My Current Top 50 2028 LB’s in Tennessee – March ’24

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When it comes to the middle school level, the linebacker corpse in the Tennessee 2028 class appears to have some really impressive players with varying skill sets. From West Tennessee and The Home of the Blues, to Middle Tennessee and the Music City, to East Tennessee and the sounds of Neyland Stadium–there are future MLBs and OLBs all over The Volunteer State. Below is a look at 50+ linebackers, currently in the eighth-grade, that look poised for big things on the high school level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Tier 1: The Top</span></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>*Athletes listed alphabetically by last name</em>*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'll say it until I'm blue in the face, I don't enjoy putting a pecking order to athletes at this young age and I'm not a fan of rankings or star ratings. At this stage of physical and mental development, things can change within just a few months so this writeup has an obvious shelf life of just a few months. Nonetheless, when looking at these prospects, it's clear to see that some are just really spectacular and advanced and are in Tier 1. These are the Alphas. Let's take a look.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1092636"],"_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":"When looking at the top 2028 linebackers in Tennessee, the versatility that [player_tooltip player_id='1092636' first='Kaisen' last='Anderson'] brings mixed with his propensity to drop dudes where they're standing in the hole, makes him an obvious choice for me. A linebacker with good size, strength and range, Anderson was one of  five Northeast Middle School prospects to earn an all Northwest Middle School Athletic Association (NWMSAA) honors this season. Playing primarily middle linebacker, he was one of the featured playmakers on the Madison County team that won the NWMSAA  and Regional Championship this year with a 6-1 record. Hovering near that 6-foot mark, he has an athletic frame that allowed him to chase down a number of plays after flowing to the ball. Doesn't/didn't showcase much in the film I saw, but he can straight up attack the line of scrimmage as a blitzing backer.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1066002"],"_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":"There aren't many eighth-graders, not just in Tennessee, but the entire United States of America, that hit with the ferocity and violence that Bangura does. Just throw on the tape and watch from the opening play, as you'll see Bangura moving as fast as he can and with zero regard for the damage he causes. He was the only LaVergne student-athlete selected for the Rutherford All-County team this season and it wasn't by accident. Elite reaction time and consistently playing at full speed he's in a class of his own when it comes to his play. Some athletes just have u0022ITu0022 and Bangura checks that box with me. At this point his height is something to keep an eye on, as he's only listed at 5-foot-6 current; But, if you go ask the equipment managers from the other teams in Rutherford County who has caused more mouth pieces knocked out, broken clips and busted chin straps, they can tell you all about #4 at MLB.rnrnFilm: u003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17713156/65825a43ff0cab041c122cbcu0022u003eu003cstrongu003e8th Grade Filmu003c/strongu003eu003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1177918"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":1177922,"_player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Lipscomb Academy has a ton of football talent slated to be freshman in the fall. Looking at who I believe will be there in the fall, the linebacker group is particularly strong for the Mustangs, with three prospects in this write up. While I think that all three will have a legitimate shot at playing an advanced level of college football, [player_tooltip player_id='1177918' first='Jacob' last='Kreis'] looks the most ready for college coaches to start to get serious about. At a legitimate 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, Kreis moves like a future D1 athlete should. Complete with an ideal outside linebacker frame, he drops back into pass coverage well and patiently sits in his window of the coverage. Also an elite baseball player, his hand-eye coordination is on point which allows him to get his hands on more than a couple balls thrown in his area. It should be noted that Kreis did not play football this past season, sitting out after a transfer/reclass situation from Page Middle School.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["1038498"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_player_featured_image":1141426,"_player_evaluations_3_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Lake Forest Middle Schooler [player_tooltip player_id='1038498' first='Will' last='Pasley'] is one of those kids that everybody notices when they walk in the gym or onto the field. At 6-foot and 240 pounds, he's one giant muscle that spends obvious time in the weight room with his recent 415-pound deadlift. Also a baseball and track and field athlete, he's something special to be seen. Anointed as u0022the leader of our defenseu0022 by his coach Kevin Green, Pasley was one of five bears that were named East Tennessee All-Stars this season. He led the team in tackles from the middle linebacker position and also tallied three takeaways (1 - INT, 2 - FR). He also happened to be second on the ream in receptions, averaging 16 yards per catch. After his regular season accolades, he was also selected as the MVP and 1st Team All-Camp at the Prep Redzone Next Middle School Camp in Tennessee this past January.rnrnFilm: u003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17726216/64f5e9ff176c890458d26f81u0022u003eu003cstrongu003e8th Grade Filmu003c/strongu003eu003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["1065916"],"_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":"Blackman Middle School was one of the best middle school football teams in the state this year, losing the Rutherford County Championship game in double over time, in what was one of the best sub-varsity football games I've ever watched. Linebacker/running back [player_tooltip player_id='1065916' first='Jeisun' last='Thompson'] was one of four Flames to garner All-County recognition, but in my opinion that number could have/should have been double that easily. I opted to list Thompson as an outside linebacker rather than a running back, because Blackman had so many mouths to feed on the offensive side of the ball. Thompson is a state-qualifier on the track and flys around the field. Does a phenomenal of covering a lot space in a short amount of timeu002du002dboth dropping in pass coverage and/or cutting off the angle on outside runs. Listed at 5-foot-9 and 145 pounds, he's definitely not small, but not overly big, either. It would not shock me in the least to see Thompson's position change over the next few years, but either way if he's on the field he'll make a play.