Official GFL 8th Grade FBU National Championship Preview

Get Familiar: Unless you live under a rock in this middle school football space, you've likely heard of the daunted GFL program in the FBU National Championship tournament. When I say that this team is the deepest, most complete team I have ever seen—I mean it. From top to bottom, offense to defense, special teams, backups, coaches and even water boy's, this team is elite in every sense of the word. This special group of athletes is going for a 3-peat in the National Championship tournament, having been crowned champions as both 6^th and 7^th graders. You can ask Alabama, the New England Patriots and the New York Yankees, when you're viewed as “the team” you are often vilified and you get every team's best shot every day. Yet the question remains, will anyone take down the mighty GFL 8^th grade team? How they'll light it up: Expect the reigning champs to come out in multiple sets to keep defenses on their heels a little bit to start. While the athletes and playmakers get all the headlines, coaches made it very clear that at the end of the day, the reason for success is the guys up front on the offensive line. GFL is confident that if, and when, they establish the run game it is going to open everything else up. After running the ball at will, they plan to showcase their quarterback ( Julian Lewis Julian Lewis 6'2" | 175 lbs | QB Carrollton | 2025 State GA ) and said “when you have a player like that, you have to showcase him.” How they'll shut it down: Look for this GFL team to be propelled by the unhinged maniacs on the defensive line. Again, while there are athletes all over the field, coaches are fired up about this defensive line. They plan on carrying four edge rushers, in addition to four or five interior defensive linemen—which allows them to stay fresh. Coaches said they plan to turn the dogs loose and treat every down like it's a 3^rd down passing situation. If the defensive line has the success they expect, their secondary is going to man up on the back end play duck hunt with errant passes. Mt. Rushmore Julian Lewis Julian Lewis 6'2" | 175 lbs | QB Carrollton | 2025 State GA | Quarterback On a team of bright stars, this guy makes you reach for those shades faster than anyone else. Easily the most recognizable prospect in the 2026 class to this point, Lewis already has offers from Florida, Penn State and Georgia Tech as just an 8^th grader. This past regular season, the now 6-foot-2 signal caller, played for the Carrollton freshman team and led them to an unblemished 7-0 record. There is no shortage of accomplishments for this young man. Daverin “Deuce” Geralds | Defensive Line Straight up, any offensive lineman is bringing a knife to a gun fight when tasked with blocking Geralds 1:1. At 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, he is an absolutely relentless pass rusher with more moves than a military family. He explodes off the snap and strikes with bad intentions on every snap and has the versatility to play inside or outside. Offensively, during the regular season, he actually got carries as a running back on occasion, so that speaks volumes about where's he at athletically. Tyler Atkinson Tyler Atkinson 6'3" | 205 lbs | LB Grayson | 2026 State GA | Edge There is not a more explosive pass rusher in the country than . At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds I'm not sure if his future is as an edge rusher or at outside linebacker, but wherever he lines up, QBs everywhere should be counting their blessings. In all my years covering middle school football, I thought Owen Pappoe (now at Auburn) was the best 8^th grade edge player I'd ever seen—Atkinson is light years ahead of where he was at this age. He is a bona fide Rockstar.

Semaj Fluellyn Semaj Fluellyn 6'1" | 250 lbs | DL Griffin | 2026 State GA | Defensive Line At 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, Fluellyn is an unchained dog on the interior defensive line. Throughout his middle school career, the three-sport star has been unblockable due to his size and athleticism. During the regular season the big man has played everywhere from defensive line to linebacker to receiver to fullback and everything in between. There are some kids who are just born to be a special athletically and Fluellyn is that type of kid. Defensive Ballers to Know