#TN2024 Rankings: In-Depth Breakdown & Notes

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 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 [player_tooltip player_id="150277" first="Boo" last="Carter"] 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. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-332734" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/05/boocarter-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> 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 [player_tooltip player_id="149389" first="Kaleb" last="Beasley"]. 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 [player_tooltip player_id="149166" first="Ondre" last="Evans"] 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 [player_tooltip player_id="150276" first="Edwin" last="Spillman"] 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 [player_tooltip player_id="207328" first="Kumaro" last="Brown"]. 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. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-282865" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/02/20220130_153310-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /> 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 [player_tooltip player_id="270395" first="Marcus" last="Goree, Jr"] (#2), [player_tooltip player_id="301354" first="Kollin" last="Collier"] (#3), [player_tooltip player_id="149393" first="Devin" last="Rutherford"] (#4), [player_tooltip player_id="152933" first="Stephen" last="Ellison"] (#7), [player_tooltip player_id="205153" first="Brody" last="Blankenship"] (#9), [player_tooltip player_id="286599" first="Keshawn" last="Williams"] (#11), [player_tooltip player_id="301382" first="Kameron" last="Herring"] (#14), [player_tooltip player_id="149845" first="Kaleb" last="Martin"] (#15) and [player_tooltip player_id="150289" first="Braylen" last="Vanderbilt"] (#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. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-297328" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/03/sellison2-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> 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 [player_tooltip player_id="149171" first="Ronan" last="O’Connell"] (Ranked 6th overall) followed by defensive end [player_tooltip player_id="149317" first="Kavion" last="Benton"], 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 [player_tooltip player_id="149188" first="Luke" last="Work"] (#2/16th overall), [player_tooltip player_id="149856" first="John" last="Wayne Oliver"] (#3), [player_tooltip player_id="149181" first="Andrew" last="Pedersen"] (#6), [player_tooltip player_id="207325" first="Kison" last="Shepard"] (#8), [player_tooltip player_id="323147" first="Spence" last="Tankersley"] (#9) and [player_tooltip player_id="149178" first="Ace" last="Meadows"], 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) [player_tooltip player_id="149842" first="Carson" last="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) [player_tooltip player_id="149168" first="Hank" last="Weber"], who has added multiple big offers recently and is on the verge of breaking out into stardom. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-289208" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/02/cgentle2-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> Others along the D-line who rank within the Top 100 consist of [player_tooltip player_id="207299" first="Steven" last="Soles, Jr"] (#4/17th overall), [player_tooltip player_id="229661" first="Darrius" last="Talley"] (#6), [player_tooltip player_id="301377" first="C.J." last="Smith"] (#7), [player_tooltip player_id="149290" first="Trevor" last="Anthony"] (#9), [player_tooltip player_id="149291" first="Keilyn" last="Smith"] (#12), [player_tooltip player_id="207303" first="B.J." last="Peter"] (#14) and [player_tooltip player_id="207308" first="Clayton" last="Harris"] 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: [player_tooltip player_id="150277" first="Boo" last="Carter"], [player_tooltip player_id="149389" first="Kaleb" last="Beasley"], [player_tooltip player_id="149166" first="Ondre" last="Evans"], [player_tooltip player_id="150276" first="Edwin" last="Spillman"], [player_tooltip player_id="207328" first="Kumaro" last="Brown"], [player_tooltip player_id="149171" first="Ronan" last="O’Connell"], [player_tooltip player_id="270395" first="Marcus" last="Goree, Jr"], [player_tooltip player_id="149157" first="Brandon" last="Heyward"] (Oak Ridge/#8th), [player_tooltip player_id="149383" first="Mason" last="Curtis"] (Ensworth/#9th) and [player_tooltip player_id="149317" first="Kavion" last="Benton"] 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 [player_tooltip player_id="148864" first="Cody" last="Pagach"], ranked 14th overall and the top quarterback prospect for next year’s class. Right behind Pagach sits [player_tooltip player_id="119096" first="Braden" last="Graham"] (#19) from Riverdale, [player_tooltip player_id="277806" first="Raheem" last="Vance"] (#54), [player_tooltip player_id="287027" first="Jeremy" last="St-Hilaire"] (#66), [player_tooltip player_id="268180" first="Knox" last="Roberts"] (#96) and new Tennessean at Baylor, [player_tooltip player_id="323145" first="Whit" last="Muschamp"] (#98). [caption id="attachment_334410" align="alignnone" width="285"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-334410" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/05/rvance-285x300.jpg" alt="" width="285" height="300" /> Photo: QBHitList[/caption] - 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 [player_tooltip player_id="149157" first="Brandon" last="Heyward"] and Knox. Webb’s receiver [player_tooltip player_id="219041" first="Markeis" last="Barrett"]. Right behind those guys are [player_tooltip player_id="239443" first="Jordan" last="Ward"] (#4) from Kingsbury, [player_tooltip player_id="193750" first="D’Arious" last="Reed"] (#5), [player_tooltip player_id="149163" first="Carlos" last="Orr"] (#6), [player_tooltip player_id="150280" first="Isaiah" last="Cobbs"] (#7), [player_tooltip player_id="149160" first="Brock" last="Montgomery"] (#8), [player_tooltip player_id="149158" first="Jeremiah" last="Reed"] (#9) and [player_tooltip player_id="149399" first="Charlie" last="Becker"] (#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: [player_tooltip player_id="150272" first="Omarian" last="Mills"] (Jefferson Co.) WR’s: 10 - Top Ranked: Evans TE’s: 2 - Top Ranked: [player_tooltip player_id="222285" first="Eli" last="Sisson"] (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 <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-334411" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/05/mbarrett-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />