Seems like forever since we gathered for GPB Sports Football Fridays in Georgia. It’s been a long two weeks and certainly our prayers remain with the folks in our state and throughout the southeast who were devastated by Hurricane Helene and are still dealing with its aftermath.

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So we hope that tonight’s big Region 8-6A showdown between the sixth-ranked Collins Hill Eagles (6-0) and second-ranked Buford Wolves (4-1) will be a little bit of a “vacation” for you as we get back to the best high school football in the country on GPB-TV Georgia Public Broadcasting. Our coverage kicks off at 7:30 p.m. from Tom Riden Stadium in Buford.

The winner of this game will jump out in front in the race to win the region championship while the loser will face an uphill but not impossible battle.

 

Despite the fact these two teams are from Gwinnett County this will be just the third time they’ve played and all coming in the last three years with Buford winning both, 23-3 in 2022 and 43-0 last year. Despite those lopsided results tonight’s meeting promises to be a lot closer than that.

The Teams

Buford is the gold standard of high school football in Georgia. No program has come close to being better in the 2000s. The Wolves have won 14 state championships and played in 21 state championship games with all but one of those state crowns and three of those state finals appearances coming in the 24 seasons of this current century.

Led by Coach Bryant Appling in his sixth season as head coach (67-7) and 21st season with the program, the 2024 Wolves just seem to be getting better each week. After opening the season on GPB with a 13-10 loss at 5A No. 1 Milton followed by a wild, come-from-behind 29-28 win over 4A perennial state power and 3rd-ranked Benedictine, Buford has outscored their last three opponents 129-31 including a 46-0 region opening win at Discovery two weeks ago before having last Friday off.

Believe it or not, this will be just the second home game for the Wolves and first since that victory over the Cadets six weeks ago. Buford has only four home games in the regular season with three of them coming in these next three weeks as the Wolves prepare to move into their new stadium in 2025.

Collins Hill is less than three years removed from one of the greatest seasons in GHSA history. Led by Travis Hunter, one of the most dynamic players to ever play in this state, the Eagles won their first state championship in 2021 and became the first team since Valdosta in 1971 to win every one of their games by at least 15 points in the state’s highest class. Hunter now stars for Coach Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes and will likely be one of the top contenders for the 2024 Heisman Trophy and perhaps No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Drew Swick is the second-year head coach of the Eagles, who just celebrated his 35th birthday Wednesday and was the defensive coordinator for those 2021 Eagles and then-coach Lenny Gregory. Swick was promoted to head coach after the 2022 season and is 11-7 in his career although 10-2 in his last 12 games after a 1-5 start in season one at the helm.

Swick has spent his football life at Collins Hill. He played there earning All-County DB Honors as a senior in 2007 clocking a 4.47 (40) so the dude had wheels. He went on to play at Presbyterian College and then returned to the Eagles in 2015 making this his 10th season on the coaching staff.

His 2024 Eagles got off to a great start this season beating Grayson in their season opener when Collins Hill rallied from a 19-3 fourth quarter deficit to defeat the current 7th-ranked Rams 20-19. Win number six in a row came Monday when the Eagles routed Mountain View 51-0 in the weather delayed match-up improving to 2-0 in the region.

The Match-Up

Buford Offense – Directed by 3-Star junior QB Dayton Raiola who committed to Nebraska two weeks ago and will follow in the footsteps of his All-American and NFL Dad Dominic and 5-Star brother Dylan who played his senior season for the Wolves and is now the freshman starter for the Cornhuskers. Dayton has completed 62% of his passes for 643 yards with 6 TD and 3 INT. His top target is by far 3-Star WR and Louisville commit Jordan Allen who has 17 catches for 318 yards and 3 TD. But things don’t change at Buford and the run game is still the foundation of the Wolves offense led by the tandem of Justin Baker and Ethan Ervin. Baker is a consensus 3-Star RB who is committed to Tennessee averaging 76 rushing YPG with 4 TD and over 1,100 career rushing yards. Ervin is following in the footsteps of his older brother Gabe, who also starred at Buford and is now a standout RB at Nebraska. Ethan is a 3-Star RB committed to FAU averaging 50 rushing YPG with 3 TD. The Wolves offensive line is led by 6-4, 300, junior LT Graham Houston who has 7 offers including Georgia.

