2024 8th Grade TN Future Stars: Offensive Line Selection Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Over 300 middle school athletes throughout the Volunteer State attended a tryout to make the 52-man roster of the 2024 Tennessee Future Stars. There were a ton of talented players from Knoxville to Chattanooga, and Nashville to Memphis, making the selection process a difficult one for Tennessee Future Stars Director Josh Jones and his team. Nonetheless, the rosters have been set and the clash with the Kentucky Future Stars is on in June. Here's a look at the Offensive Linemen selected.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["423394"],"_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":"If you simply search [player_tooltip player_id='423394' first='Koehn' last='Dial'] on this media platform, you will see Dial has been on our radar since the spring/summer of 2022 when he was in only the sixth grade. There isn't much left to be said about the now 6-foot-8 and 295-pound Offensive Tackle. Elite size and getting better each and every time we get to watch him play. A three-year Tennessee Future Stars selection, and has recently announced he'll be attending Battle Ground Academy for high school. Had an MVP season for Avery Trace Middle School this past year, as they won their conference title.","_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":"If it wasn't for the gargantuan size of [player_tooltip player_id='423394' first='Koehn' last='Dial'], any other year the biggest prospect on this Offensive Line would be massive 6-foot-4, 270-pounder, [player_tooltip player_id='835332' first='Jake' last='Rogers']. Rogers, like Dial above, was impressive at the Prep Redzone Next Middle School camp earlier this year and is continuing to really start to develop. He's a two-way player that looks at him on the interior Defensive Line, in addition being able to play either Guard or Tackle on the offensive side of the ball. Currently reports a wingspan of 79.5u0022, which means he could hold a cutout of NBA star Zion Willimason from fingertip to fingertip. He'll be at Webb School of Knoxville in the fall.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["906125"],"_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":"This is a prospect I'm really excited to get a good look at again this year, because he was a standout performer last year as a seventh-grader on the Tennessee Future Stars team. Returning bigger in every way this year as an eighth-grader, it'll provide a lot of people an opportunity to get a good look at him. To my knowledge and through countless searches, I can't find any social media or even film of Davis. Simply going off eyes and evaluations from a year ago, I can't fathom a situation where the Haynes Middle School product isn't one of the bright spots for the Volunteer State up front.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":3,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-664520efcd13f"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Additional Offensive Linemen</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1276179' first='Austin' last='Underwood']</strong> | <em>The King's Academy</em> - A versatile lineman at 6-foot and 210-pounds, that I personally like better on the Defensive Line, but can play both. Coming off a season where he was named an East Tennessee All-Star.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1276207' first='Nolan' last='Loveday'] </strong>| <em>Elizabethtown</em> - Similar to Ausin Underwood, I really like him as a Defensive Lineman, but obviously can play both sides of the bal. Also a power hitter on the diamond, Loveday is a good athlete and was an All-Conference selection this year, for T.A. Dugger.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1038547' first='Zhmyrion' last='Pirtle']</strong> | <em>Liberty Creek</em> - Pirtle returns to the Tennessee Future Stars team as an eighth-grader, after making it last year as a seventh-grader. He's a stout interior player at 5-foot-9 and 288-pounds that played both ways for the Shafer Green Wave.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1038372' first='Will' last='Hill']</strong> | <em>Memphis University School</em> - Another returner from last year, [player_tooltip player_id='1038372' first='Will' last='Hill'] is back to defend Tennessee's 2028 crown. Should bring quickness and athleticism to the interior Offensive Line, as the three-sport athlete (lacross/basketball/football) will need to use it to pick off active Kentucky Linebackers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1030580' first='Trenton' last='Engle']</strong> | <em>Anderson County</em> - Continuing to ride the wave of returners from last year, Engle is back for another go around with the Tennessee Future Stars. A reliable Center, he was a key part of a conference championship-winning Norris Middle School this past season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1280310' first='D'Aryius' last='Hardin']</strong> | <em>Haywood</em> - This is a new name for me, so I'm excited to see what the west Tennessee prospect brings to the table. At 5-foot-9 and 245 pounds, he comes from a Haywood Middle School program that reached the WTAC finals this past season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1280343' first='E'andre' last='Jones'] </strong>| <em>Holston</em> - Yet another returner, proving the experience this roster has, Jones is back for a run with the eighth-grade Tennessee Future Stars. Another shorter, wide body on the interior line, listed at 5-foot-9 and 311-pounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1280329' first='Sergio' last='Mixtega']</strong> | <em>South Doyle</em> - Mixtega Jr. is an absolute boulder on the middle of the Offensive Line. Primarily played Guard this year, but at 5-foot-8 and 330 pounds, I wouldn't be shocked to see him take the field on goal line defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->