#TN2024 Athletes to Watch in Week 11
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As the opening kickoff of another week of high school football action quickly approaches, it’s time to once again visit the Volunteer State to highlight some of the most impactful prospects on both sides that have made their presence known…
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Continue ReadingAs the opening kickoff of another week of high school football action quickly approaches, it’s time to once again visit the Volunteer State to highlight some of the most impactful prospects on both sides that have made their presence known this year. Here’s my list of some #TN2024 athletes that have made a considerable impact this season and have established themselves as high-level players.
At the top of my list of notable performers is Amari Jefferson Amari Jefferson 6'2" | 195 lbs | ATH Baylor | 2024 State TN , a 6-foot-2, 195-pound athlete at Baylor High School. Jefferson and the Red Raiders are coming off a 35-0 blowout win over Montgomery Bell Academy last week. Jefferson impresses me down the stretch, showing off his breakaway speed and physical edge as he hauls in challenging touchdown passes in coverage. Another aspect of Jefferson’s playstyle that stands out is his ability to work with little space in the endzone, attacking the ball in the air to put his team on the scoreboard.
I am additionally impressed with Cameron Clark Cameron Clark 6'4" | 230 lbs | ATH South Gibson | 2024 State TN , a 6-foot-4, 230-pound athlete at South Gibson High School. Clark and the Hornets picked up a 34-20 victory over Jackson North Side this past week. Clark stands out defensively with his precision off the snap, showcasing his ability to stop the rush in the pocket, apply pressure on the quarterback and protect the backfield. On the other side of the ball, Clark impresses me as a receiver, showing off his size, strength and catching ability. Clark’s consistency in diving for challenging passes has also made a difference this year.
Highlights
Claiming the number three spot on my list is Jordan Davis Jordan Davis 6'3" | 185 lbs | DB Columbia Central | 2024 State TN , a 6-foot-3, 185-pound athlete at Columbia Central High School. Davis and the Lions recorded a 38-3 blowout victory over Lawson last week. Davis makes a difference on defense with his ability to read the offense like a book, quickly disrupt the rush and protect the backfield. I also like how Davis exerts his strength, finishing tackles in the pocket with his overwhelming toughness and stopping power. On the other side of the ball, Davis has proven his breakaway speed and catching ability, hauling in crucial passes in the endzone.
Another skilled prospect to keep an eye on is Whittman Whaley Whittman Whaley 6'2" | 210 lbs | LB Gatlinburg-Pittman | 2024 State TN , a 6-foot-2, 205-pound athlete at Gatlinburg-Pittman High School. Whaley and the Highlanders claimed a 49-0 blowout win over Pigeon Forge this past week. What makes Whaley a playmaker defensively is his ability to capitalize on openings in the pocket to apply pressure and sack the quarterback. Another aspect of Whaley’s playstyle that impresses is his ability to read the quarterback and deflect passes with his wingspan. Offensively, Whaley stands out with his breakaway speed and ability to barrel past the defense into the open field.
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Coming in at number five on my list is Marshaun Bowers Marshaun Bowers 5'9" | 185 lbs | RB Knox. West | 2024 State TN , a 5-foot-9, 185-pound athlete at Knoxville West High School. Bowers and the Rebels picked up a 20-9 win over Halls last week. Bowers impresses me with his footwork and electric speed, showing off his ability to maneuver the field under pressure and stay on his feet upon contact. Bowers also makes a difference with his ability to muscle past the defense in the pocket, utilizing bursts of speed to break free and take it all the way to the endzone. Bowers is also reliable on third-downs and can force his way to the house from just a few yards out.
Also worth mentioning is Braylen Vanderbilt Braylen Vanderbilt 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Riverdale | 2024 TN , a 6-foot-0, 180-pound athlete at Riverdale High School. Vanderbilt and the Warriors recently collected a 49-7 rout of Siegel. In addition to outstanding explosiveness and playmaking ability, Vanderbilt’s game knowledge and versatile edge make him a multi-faceted player. I like how Vanderbilt can both distract, block and make catches, showing off his ability to be disruptive and unpredictable. I also like Vanderbilt’s route-running ability, his ability to juke out the defense in coverage to get open and his ability to elevate off the ground to attack the ball in the endzone.