Buford Defense – Led by Consensus 3-Star LB A.J. Holloway who is committed to South Carolina. He has 26 tackles with 6 TFL and QB Sack. Up front the Wolves strong defensive line is anchored by 6-2, 255, junior Bryce Perry-Wright who is the cousin of Atlanta Falcons star DL Grady Jarrett. Perry-Wright is a consensus 4-Star and rated as high as the No. 3 DL in the country for 2026 by ESPN and Rivals. He has 30 offers including Auburn, Alabama, and Clemson with 73 career tackles, 14 TFL and 10.5 QB sacks. The Buford secondary is led by Safety Jax Pope who is the cousin for former Wolves star Jake Pope now at Georgia. Jax is an On3 3-Star safety with five offers including FAU, Indiana and Wake Forest and has recorded 18 tackles this season.

Collins Hill Offense – Directed by sophomore Makyree Cross who came off the bench to lead the Eagles to that season opening victory over Grayson and has been the No. 1 ever since. Cross has completed 62% of his passes for 681 yards with 6 TD and 4 INT. The Eagles QB situation had been up in the air when rising-senior T.J. Wilcox transferred to Buford in April. He then transferred to Coconut Creek HS in Florida after this season started. The Eagles running game is led by the Thunder and Lightning tandem of senior Jacari Thomas (Thunder) and sophomore Maddox Henderson (Lightning). Thomas is a third-year starter who’s rushed for 337 yards, 5.6 avg, 56.2 YPG and 3 TD. He is a Make That Kid an Offer nominee by Coach Swick with one offer from Point University. Henderson has rushed for 327 yards, 9.9 avg, 54.5 YPG and 3 TD. Senior Alijah Patillo is another MTKAO nominee with a team-leading 23 receptions for 311 yards and 3 TD. Fellow senior Atticus Joseph has also been a big-time playmaker with 14 catches for 158 yards and 2 TD. The offensive line is led by two-way starter and LT Cam Daniels, a 6-3, 260, senior three-year starter with 9 offers including Jackson State, Samford, and Bryant.

Collins Hill Defense – Is led by two of the top junior defensive linemen in the country in Deuce Geralds and Katrell Webb. The 6-3, 255, junior Geralds is rated as high as a Rivals 4-Star and No. 1 DL in the country, No. 9 overall recruit and No. 3 prospect in Georgia for 2026. He has 44 offers including Ohio State. He is the son of former Ole Miss standout center Daverin Geralds. Deuce already has 15 TFL and 10 QB Sacks this season to go along with 46 tackles. For his career, Deuce stands at 193 tackles with 62.5 TFL and 34.5 QB Sacks. You will also see Geralds run the ball in goal line and short-yardage situations. On the other end of the Eagles DL you’ll find Webb who is rated as high as a Rivals 4-Star and No. 8 Edge in 2026 with 16 offers including Georgia Tech, Tennessee and Auburn. Webb has 34 tackles, 16 TFL, 8 Sacks and 1 INT. The Eagles linebacking corps is led by 3-year senior starter Javyon Hatch who has 56 tackles, 7 TFL and 2 QB Sacks with 214 tackles and 24 TFL for his career. Hatch has an offer from Point University.

