play for Itawamba Community College for two years before moving on to the Mississippi State Bulldogs for his final two years of college. With six pro bowls, one all-pro selection, and now a Super Bowl, he’s looking to go out on top and maybe as a back-to-back Super Bowl Champion.
Nolan Smith Jr.
A three-time high school All-American, two-time National Champion, and now Super Bowl LIX Champion, Nolan Smith is no stranger to the pressures of being a great player. It all began at Calvary Day High School in Savannah. In just his sophomore year, he burst onto the scene with a unique gift of size and speed that allowed him to play as a running back and defensive lineman. He finished the year with 75 tackles with 16 tackles for loss. He added 27 pressures and 12 sacks with three forced-fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a blocked punt. Offensively, he led the team with 712 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns. After his sophomore year, he transferred to IMG Academy to streamline his development for the next level. After transferring, he developed into the No. 1 recruit in the nation in the Class of 2019. He would go on to play his college football at Georgia, where he played for four years, winning two National Championships. Although his senior season was cut short to just eight games due to injury, he would go on to be drafted in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023.
CJ Uzomah
Unlike Nolan Smith Jr., CJ Uzomah wasn’t a can’t-miss, 5-star prospect out of high school. However, he was still a top-200 recruit in the nation at North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee and one of the best players in Georgia as a senior in 2010. Standing at 6’6”, 235 pounds, college scouts envisioned Uzomah as a tight end even though he played quarterback in high school. Uzomah committed to play for Auburn after the Tigers had just won a National Championship. He spent four years at Auburn before being drafted in the fifth round by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2015 NFL Draft. He would be an essential part of the Bengals team in 2021, which defeated the Kansas City Chiefs on the way to their appearance in Super Bowl LVI. He would then join the Jets before being picked up by the Eagles this season.
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