Class A-3A Private Blog: Savannah Christian leaning on the O-Line

Savannah Christian is looking to bounce back after a shocking end to the 2024 season. The Raiders have been one of the top private-school programs in the state, reaching the quarterfinals or better in six of the past seven seasons.

They’re coming off a 10-1 campaign in which they were ranked No. 1 in Class A-3A Private for the majority of the year. However, their season ended abruptly in the quarterfinals with a stunning 30-27 loss to North Cobb Christian. The offseason was spent reflecting on what could have been, and planning for how to avoid a repeat in 2025.

The team will be without two of the top front-seven defenders in the country. Five-star defensive lineman Elijah Griffin is now at the University of Georgia. A finalist for the inaugural Mr. Georgia Football award, Griffin was one of the most dominant players in the state.

The more surprising loss came with the departure of 5-star edge rusher Ladamian Guyton, the top-ranked player in the Class of 2027. A fast-twitch edge rusher in the mold of Savannah native and current Philadelphia Eagle Nolan Smith, Guyton transferred across town to Benedictine Military after the season.

Despite the heavy losses, the Raiders return several high-end players, particularly on the offensive line. The group is anchored by 2026 interior lineman JT Howell, a physical and experienced leader with offers from Georgia Southern and Georgia State. He’s joined by 3-star junior Jordan Dillon, who is expected to earn a fourth star by his senior year. Dillon already holds offers from Florida State, Georgia Tech, and Kentucky. Rounding out the group is 2028 lineman Robert Brown, one of the top players in his class, with offers from Arkansas, FSU, and others.

Savannah Christian once again faces a challenging schedule, featuring matchups against Fellowship Christian, Blessed Trinity, and Toombs County. While they may not have the elite, top-end talent they had last season, the Raiders remain one of the best-coached and most complete teams in the A-3A Private classification, and are still a legitimate state title contender.

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