The Recruiting Lists

Buford Prospects

Seniors

Jaden Perlotte, Buford

Jaden Perlotte, Buford

Credit: 247 Sports

#5 Jadon Perlotte – 6-4, 215, Senior – Flipped from Georgia to Southern Cal July 30th over 32 other offers including Florida State – Rated as high as ESPN 4-Star and #9 LB in the country

#21 Devin Williams – 5-11, 165, Senior – Committed to Auburn February 26th over 34 offers including Alabama and Tennessee – Rated as high as ESPN 4-Star and #13 CB in the country – Injured: Has not yet played this season

#8 Mantrez Walker – 6-1, 225, Senior – Committed to Colorado April 27th over 24 other offers – Rated as high as Rivals 4-Star and #19 LB in the country

#2 Justin Baker – 5-11, 205, Senior – Committed to Tennessee October 2023 over 19 other offers including Michigan – Consensus 3-Star RB

#4 Jordan Allen – 5-8, 185, Senior – Committed to Louisville April 14th over 17 other offers including Georgia – Consensus 3-Star and rated as high as ESPN #35 WR in the country

#80 Hayden Bradley – 6-4, 220, Senior – Committed to Ole Miss April 27th over 36 other offers – Consensus 3-Star and rated as high as Rivals #32 TE in the country

#44 A.J. Holloway – 6-3, 225, Senior – Committed to South Carolina June 14th over 17 other offers – Consensus 3-Star LB

#0 Kenyon Rivera – 6-3, 215, Senior – Committed to Kansas June 16th over 20 other offers including Georgia Tech, Tennessee, and Middle Tennessee – Consensus 3-Star LB

#23 Chris Garland – 6-0, 185, Senior – Committed to Stanford April 25th over 13 other offers including Duke and Boston College – Rated as high as 247 Sports 3-Star CB

#58 Nicco Maggio – 6-2, 280, Senior – Committed to Wake Forest January 31st over 8 other offers including Duke and West Virginia – Consensus 3-Star and ESPN #28 DL in the country

#1 Ethan Ervin – 6-0, 185, Senior – Committed to Florida Atlantic over 3 other offers – Rated as high as ESPN 3-Star RB

#59 Marcus Major – 6-1, 310, Senior OL – Committed to Air Force

#11 Cooper Berry – 6-1, 205, Senior TE – Committed to Mercer over 8 other offers including Jacksonville State and UAB

#15 Jayvin Bennett – 6-2, 230, Senior H-Back/DE – Four offers including UMass and The Citadel

#9 Sam Harkness – 5-10, 175, Senior WR/DB – Offered by Dartmouth

Juniors

Bryce Perry-Wright, Buford

Bryce Perry-Wright, Buford

Credit: 247 Sports

#3 Bryce Perry-Wright – 6-2, 255, Junior – 30 offers including Auburn, Alabama, and Clemson – Consensus 4-Star and rated as high as ESPN and Rivals #3 DL in the country 2026

#13 Tyriq Green – 6-1, 195, Junior – 35 offers including Georgia - Rated as high as ESPN 4-Star and #7 ATH in the country 2026

#24 Nassir McCoy – 6-2, 185, Junior – 19 offers including Georgia and Auburn – Rated as high as Rivals 4-Star and #9 Safety in the country 2026

#41 C.J. Sibley – 6-1, 192, Junior – 16 offers including Auburn - Rated as high as Rivals 4-Star and #13 LB in the country 2026

#34 James Morrow – 6-4, 240, Junior – 23 offers including Auburn, Georgia, and Alabama – Rated as high as Rivals 4-Star and #10 DL in the country 2026

#7 Dylan McCoy – 5-11, 215, Junior – Six offers including Mississippi State, Ole Miss and NC State – Rated as high as Rivals 3-Star and #3 All-Purpose Back in the country 2026

#10 Dayton Raiola – 6-3, 205, Junior – Committed to Nebraska September 22nd – Rated as high as Rivals 3-Star and #32 QB in the country 2026

#65 Ben Mubenga – 6-5, 255, Junior – Nine offers including Auburn, West Virginia, and LSU – Rated as high as Rivals 3-Star DL

