2026 Public Schools Top 100 Preview: No. 15 Grayson
A familiar coach takes over a talented Grayson roster built around Deuce Smith and one of Georgia’s strongest offensive lines.
Top 25 Public HSFB7/20/20267 min read
Grayson enters the 2026 season ranked No. 15 in the T25PS Public Schools Preseason Top 100 with a new head coach but many of the pieces needed to remain among Georgia’s championship contenders.
The Rams spent much of 2025 ranked No. 1 nationally before their undefeated season ended with a 34-14 loss to Carrollton in the Class 6A state quarterfinals. Grayson finished 12-1, three victories short of repeating as state champion.
Santavious Bryant departed for Gainesville after compiling a 37-5 record across three seasons. Grayson maintained continuity by promoting defensive coordinator Greg Carswell, who becomes the sixth head coach in program history.
Carswell has coached at Grayson for six seasons across two stints and helped construct one of Georgia’s strongest defenses. His first team will not lack talent.
David “Deuce” Smith returns at quarterback after passing for 2,355 yards and 24 touchdowns. Nebraska commitments Jordan Agbanoma and KD Jones give the Rams one of the state’s best interior offensive-line combinations, while another athletic collection of college prospects will lead the defense.
Team Snapshot
School: Grayson High School Location: Loganville, Georgia Classification: Georgia Class 7A Region: Region 4-7A 2025 record: 12-1 2025 finish: Class 6A state quarterfinalist Head coach: Greg Carswell T25PS preseason rank: No. 15
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Grayson’s transition begins from a position of strength.
Carswell is a first-time head coach, but he already understands the roster, community and expectations surrounding the program. As Grayson’s defensive coordinator, he directed a unit that allowed 137 points in 13 games last season—an average of approximately 10.5 points per game.
That familiarity should reduce much of the uncertainty normally created by a coaching change.
The offense also returns an established quarterback. Smith became the starter after a season-ending injury to Travis Burgess and helped Grayson remain undefeated through the regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Smith now enters his senior season with significant varsity experience and one of Georgia’s best offensive-line foundations.
Agbanoma and Jones are both committed to Nebraska. Agbanoma is a four-star interior lineman and one of the highest-ranked 2027 prospects at his position, while the 6-foot-5, 300-pound Jones gives the Rams another physical blocker inside.
Their presence should help Grayson establish the running game, protect Smith and avoid placing the entire offense on its quarterback.
The Rams added another potential weapon when Cameron Hurst announced his transfer from Buford. Hurst caught 17 passes for 231 yards and one touchdown during Buford’s 15-0 championship season in 2025.
His size, varsity experience and ability to stretch the field could make him an important target during Smith’s second season leading the offense.
Players to Know
David “Deuce” Smith — QB, 2027
Smith enters 2026 as a proven starter rather than an unanswered question. He passed for 2,355 yards and 24 touchdowns last season after taking over the position. His ability to make plays through the air and on the ground gives Grayson flexibility throughout the offense.
Jordan Agbanoma — IOL, 2027
The four-star Nebraska commitment is the foundation of Grayson’s offensive line. Agbanoma can play multiple positions up front and brings the experience needed to anchor an offense with championship expectations.
KD Jones — IOL, 2027
Jones joins Agbanoma as another Nebraska-bound interior lineman. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound senior gives Grayson additional size and physicality in the middle of its offensive line.
Together, Jones and Agbanoma should allow the Rams to establish a dependable running game while giving Smith time to attack downfield.
Cameron Hurst — WR, 2028
Hurst transferred to Grayson after contributing to Buford’s undefeated championship season. He arrives with offers from several major college programs and gives Smith a young receiver with varsity experience against elite competition.
Elijah Tillman — EDGE, 2028
At 6-foot-7, Tillman possesses unusual length and considerable upside as a pass rusher. He enters his junior season with an opportunity to become one of the central players on Carswell’s rebuilt defense.
Waylon Wooten — DL, 2027
Wooten is a 6-foot-2, 300-pound defensive lineman committed to Georgia. According to the career statistics listed by MaxPreps, he has recorded 61 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, four sacks and 17 quarterback hurries across two varsity seasons.
The secondary also features several players to watch, including UConn commit Preston Glasco, Syracuse commit Jalen Welch and Chattanooga commit Joreal Ellinger.
Schedule Breakdown
Grayson will be tested immediately, with its first four games taking place away from its home stadium.
The Rams open Aug. 12 against North Gwinnett at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic. North Gwinnett reached the Class 6A state semifinals last season before losing to eventual runner-up Carrollton.
Grayson then visits defending Class 3A champion Sandy Creek before an open week.
The Rams return Sept. 4 at Langston Hughes, another nationally recognized public-school program with the talent to contend for a Georgia championship.
After traveling to Brunswick, Grayson finally plays its first home game against No. 9 Buford. That matchup will place Smith and Grayson’s experienced offensive line against a Buford defense expected to rank among the best in the country.
The Rams host Miami Carol City before beginning Region 4-7A play. Road games against Archer and Newton lead into home matchups with South Gwinnett and Rockdale County.
The schedule provides little room for a slow adjustment under a new head coach. It also gives Grayson repeated opportunities to strengthen its national résumé before the postseason.
#### 2026 Grayson Schedule
Aug. 12: vs. North Gwinnett at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Aug. 21: at Sandy Creek Sept. 4: at Langston Hughes Sept. 11: at Brunswick Sept. 18: vs. Buford Oct. 2: vs. Miami Carol City (Florida) Oct. 9: at Archer Oct. 16: at Newton Oct. 23: vs. South Gwinnett Nov. 6: vs. Rockdale County
Biggest Question
How quickly will Grayson establish its identity under Carswell?
Promoting Carswell provides continuity, but he is still replacing a coach who won 37 games and a state championship in three seasons. He must also rebuild portions of a defense that helped Grayson produce a school-record 26-game winning streak before the loss to Carrollton.
The encouraging part is that the Rams do not need to search for an offensive foundation at the same time.
Smith is an established quarterback, Agbanoma and Jones anchor the offensive line, and Hurst adds another potential playmaker to the receiving group. That experience should give Carswell time to develop the next defensive rotation around Tillman, Wooten, Glasco, Welch, Ellinger and the program’s younger talent.
Grayson’s early schedule will quickly reveal how smoothly that transition is progressing.
T25PS Prediction
Regular season prediction: 9-1
Postseason prediction: Georgia Class 7A semifinalist
North Gwinnett, Sandy Creek, Langston Hughes, Brunswick and Buford will show exactly where Grayson stands before October.
The Rams have enough talent to survive that stretch and enter the postseason as one of the leading contenders in Georgia’s highest classification. Their exact playoff path will depend on region finishes and bracket placement.
A postseason meeting with Carrollton could determine whether Grayson’s run ends in the quarterfinals or semifinals. If the bracket keeps the two programs apart, the Rams have enough talent to reach the state championship game.
Even with that difficult opening stretch in Carswell’s first season as head coach, Grayson should enter the postseason battle-tested and capable of beating anyone in Class 7A.
Bottom Line
Grayson enters 2026 with more stability than the phrase “first-year head coach” might suggest.
Carswell helped build the defense that powered the Rams over the past several seasons. Smith returns after throwing 24 touchdown passes, and two Nebraska commitments anchor the offensive line.
The roster also features enough defensive talent to keep Grayson competitive while new starters settle into expanded roles.
The schedule is demanding, but it gives the Rams repeated opportunities to climb from No. 15. If Grayson handles the coaching transition and develops its next championship-level defense, another deep postseason run should follow.
Thanks for reading,
Alex | T25PS
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