Local players tabbed as preseason All-state

The official start of the high school football season is just days away and four area players will begin the year with some All-state credentials.

In Class 4A, Heritage’s Kobe Mcalister and Ridgeland’s Terrance Roberts were both named All-state by the website Recruitgeorgia.com. Mcalister, a 6-foot-7, near 300-pounder, recently committed to the University of Cincinnati after weighting several offers. A first team All-region selection in 2018, Mcalister was named as a second team All-state lineman by the Georgia Sports Writers Association following last season.

Roberts was the Region 6-AAAA Defensive Player of the Year as a junior as the 5-8, 175-pound linebacker recorded 87 total tackles with 13 going for a loss and seven sacks, including four in a playoff victory over Flowery Branch. He too was a second team GSWA All-state pick a year ago.

Meanwhile, Ridgeland’s Jordan Blackwell was an honorable mention preseason All-state selection by Recruitgeorgia. The reigning 6-AAAA Offensive Player of the Year was a second team running back on last fall’s GSWA All-state squad after rushing 143 times for 1,122 yards and 15 touchdowns without a single fumble in 2018.

Mcalister and Roberts were also listed on the Class 4A preseason All-state team by Georgia High School Football Daily.

Also getting a nod from Recruitgeorgia is Ringgold senior offensive lineman Reid Williams. The 6-1, 290-pound center recently opted to play football for the Chattanooga Mocs.

He did not allow a single sack in his junior season, setting a new Tigers’ record for knockdown blocks in a single season. He was a first team All-region pick in 6-AAA and a second team All-state selection by the GSWA after last season.