#14 Jax Pope – 6-0, 190, Junior – Five offers including Florida Atlantic, Indiana and Wake Forest - Rated as high as On3 Recruits 3-Star Safety 2026

#75 Graham Houston – 6-4, 300, Junior OT – 7 offers including Georgia

#96 Cameron Simmons – 6-3, 230, Junior Edge – Offered by Wake Forest and Troy

#18 Hannibal Navies – 6-2, 185, Junior WR – Offered by Colorado

Sophomores

#25 Ethan Hauser – 6-2, 175, Sophomore ATH – Nine offers including Georgia Tech and Auburn

#43 Joshua Echols – 5-10, 175, Sophomore LB – Offered by Ole Miss, Maryland and Florida Atlantic

#28 Jameer Cantrell – 5-10, 175, Sophomore ATH – Offered by Arkansas and Maryland

#35 Brayden “Tank” Watson – 6-3, 190, Sophomore DB/WR – Offered by Southern Cal

#39 Ryan Tharpe – 6-0, 180, Sophomore LB – Offered by Florida Atlantic

Freshmen

#90 Christian Webb-Scott – 6-5, 222, Freshman Edge – Offered by Georgia State, South Carolina, Wake Forest, and USC

#89 Luke Nabors – 6-4, 190, Freshman DL – Offered by USC

#84 Kevin Hughes – 6-0, 180, Freshman WR – Offered by Georgia State

Collins Hill Prospects

Deuce Geralds, Collins Hill

Deuce Geralds, Collins Hill

Credit: 247 Sports

Seniors

#1 C.J. Hector – 5-11, 180, Senior WR – Six offers including Louisville, Liberty, and Miami of Ohio – Just coming back from injury

#52 Le Stat Williams – 6-2, 305, Senior OL/DL – Six offers including Middle Tennessee, Georgia State and Charlotte

#58 Cam Daniels – 6-3, 260, Senior OL/DL (Plays DE for the Eagles) – Nine offers including Jackson State, Samford, and Bryant

#54 Jadon Martin – 6-3, 220, Senior OL/DL (Plays DE for the Eagles) – Four offers including Jackson State, Mississippi Valley State and Sewanee

#9 Jaylen Burroughs – 6-6, 200, Senior TE – Offered by Hampden-Sydney

#0 Jacari Thomas – 5-10, 185, Senior RB – Offered by Point University

#33 Jayvon Hatch – 5-9, 185, Senior LB – Offered by Point University

Juniors

#2 Deuce Geralds – 6-3, 255, Junior – Rated as high as Rivals 4-Star, No. 1 DL in the country, No. 9 overall recruit and No. 3 prospect in Georgia 2026 (Plays Nose for the Eagles) - 44 offers including Ohio State (92.35)

#15 Katrell Webb – 6-4, 240, Junior – Rated as high as Rivals 4-Star and No. 8 Edge in the country 2026 (Plays DE for the Eagles) – 16 offers including Georgia Tech, Tennessee, and Auburn (88.09)

#26 Deronte Broughton – 5-8, 176, Junior WR – Five offers including Virginia Tech, NC State and USF (Just transferred back to the program)

So, join Wayne Gandy, Jon Nelson, Niki Noto Palmer and me for our Emmy Award-winning Football Fridays in Georgia Game of the Week as the No. 6 Collins Hill Eagles play at No. 2 Buford Wolves. Remember at halftime we’ll highlight this week’s Make That Kid an Offer nominees.

You can watch Football Fridays in Georgia in so many ways. You have traditional TV (GPB), online at GPB.org, GPB Sports app, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Twitch.

Now if somehow, you miss it live or just want to watch it again, don’t worry, we replay the entire Football Fridays in Georgia Game of the Week at 11:15 p.m. or you can watch it on demand anytime at GPB.org. 

Enjoy your October 4, 2024, Football Friday in Georgia!