The best football players don't always fit into one position. Sometimes they're lined up at wide receiver. A few plays later, they're taking a snap or handoff. Before the night is over, they're making a tackle or coming away with an interception. That's why 28 Suspence/912 Suspence's preseason Top 5 Athletes in the 912 recognizes some of the Coastal Empire's most versatile football players entering the 2026 season.
Every coach wants one.
The player who never seems to come off the field.
The player who always seems to be around the football.
The player teammates count on when the game is on the line.
Those players don't come around every year.
When they do...
They're fun to watch.
Here are 912 Suspence's Top 5 ATHs entering the 2026 season.
Courtesy of 28 Suspence/912 Suspence, these are the social media outlet's preseason Top 5 ATHs in the 912 entering the 2026 high school football season.
No. 1 Eli Grant – Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill coaches always knew one thing about Eli Grant.
If the football was in the air...
Or on the ground...
There was a good chance Grant would be somewhere around it.
On offense, Grant caught 45 passes for 596 yards and five touchdowns, giving 
the Wildcats a reliable target every Friday night. Then he turned around on defense and recordied 30 tackles, five interceptions and four pass breakups on defense.
His outstanding two-way play earned him First-Team All-Region 1-6A honors and caught the attention of college recruiters. Grant committed to Liberty after also receiving offers from Georgia Southern, Georgia State, and Mercer making him one of the Coastal Empire's top college prospects entering the 2026 season.
That's what being an athlete is all about. Doing whatever your team needs to win.
No. 2 Jaylon Elliott – Jenkins
You didn't have to give Jaylon Elliott the football 25 times a game.
Just give him a chance.
Despite missing two games, Elliott still made the most of every opportunity. He rushed 20 times for 285 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 14.3 yards every time he carried the football.
When he lined up at receiver, he was just as dangerous, catching 20 passes for 396 yards and three touchdowns, an average of 19.8 yards per reception.
By the end of the season, Elliott had piled up 711 all-purpose yards from scrimmage.
Big-play players don't always need more touches. Sometimes they do more with the ones they get.
No. 3 Cam Yeldell – Savannah Christian
Cam Yeldell didn't need a lot of catches.
He made the important ones count.
The Savannah Christian standout hauled in 26 receptions for 705 yards and six touchdowns, averaging an eye-opening 27.1 yards per catch. He also added 50 rushing yards on seven carries, giving the Raiders another way to get one of their best athletes involved.
When the football found Yeldell...
There was usually plenty of open field waiting.
No. 4 Jacobi Pasely – Bradwell Institute
Defenses knew where Jacobi Pasely lined up.
That didn't always help them stop him.
Pasely caught 25 passes for 430 yards and six touchdowns, then added 173 rushing yards and four more touchdowns on the ground. His ability to contribute in different ways earned him First-Team All-Region 1-5A honors.
His production also caught the attention of college programs. Pasely committed to West Virginia on May 1, 2026, after receiving offers from Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Tulane and Western Kentucky.
If Bradwell needed a play...Pasely usually gave them one.
No. 5 Shamari King – Johnson
Some quarterbacks can run.
Some running backs can throw.
Shamari King could do both.
King rushed 88 times for 839 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 9.5 yards per carry while recording three 100-yard rushing games. But he wasn't just Johnson's top running back. He also completed 39 of 98 passes for 566 yards and four touchdowns, accounting for 1,405 total yards of offense during the season.
The first defender rarely brought him down.
That's the kind of dual-threat athlete every coach wants standing behind center in the fourth quarter. When the game is on the line, you never know what can happen. With King, the football was always in the right hands.
Football has changed over the years. Players are faster. Offenses are more creative. Defenses have to cover more ground than ever before. One thing hasn't changed.
The teams that win usually have athletes who can do a little bit of everything. These five have already shown they can. Now they'll try to do it again.
And somewhere on a practice field today, another athlete is getting ready to make a name for himself. That's what makes high school football in the Coastal Empire so much fun. Every Friday night, someone new gives us a reason to keep watching.
Photos courtesy of 28 Suspence on Instagram, 912_susepnce, and the players' social media accounts.
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Prep Sports Report Football Coverage Presented by Optim Orthopedics
Optim Orthopedics wants you in the game.
Keeping Savannah-area athletes healthy and ready for gameday all season long.
Team physicians include Dr. Don Aaron (Bryan County), Dr. David Sedory (Benedictine, Bradwell Institute, Liberty County), Dr. David Palmer (Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, South Effingham), and Dr. Thomas Alexander (Savannah Country Day, St. Vincent’s Academy).
