MaxPreps released its national rankings ahead of the 2025 season, and several Georgia programs have made the cut, including Grayson (No. 4) and Buford (No. 13) while the two-time defending state champion Milton Eagles are ranked as the No. 24 team in the country. The Eagles made history by winning back-to-back state titles for the first time in program history. Head coach Ben Reaves has continued to take the Eagles program to new heights. Yes, the Eagles won a state championship in 2018 before Reaves took over as head coach with current Parkview head coach Adam Clack, but we have never seen an era like the one currently at Milton.
Milton will have a nationally-ranked matchup in the first game of the season as the Eagles will travel to Buford’s new 62-million-dollar stadium for a matchup on ESPN. It is a highly-anticipated matchup with a litany of D1 prospects on both sides of the ball.
The Eagles will look a bit different in 2025 and will be led by a youth movement throughout most of their roster, alongside a number of wily veterans. Milton will be led by two senior linebackers with a bevvy of experience, Tristan Lester and Billy Weivoda, who will lead the charge on defense. Weivoda had one of his best seasons in his prep career in 2024. Lester is a do-it-all linebacker who is good at playing in the box, blitzing, and covering down the field.
Other defensive pieces to watch will be Christian “Pancake” Hunter, who is now a veteran on the Eagles defense. He has played since he was a freshman on varsity, continuously making an impact. Last season, he finished with 51 tackles, four tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.
Nationally ranked quarterback Derrick Baker will be one to watch for the Eagles this season. He had a great summer playing for C1N and the OT7 circuit, working to improve his craft. Baker transferred from St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) this past offseason but has fit into the Milton culture seamlessly. When I got the chance to visit Baker in the spring, I was impressed with his arm strength and pinpoint accuracy.
Tight end Grant Haviland is ranked as the No. 1 tight end per ESPN. After being behind Ethan Barbour (Georgia) and Ryan Ghea (Auburn), Haviland will step into a new role now and be a more featured part of the offense. He is known for his big-body frame, but his ability to get open, break tackles, separate on routes, and catch radius make him a top prospect. Other playmakers to watch are Jordan Carrasquillo and Ayden Williams, all underrated yet potent pass-catchers for Milton.
There are some concerns on the offensive line, but the Eagles have some young stalwarts who are ready for increased playing time. 2028 offensive lineman Joshua Evans will be one to watch as he continues to improve. Evans is a stout offensive lineman who uses leverage, power, strength, and footwork to punish defenders. Landon Ghea is one of the highest-rated players in the 2029 class and has a good chance of starting as a true freshman for the Eagles. He’s already massive at 6-5 and 265 pounds, with major offers from Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, and many others.
The big wild card for the Eagles is Keelan Wonsley. His versatility on the backend and how quickly he can begin to make plays for Milton will be something to watch, especially at the safety position.
It is not a matter of talent because the Eagles are supremely talented; it will be how quickly the young players can adjust to the next level, especially playing in 5A. This will be Reaves toughest test yet, but he has a crop of guys who are hungry and deserving of their chance to showcase their talent. Despite losing so much from last year’s championship team, MaxPreps sees the potential the Eagles can have in 2025 and why they can still dominate the state. Reaves said it best in the spring.
“Yeah, it’s a good group. It’s a hungry group,” said Reaves. “It’s a group that, you know, every year at Milton, you never want to let the last group down, right? So the bar gets higher every single year. Now we have a new team that doesn’t want to let the previous teams down. And that’s just kind of how we’re built at Milton. So, there is always something to work for, always something to be hungry for. And these guys are hungry. Just to hold the line, but also they’re hungry to play. A lot of them haven’t played a whole lot of varsity snaps due to just the depth we had in last year’s senior class. So it’s just a hunger to respect the program and do right by the program, but also just get on the field and let it loose. Now, just talk a little about the standards here. Obviously, it’s the M versus them. Just talk a little bit about that, that slogan, a little bit about what that means.”
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