#TN2024 Rankings: In-Depth Breakdown & Notes
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Headed into summer camp season, we felt like it was a good time to release our 1st prospects rankings for the 2024 class and our initial look supports the idea that this junior class is extremely deep with talent that…
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Continue ReadingHeaded into summer camp season, we felt like it was a good time to release our 1st prospects rankings for the 2024 class and our initial look supports the idea that this junior class is extremely deep with talent that will only continue to grow over the coming months and year.
The 2024 crop will continue to be evaluated over time as several new names will pop up but these 1st rankings show you a Top 100 of guys that are ultra talented with multiple prospects destined for Power Five football.
It all starts at the top with Chatt. Christian (TN) athlete Boo Carter Boo Carter 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Bradley Central | 2024 State TN at the moment claiming the title as the #1 prospect in the state for the ‘24 class and while it will be a battle to keep this status, I think this Scenic City dynamic, two-way talent will keep this slot going forward.
Carter is just different. He has the look, the feel and the talents to be one of the top prospects overall in the country, if he keeps developing and remains humble along the way. He could excel on either side of the ball but his future may sit best on offense where he can make plays on a consistent basis.
Right behind Carter is one of the top defensive back prospects in the country in Kaleb Beasley Kaleb Beasley 6'1" | 175 lbs | DB Lipscomb Academy | 2024 State TN . Holding multiple strong Power Five offers, this Lipscomb Academy defender has the physical traits and skill set to develop into a possible lockdown cover corner on the next level.
Rounding out the top five are three players with major college upside and they have the offers to show for it. CPA junior wideout Ondre Evans Ondre Evans 6'1" | 185 lbs | DB CPA | 2024 State TN checks in at #3 as the top receiver prospect in the state next season and a guy with loads of talent along with the size college coaches want.
Lipscomb Academy linebacker Edwin Spillman Edwin Spillman 6'3" | 215 lbs | LB Lipscomb Academy | 2024 State TN sits at #4, giving the Mustangs program two players within the #PRZTN Top Five. Spillman is a big dude that can move and play a variety of linebacker roles. Finishing out the top five is M.A.H.S. (TN) athlete Kumaro Brown Kumaro Brown 6'2" | 180 lbs | ATH M.A.H.S. | 2024 State TN . This guy has as much upside as anybody in the state and a prospect that could develop at receiver or defensive back, which is where I see his biggest potential on the next level.
O-Line, D-Line, DB’s Stand Out Early
A lot of film has been watched and while it’s early in the process for the 2024 class and a lot of new players will be added to the database and rankings, a few position groups are already standing out. The best position as it stands right now is the defensive backs. Out of the Top 100 players ranked, there are 19 DB’s placed within our 1st 2024 rankings and many others right behind those guys could be in the mix as well during our next update.
The top defensive back in this class is Beasley but several others sit right behind him and are already on the radar of many collegiate coaches. Some of the those top DB’s that are ranked within our Top 100 are Marcus Goree, Jr Marcus Goree, Jr 6'1" | 180 lbs | DB Bradley Central | 2024 State TN (#2), Kollin Collier Kollin Collier 6'1" | 180 lbs | DB Munford | 2024 State TN (#3), Devin Rutherford Devin Rutherford 5'11" | 175 lbs | DB Bartlett | 2024 State TN (#4), Stephen Ellison Stephen Ellison 5'11" | 180 lbs | DB Oakland | 2024 State TN (#7), Brody Blankenship Brody Blankenship 6'2" | 200 lbs | DB Alcoa | 2024 State TN (#9), Keshawn Williams Keshawn Williams 6'1" | 185 lbs | DB Riverdale | 2024 State TN (#11), Kameron Herring Kameron Herring 6'1" | 175 lbs | DB Collierville | 2024 State TN (#14), Kaleb Martin Kaleb Martin 6'2" | 180 lbs | DB Rhea Co. | 2024 State TN (#15) and Braylen Vanderbilt Braylen Vanderbilt 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Riverdale | 2024 TN (#19).
Those nine prospects listed above aren’t the only defensive backs ranked inside the Top 100, so that should tell you how talented and deep this crop is for the 2024 class and by my scouting eye, I expect several other secondary prospects to jump on the radar soon.