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65e213d04616d"} /--> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Tier 2: Challenging For The Top</span></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>*Athletes listed alphabetically by last name</em>*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There is a ton of great sub-varsity talent in Tennessee at every position. Having spent a lot of time evaluating in this state, I can confidently say that there are kids are who listed at other positions that will become linebackers over the next four years. On the contrary, there are some linebackers on this list that will become defensive linemen or strong safety's. Development and speed become super important when trying to decipher WR or DB and RB or LB. With that said, not everybody can be listed in that top tier. The linebackers in Tier 2 are very close to reaching that top tier in the 2028 class and should be considered extremely talented kids. I fully expect the camp and 7v7 season to shuffle things around a great deal before August. Let's take a look.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- The T.W. Hunter Buccaneers notched their second consecutive Sumer County Championship this past season, due much in part to the effort of their current eighth-grade class. There were eight class of 2028 Buccs that received All-County honors for their production this fall, with [player_tooltip player_id='1029662' first='Trystan' last='Ballentine'] earning the recognition for the second year in a row. Ballentine played both fullback and linebacker at a high level this year. A shorter, muscled up prospect, he's significantly faster than you'd think at first look. Perhaps the scariest thing about him, he has no clue how good he's doing to be.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Remember above in [player_tooltip player_id='1177918' first='Jacob' last='Kreis']' writeup when I was doting on Lipscomb Academy's linebackers getting ready to be freshman in the fall? [player_tooltip player_id='1180186' first='Reid' last='Bostic'] is another outstanding multi-sport athlete that just happens to also play outside linebacker for the mustangs. At this point I don't think many people would argue (or win, at least) that football is his top sport because he's widely known as one of the best baseball players in the country for the class of 2028. However, don't even try to argue that he's not one of the best linebackers in the state, either.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Over the last nine seasons, the Oakland varsity football has been elite. Going 121-10 over that span, they've been in the TSSAA State Championship game every year since 2017, highlighted by a three-peat as TSSAA State Champions from 2020-2022. I say all of this ahead of bringing up that linebacker/fullback [player_tooltip player_id='1068743' first='Mason' last='Hargrove'] and his Rutherford County championship-wining teammates are all headed there in the fall. Hargrove is muscular prospect that also plays catcher on the diamond. He gets to the ball fast and lives to cause snot bubbles in his opponents.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- We'll head back to royal purple and black of Lipscomb Academy one more time for the third linebacker to get familiar with--[player_tooltip player_id='1177924' first='Langston' last='Robinson']. Robinson is an outside linebacker that plays the position the way it it's mean to be played: athletically, fast and balance between defensive end and safety. With a father who made it to the league, the genetics are clearly there. Genetics come in addition to him simply being a natural as a read and react football player. Once he finds the weightoom, watch out for this kid. He'll jump up quickly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- I'm not irresponsible enough to claim that I've seen <em>every</em> prospect from Rutherford County in Middle Tennessee, but [player_tooltip player_id='1177947' first='Jeremy' last='Thompson'] of Rockvale Middle School has All-County ability from what I've seen on film. Rockvale had only one prospect earn All-County, and while it wasn't Thompson, I challenge anyone to watch his film and try to tell me he's not on that level. Listed at 5-foot-9 and 200 pounds, Thompson is a thumper in the middle. I'd love to see him get quicker, but this kid is a Shop-Vac against the run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Tier 3: They Can All Ball, I Just Need To See More</span></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>*Athletes listed alphabetically by last name</em>*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The linebackers in this tier are all significantly more talented than the majority of incoming freshmen in the country–<strong>please, do not get it twisted.</strong>&nbsp;Whether they play inside or outside, they are all very talented and would be prospects I would “rank” if I were going that route. The monsters of the midway listed below aren't necessarily doing something&nbsp;<em>wrong</em>, in some circumstances I simply need to see more of them to be able to establish where they fall. Bottomline – these kids can all go.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1187704' first='DJ' last='Goode'] | Portland East</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Goode was selected as one of four Portland East eighth-graders to earn an All-Sumner County recognition this past season. Also a running back on the offensive side of the ball, his quickness and athletic ability is on display when he drops into pass coverage. Goode's season was cut short with a leg injury in 2023.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1187365' first='Dawson' last='Harris'] | Three Oaks</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There aren't many Defensive Player of the Year Award winners in their tier, but I simply need to see more of Harris play. In the limited clips I've seen him play, the kid looks like a natural at the middle line backer position. Complete with arms that easily fill out a t-shirt, once he gets going downhill...just say a prayer. He's one I can <em>easily</em> see moving up in tiers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1193296' first='Kaden' last='Groves'] | East Robertson</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>East Robertson had a battle-tested season, wining the Robertson County Championship in a 14-8 nail-biter this season. Groves was one of the major keys to the championship, earning All-County recognition for his contributions on both sides of the ball. His efforts were personified by winning Co-Defensive Player of the Year in Robertson County.