Five East Tennessee ’28 D-Linemen To Know Before They’re Freshmen

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tennessee is one of the most horizontally linear states in the country, making The Grand Division of Tennessee the easiest way to break the state down into West, Central and East. In the heart of East Tennessee sits Knox County, the home of Neyland Stadium and the University of Tennessee Volunteers. With at least one county bordering Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama and Georgia, East Tennessee is smack in the middle of SEC country. Here's a look at some 2028 defensive line prospects in East Tennessee to know before they start high school.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1182859"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"In what is considered East Tennessee in Three Grand Divisions, there are only four counties that are further west than Hamilton County. However, with Chattanooga being the fourth most populated city in the state, The Baylor School has a lot of prospective student-athletes to bring in. Defensive End [player_tooltip player_id='1182864' first='Christopher' last='Smith'] is one of those student-athletes that looks to be on the rise for the Red Raiders. One of six Baylor middle schoolers named an All-Independent School performer this season, he's a two-sport athlete with a considerable upside. A taller prospect at this point, he has an athletic frame that could be filled out with muscle if he puts in the work. He also plays tight end on offense.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["835332"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"In Sevier County, Seymour Middle School's [player_tooltip player_id='835332' first='Jake' last='Rogers'] spent much of the last two years separating himself from the pack of middle school defensive linemen. At a legitimate 6-foot-2, 250 pounds (and getting bigger each time I check on him) Rogers is piecing together a memorable eighth-grade year. Shined brightest as a defensive lineman this season, earning a First Team All-East Tennessee selection and Defensive Player of the Year at Seymour. He followed that up with a standout performance at our PRZ Next Middle School Camp in Tennessee in January. He's been a defensive end up until this point, but with his size and strength I can see him bumping down inside to play tackle. It's worth noting that he was also selected to the Smokey Mountain Middle School All-Star Game on the hardwood.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1178600"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"In Knox County, Karns Middle School's [player_tooltip player_id='1178600' first='Lyric' last='Jackson'] had opposing offenses singing the blues all season long. As a 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds stand up defensive end, he assaulted offensive tackles at will this past season. Built like a linebacker and playing with running back speed, Jackson was parallel with the shoulder of offensive linemen before they were event out of their stance in some egregious examples of his speed. Also a field-stretching tight end on offense, he played with speed and relentless pursuit on every play. His highlights include several plays where he chased down ball carriers going away from him on designed outside runsu002du002din the backfield. I wouldn't rule out a full-time change to outside linebacker for Jackson over the next four years.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["1182863"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Staying in Knox County, on paper Knoxville Catholic is set to welcome a pretty impressive 2028 class this upcoming fall. The Fighting Irish are hoping this class will do its part to right the ship for a program that has endured some tough sailing the last four years, going just 20-22. One of those incoming freshmen will be talented three-sport athlete, [player_tooltip player_id='1182863' first='Jax' last='Nichols']. Nichols, a defensive end who attends Sacred Heart Cathedral School, currently lists himself at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds. While I'm not sure he's u003cemu003ethat u003c/emu003etall, he's very long and does a great job of getting to the quarterback and disrupting plays in the backfield. Disruption in the backfield is something KC will surely welcome, after giving up 35 points a game on average in their six losses last year.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["1182865"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Coming full circle in this write up, we head back to Hamilton County and The Baylor School for another 2028 defensive lineman that will surely garner some attention over the next four years, in [player_tooltip player_id='1182865' first='Peyton' last='Yother']. They don't come much stronger than Yother on the middle school level in East Tennessee. A versatile two-way lineman that played guard on the offensive line and can play bother defensive end and defensive tackle on the other side of the ball. An All-Independent School selection this past season, he's strong enough to take on (and defeat) double teams but also agile enough to make backs run horizontally when trying to gain the edge. He's on the good side of being a u0022tweeneru0022 right now between tackle and end.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65d6372605014"} /-->