Tennesseans Shine Bright at Rocky Top Classic
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Teams from multiple states came to Gatlinburg, Tennessee last weekend to compete against a ton of in-state programs in the Rocky Top 7v7 Classic and an out of state squad came away as tourney champs. Sound Mind Sound Body, based…
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Continue ReadingTeams from multiple states came to Gatlinburg, Tennessee last weekend to compete against a ton of in-state programs in the Rocky Top 7v7 Classic and an out of state squad came away as tourney champs.
Sound Mind Sound Body, based out of Detroit, Michigan, took the championship after several hard fought battles against multiple Tennessee based teams and proved to be the best of the best in Gatlinburg and continued to show they are one of the top 7v7 programs in the country.
Major congratulations goes out to SMSB but this article is based around our in-state players and boy did we have some talent show up and show out on the mountains.
Below are some of the players who stood out to us at the Rocky Top Classic and guys who took a nice step in their progression as a football player and a hopeful college recruit.
(Disclaimer – We weren’t able to see every single player at the tournament, so there were tons of standout players who may not be mentioned below)
Standout Prospects
(QB) Cody Pagach Cody Pagach 6'3" | 190 lbs | QB Alcoa | 2024 State TN – Independence
– Leading the Dream Team, Pagach was as efficient as any quarterback I saw on Saturday, dropping dimes to multiple receivers while also displaying more power in his right arm. This Eagles signal caller has also gained more weight, so he is starting to look the part of a D1 caliber guy and with that added size, I could see Pagach land more offers going forward.
(QB) Evan Schwarzl – Walker Valley
– Many may not know too much about this Chattanooga area quarterback currently but should by the time we start the 2023 football season. Schwarzl is a decisive, precision passer that made several strong passes last weekend, showing nice upside for the college game. He is a bit undersized but makes up for it with quick decision making and nice arm strength.
(TE) Tucker Kyne Tucker Kyne 6'5" | 225 lbs | ATH Cannon Co. | 2024 State TN – Cannon Co.
– This dude continues to make a strong name for himself this offseason as up in Gatlinburg, Kyne was a mismatch problem for every team he faced and made several clutch catches, including two touchdown receptions. A two-way talent with athleticism and size, Kyne is a sleeper prospect that is slowly gaining recruiting steam.
(TE) Eli Owens Eli Owens 6'3" | 230 lbs | TE Alcoa | 2025 State TN – Alcoa
– Owens was near unstoppable on Saturday as nobody could lay hands on this guy and slow him as this East Tennessee tight end found a way to get open all day long. Not only did Owens get open on a consistent basis but he hauled in some tough catches along with showing some separation from his defenders.
(Ath) Jyrine Otey – Centennial
– All this guy does is make plays and make big ones when the time calls for it. Otey is an ultra athletic guy that was the playmaker that the Mid-TN Wolfpack needed in Gatlinburg as he came up big at several moments, making wow catches while also playing great on the back end at safety. Otey is a great worker too that simply knows how to make big plays whenever his number is called.
(Ath) Brock Montgomery Brock Montgomery 6'3" | 205 lbs | WR Riverdale | 2024 State TN – Riverdale
– Montgomery was a go-to target this past weekend in Gatlinburg for the Dream Team as he was targeted many times, coming up with several big catches, including a few wow plays in the end zone. Transferring to Riverdale for his senior year, look for this prospect to continue gaining steam on the recruiting trail due to his athleticism, size and versatility.
(Ath) Jordan Davis Jordan Davis 6'3" | 185 lbs | DB Columbia Central | 2024 State TN – Columbia Central
– If you’re looking for a sleeper prospect that could be a breakout star, it’s this guy who has size (6’3 180), length and the ability to make plays on both sides of the ball. Davis used his size to lock down receivers at cornerback (produced 1 Int) but was also a key target on offense that scored once and made several tough catches throughout the day. Watch out for this Columbia playmaker as the months go on.
‘25 (Ath) Harrison Brownlee – Columbia Academy
– A two-way athlete with size, smarts and versatility, Brownlee had an outstanding debut in Gatlinburg last weekend where he made several tough catches on offense but shined even more so on defense. Brownlee played the back end at safety almost perfectly, picking off one pass and making plays and breakups on several others. Look out for this Mid-Tennessee product moving forward!
‘26 (Ath) Tyreek King Tyreek King 6'0" | 170 lbs | WR Knox. Catholic | 2026 State TN – Knox. Catholic
– King was one of the more impressive overall athletic playmakers on the day for TeamUp 7v7 who showed off tremendous speed and separation at receiver, producing multiple touchdowns. This dude is simply a playmaker that will only continue to get better the more he grows and matures during his time with the Fighting Irish.
(DB) Ondre Evans Ondre Evans 6'1" | 185 lbs | DB CPA | 2024 State TN – CPA
– Every time this Mid-Tennessee product steps on the field he always looks the part and plays consistent football. Evans is a natural ball player that could play a variety of positions and excel at each of them. He displayed tremendous abilities at cornerback in Gatlinburg, locking down everyone he came across while also contributing on offense throughout the day.
(S) Tay Carter Tay Carter 6'3" | 195 lbs | LB Notre Dame | 2024 State TN – Notre Dame
– Tall and long with a great attitude towards development, Carter was impressive on Saturday, displaying nice range and the ability to pick up on where the quarterback was going with the ball early in the play. He does need to keep adding weight and developing further but Carter shows nice upside and the physical traits to reach the next level.
‘26 (S/WR) Hunter Mullen Hunter Mullen 6'1" | 175 lbs | WR Independence | 2026 TN – Independence
– The little I was able to see of Mullen was enough to put him in this article. This young two-way talent made two huge interceptions against the Mid-TN Wolfpack in bracket play that made a big difference in the end results. Mullen is an ultra worker that plays smart football on a consistent basis and showed exactly that when the results mattered the most.
Other Notable Top Performers
– ‘26 (QB) Briggs Cherry Briggs Cherry 6'4" | 205 lbs | QB Baylor | 2026 State TN – Knox. Catholic
– ‘25 (RB) Connor Wheeler Connor Wheeler 5'9" | 175 lbs | RB Powell | 2025 TN – Powell
– (WR) Charlie Becker Charlie Becker 6'3" | 195 lbs | WR Father Ryan | 2024 State TN – Father Ryan
– (WR/TE) Blake Wolfard Blake Wolfard 6'4" | 195 lbs | TE Signal Mountain | 2024 State TN – Signal Mountain
– ‘25 (RB) Price Davis Price Davis 6'0" | 195 lbs | RB Maryville | 2025 State TN – Maryville
– (LB) D.J. Curll D.J. Curll 6'2" | 205 lbs | LB Centennial | 2024 State TN – Centennial
– (LB) Connor Ruth Connor Ruth 6'3" | 205 lbs | LB Knox. Catholic | 2024 State TN – Knox. Catholic
– ‘25 (LB/TE) Zae Odom Zae Odom 6'0" | 195 lbs | LB Cannon Co. | 2025 TN – Cannon Co.
– (DB) Jaylen Thompson Jaylen Thompson 6'2" | 175 lbs | DB Riverdale | 2024 State TN – Riverdale
– ‘26 (Ath) Kari Dixon – BGA