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1178601' first='Isaiah' last='Davenport'] | Germantown</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A throwback fullback/linebacker mix, Davenport was a short/stout bulldozer at middle linebacker in 2023. I'm not sure how high his ceiling is long term, but for right now he sees the hole, gets up into it and makes a solid tackle more times than not. Behind Davenport and others, the Red Devils finished the regular season 4-2 and only gave up 20 total points in their four wins. In fact, their only two losses came to the teams that met in the Memphis Shelby County Interscholastic Athletic Association (MSCIAA) finals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1038441' first='Lane' last='Larue'] | Norris </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Anderson County and Norris Middle School are home to Larue who had a fantastic year in 2023. A versatile kid who can play both inside or outside linebacker, he (unofficially) had five interceptions this year. There's room to improve his speed, but even if not in the perfect position, he makes a solid play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1177960' first='Alexis' last='Martinez'] | Sevier County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Martinez was nothing short of a tackling-machine at middle linebacker for Sevier County. On film, he didn't always take the best angles and doesn't have the most straight-line speed in the world, but when it's one-on-one in the hole, my money is on Martinez. The downhill mike linebacker led the team in tackles and "was the leader of the defense", per his coaches.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1187446' first='Maddux' last='Moore'] | Northview Middle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In West Tennesee, Dyer County to be exact, Moore cleaned up the awards for Northview Middle this year. After earning the Leadership Award and Best Linebacker Award for Northview, he was also selected to the 8th annual West Tennessee Middle School All-Star Game. Also a basketball player, there's no denying his height and frame as an athletic kid.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1088079' first='Maddox' last='Shiell'] | McKenzie</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The McKenzie Rebels high school varsity team has reached the 1A TSSAA finals in each of the last three seasons, winning it the grand daddy of em' all in 2022. Shiell certainly won't do anything to make things <em>worse</em> for the Rebs, as the big/thick middle linebacker is a difference-maker. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a raised eyebrow looking at his frame and weight he currently carries.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1088093' first='Mason' last='Taylor'] | West Carroll</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Staying out in West Tennessee, Taylor played middle linebacker and running back for West Carroll Eagles at a very high level this year. The squatty, thicker middle linebacker went on to earn the Defensive MVP in the Caldwell Bank West TN Middle School All-Star Game this past November. Also a basketball player, good things happen when he's around (or has) the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1198812' first='Cason' last='White'] | Trinity Christian Academy</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Trinity Christian Academy' [player_tooltip player_id='1198812' first='Cason' last='White'] is an intriguing prospect to keep in your mind as next high school season comes closer. While I think outside linebacker looks like a likely spot for him moving forward, with his height and length I can't rule out a focus on wide receiver/tight end over the next four years. His frame translates well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Tier 4: The Watchlist</span></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>*Athletes listed alphabetically by last name</em>*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The linebackers under this tier are prospects that have flashed some ability during their middle school careers and are highly talented. Some of the kids in this tier have received All-County, All-Conference and/or other post-season accolades for what they did during their eighth-grade season. Like some of the 'quarterbacks backers in Tier 3 – I may just need to see more of them; For others, there are some questions about size or long term position ceiling. Yet still, some of these guys will be on a different Tier when we update the Watchlist again, because I simply updated watched their film after I submitted this list.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gino Bogaki | West Creek</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hunter Bonee | Adamsville</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1177872' first='Zach' last='Bowman'] | Lake Forest</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jackson Brown | Bartlett</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Luca Calabrese | Chattanooga Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Johnny Clagg | North Middle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cruz Coker | White House</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1086306' first='Bradley' last='Coleman'] | Camden</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Christian Cook | Northview</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Carson Eden | East Robertson</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cale Garrett | Sevier County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tyson Gibson | East Robertson</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1086160' first='Gavin' last='Gray'] | Huntingdon</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>J'Mari Hall | Whitthorne</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Parker Henderson | Liberty Creek</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Maddox Holland | White House</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1263533' first='Devin' last='Hope'] | Three Oaks</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Travion Johnson | Bellevue</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1088649' first='Brody' last='Jones'] | Crockett County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1086161' first='Garvin' last='Kee'] | Huntingdon</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1088652' first='Trinden' last='Kirby'] | West Carroll</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Fletcher Mapes | White House Heritage</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hudson Mashburn | Memphis University School</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tipton McCoy | Maryville</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1086362' first='Javon' last='McFadden'] | Linden</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1086328' first='Marco' last='Pedraza'] | Henderson County South</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1125367' first='Marcus' last='Reynolds'] | Trenton Rosenwald</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Josiah Sanford | Shafer</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1086154' first='Trevis' last='Taylor'] | Henderson County North</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1086216' first='Mason' last='Tucker'] | Decatur County Riverside</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1088651' first='Caleb' last='Vermillion'] | West Carroll</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1088633' first='Ryder' last='Weaver'] | Milan</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1086307' first='Kaveon' last='Willis'] | Camden</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->