Not to be outshined by the ball hawks on the back end, the trenches appear quite talented as well with both sides of the ball presenting several prospects with high college upside.
Leading the way for the big men is 2024 Page (TN) offensive tackle/guard Ronan O’Connell Ronan O’Connell 6'5" | 285 lbs | OL Page | 2024 State TN (Ranked 6th overall) followed by defensive end Kavion Benton Kavion Benton 6'3" | 250 lbs | DL Southwind | 2024 State TN , who is rated as the top D-lineman and 10th overall.
O’Connell has the look of a future left or right tackle on the Power Five level and he is far from reaching his maximum potential. Benton has the physical look and pass rushing skills that college coaches desire to have on the line of scrimmage. Both these guys are high major talents that will only continue to add offers over the coming months.
The rest of the O-line class looks strong and has multiple guys that could rise in our next rankings, if they continue to develop in the right direction. Sitting behind O’Connell in the rankings is Luke Work Luke Work 6'5" | 285 lbs | OL Lausanne | 2024 State TN (#2/16th overall), John Wayne Oliver John Wayne Oliver 6'6" | 280 lbs | OL CPA | 2024 State TN (#3), Andrew Pedersen Andrew Pedersen 6'5" | 290 lbs | OL Brentwood Academy | 2024 State TN (#6), Kison Shepard Kison Shepard 6'6" | 305 lbs | OL Germantown | 2024 State TN (#8), Spence Tankersley Spence Tankersley 6'5" | 305 lbs | OL Forrest | 2024 State TN (#9) and Ace Meadows Ace Meadows 6'7" | 300 lbs | OL Peabody | 2024 State TN , who is the 11th ranked O-lineman and 82nd overall.
Over on the D-line, this group already appears to be quite deep with talent and a group that I feel will grow over the coming months as there are a few guys outside the Top 100 that have the chance to rise in our nex rankings.
Benton is at the top of the class but others are right behind him and chasing him down to take the top spot. McCallie (DE/LB) Carson Gentle is one of the best edge defenders in this state and ranks currently at 11th overall and 2nd among the D-linemen. Closely behind Gentle is Brentwood Academy (DL) Hank Weber Hank Weber 6'4" | 255 lbs | DL Brentwood Academy | 2024 State TN , who has added multiple big offers recently and is on the verge of breaking out into stardom.
Others along the D-line who rank within the Top 100 consist of Steven Soles, Jr Steven Soles, Jr 6'3" | 215 lbs | LB Powell | 2024 State TN (#4/17th overall), Darrius Talley Darrius Talley 6'5" | 285 lbs | OL Chatt. Christian | 2024 TN (#6), C.J. Smith C.J. Smith 6'3" | 240 lbs | DL Knox. West | 2024 State TN (#7), Trevor Anthony Trevor Anthony 6'3" | 230 lbs | DL Lausanne | 2024 State TN (#9), Keilyn Smith Keilyn Smith 6'2" | 255 lbs | DL Knox. Catholic | 2024 State TN (#12), B.J. Peter B.J. Peter 6'1" | 290 lbs | DL Stewarts Creek | 2024 State TN (#14) and Clayton Harris Clayton Harris 6'2" | 235 lbs | DL Upperman | 2024 State TN from Upperman who is placed 78th overall.
Other position groups have a chance to rise up over the 2024 recruiting cycle and a few of them like the receivers and linebackers are close behind but as things sit right now, the O-line, D-line and defensive backs are the best of the best.
Rankings Notes
– The current top 10 prospects in the state for the ‘24 class consist of: Boo Carter Boo Carter 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Bradley Central | 2024 State TN , Kaleb Beasley Kaleb Beasley 6'1" | 175 lbs | DB Lipscomb Academy | 2024 State TN , Ondre Evans Ondre Evans 6'1" | 185 lbs | DB CPA | 2024 State TN , Edwin Spillman Edwin Spillman 6'3" | 215 lbs | LB Lipscomb Academy | 2024 State TN , Kumaro Brown Kumaro Brown 6'2" | 180 lbs | ATH M.A.H.S. | 2024 State TN , Ronan O’Connell Ronan O’Connell 6'5" | 285 lbs | OL Page | 2024 State TN , Marcus Goree, Jr Marcus Goree, Jr 6'1" | 180 lbs | DB Bradley Central | 2024 State TN , Brandon Heyward Brandon Heyward 5'11" | 180 lbs | WR Oak Ridge | 2024 State TN (Oak Ridge/#8th), Mason Curtis Mason Curtis 6'3" | 195 lbs | LB Ensworth | 2024 State TN (Ensworth/#9th) and Kavion Benton Kavion Benton 6'3" | 250 lbs | DL Southwind | 2024 State TN from Wooddale.
