Shedeur Sanders' successor Julian Lewis' high school football coach tops Georgia coaching salary list with hefty six figure amount

Carrollton High School was notable over the last recruiting cycle for producing Julian Lewis, one of the top-ranked quarterback prospects in the cycle. The school is in the news again, and not for an unrelated reason. Its football coach, Joey King, is reportedly the highest-paid high school football coach in Georgia.

A list of the highest-paid coaches in Georgia was posted on X by NwGa Football’s Brooks Carter on Thursday. According to the list, Joey King’s annual salary is $219,215.

King was hired by Carrollton in 2021. He previously coached Cartersville, where he won two state titles and coached Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

King’s salary and the earnings of the other coaches on Carter’s list are only evidence of how big high school football is in Georgia. Another piece of evidence for this fact is the recently completed $62 million stadium by Buford High School.

At Carrollton, King decided to hand Julian Lewis the starting quarterback role as a freshman in 2022. He went on to become an elite prospect, reclassifying from 2026 to the 2025 class and signing with the Colorado Buffaloes.

The Trojans secured a berth in the 6A state title game last season, with Lewis at the heart of the offense.

Julian Lewis attends Carrollton High School graduation

After months of spring experience at Colorado, Julian Lewis recently took a break to attend his high school graduation at Carrollton. The 17-year-old enrolled early at Boulder, settling down to life with the Buffs.

His graduation from Carrollton is symbolic of growth from one of the most highly rated high school prospects to one of the most promising college freshmen.

In the course of three seasons under King’s tutelage, Lewis established himself as the centerpiece of the Carrollton Trojans football team. He achieved a 39-4 record with the team while amassing personal milestones along the way.

He became the No. 7 all-time passer in Georgia State history with 11,010 passing yards over three seasons. He also made 144 touchdown throws, the fifth highest by any high school quarterback in Georgia’s history. He achieved this by throwing for 48 touchdowns in three consecutive seasons, a unique feat.

Lewis won the Gatorade Georgia Player of the Year Award in 2023 and 2024. The only other player to have won the award twice is Trevor Lawrence, also coached by King.