Colquitt County High head football coach Rush Propst, linebacker JJ Peterson and Staff Sgt. Casey Callister, who brought Peterson his nomination papers for the 2018 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

MOULTRIE – No. 1 at his position nationwide. Top 100 overall in the country, and top 10 in Georgia.

Colquitt County High’s JJ Peterson, a rising senior outside lineback-er/receiver/kick returner/Wild Hawg quarterback, has heard and is still hearing all the accolades about his big-time football potential. And he takes it all in quietly.

It was no different Wednesday on the school campus when representatives of the U.S. Army Tifton recruiting center arrived to present Peterson with his nomination certificate for the 2018 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. The annual game featuring the nation’s top high school seniors takes place at the Alamodome in San Antonio and is televised on NBC.

For Colquitt County High head football coach Rush Propst, this is the first Packer during his tenure in Moultrie to receive this nomination.

“Every player is a five-star player,” said Propst, who himself has been involved as a coach in another All-Star game, the Under-Armour Game, in Miami in 2006. Two of his players from Hoover High in Alabama, Brandon Clear and Ryan Pugh, played in the 2007 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

The last U.S. Army All-American Bowl played in January drew a record crowd of 40,568.

“The city of San Antonio does a great job with it,” said Propst. “The U.S. Army does a great job with it.”

Staff Sgt. Casey Callister from the Tifton recruiting center, said the top 400 players in the country are selected for nomination. The U.S.Army All-American Bowl selection committee, in the fall, will pick around 150 players to be a part of the game.

Peterson, in the 2016 season for Propst and the Packers, had his share of highlight plays, including a touchdown-saving tackle chasing a running back who had broken free past the line of scrimmage at Roswell High, and the kickoff return touchdown in the first quarter to tie Lowndes High at home. In that latter game, Colquitt County High won the Region 1-7A championship.

Propst said, as far as Peterson’s recruiting status for college football, things are still wide open.

“The big thing now is he’s focusing on his academics and becoming a better football player for the Colquitt County High Packers,” said Propst. “He doesn’t need to get caught up in all the hoopla that goes with (recruiting).”

Propst did say that Peterson has more than 50 offers. Last season, Peterson caught two touchdown passes and had 6.5 quarterback sacks.