– The least ranked position group right now for the 2024 class are the quarterbacks. This junior crop has only 6 prospects inside the Top 100 and as it stands right now, the ‘24 guys aren’t as deep as the ‘23 guys but there is still time for development. Leading the way for the signal callers is Independence gunslinger Cody Pagach Cody Pagach 6'3" | 190 lbs | QB Alcoa | 2024 State TN , ranked 14th overall and the top quarterback prospect for next year’s class. Right behind Pagach sits Braden Graham Braden Graham 6'1" | 200 lbs | QB Riverdale | 2024 State TN (#19) from Riverdale, Raheem Vance Raheem Vance 6'1" | 210 lbs | QB Olive Branch | 2024 State MS (#54), Jeremy St-Hilaire Jeremy St-Hilaire 6'4" | 220 lbs | QB McCallie | 2024 State TN (#66), Knox Roberts Knox Roberts 6'2" | 200 lbs | QB Davidson Acad. | 2024 State TN (#96) and new Tennessean at Baylor, Whit Muschamp Whit Muschamp 6'1" | 185 lbs | QB Baylor | 2024 State TN (#98).
– While the O-line, D-line and DB’s take the reins as the top position groups right now, don’t sleep on the receivers as the ‘24 crop looks deep and talented. Evans leads the way at the top but he has others close behind him, sniffing on his tail, looking to take the top spot. Two East Tennessee products come in ranked second and third in Oak Ridge’s wideout Brandon Heyward Brandon Heyward 5'11" | 180 lbs | WR Oak Ridge | 2024 State TN and Knox. Webb’s receiver Markeis Barrett Markeis Barrett 5'11" | 170 lbs | WR Knox. Webb | 2024 State TN . Right behind those guys are Jordan Ward Jordan Ward 6'4" | 205 lbs | WR Fairley | 2024 State TN (#4) from Kingsbury, D’Arious Reed D’Arious Reed 6'0" | 170 lbs | WR Pearl Cohn | 2024 State TN (#5), Carlos Orr Carlos Orr 6'4" | 185 lbs | WR Gatlinburg-Pittman | 2024 State TN (#6), Isaiah Cobbs Isaiah Cobbs 5'9" | 165 lbs | WR Munford | 2024 State TN (#7), Brock Montgomery Brock Montgomery 6'3" | 205 lbs | WR Riverdale | 2024 State TN (#8), Jeremiah Reed Jeremiah Reed 6'2" | 190 lbs | WR Bartlett | 2024 State TN (#9) and Charlie Becker Charlie Becker 6'3" | 195 lbs | WR Father Ryan | 2024 State TN (#10) from Father Ryan high school in Nashville.
By looking into the ‘24 crop of receivers, I foresee this group growing in size over the coming months as there are multiple talented guys outside the rankings that will be added in due time.
Top Ranked Prospects By Region
East TN: 32
Mid TN: 38
West TN: 28
Position Groups By The Numbers (Ranked Inside Top 100)
QB’s: 6 – Top Ranked: Pagach
RB’s: 8 – Top Ranked: Omarian Mills Omarian Mills 5'10" | 205 lbs | RB Jefferson Co. | 2024 State TN (Jefferson Co.)
WR’s: 10 – Top Ranked: Evans
TE’s: 2 – Top Ranked: Eli Sisson Eli Sisson 6'4" | 230 lbs | TE Collierville | 2024 State TN (Collierville)
OL: 12 – Top Ranked: O’Connell
DL: 16 – Top Ranked: Benton
LB’s: 13 – Top Ranked: Spillman
DB’s: 19 – Top Ranked: Beasley
ATH: 14 – Top Ranked: Brown