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

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 Defensive Linemen selected.    While I am personally very high on Kesner as a Tight End--because he's a few inches away from being a legitimate prospect that a lot P4 schools will want to know--he has been selected to the 2024 8th Grade Tennessee Future Stars as a Defensive Lineman. He's a very quick, athletic kid that will use his athleticism to make it a tough day for Kentucky's offensive line. I expect him to play Defensive End and make a ton of plays behind the line of scrimmage. While I fully still view him as a Tight End prospect, this will allow him to shine on the defensive side of the ball too.     Out of all the Defensive Linemen on this 2024 8th Grade Tennessee Future Stars team, and in this write up, there is the prospect to know. Pasley how quickly outgrown the Linebacker position we had him previously listed at, having grown two inches and up 25-30 pounds in the last six months. Pasley just has that "IT" factor that the great ones have. It doesn't matter if he's listed a Linebacker/Running Back prospect (as he used to be) or now being listed as a straight-up D-Line prospect, he's the unquestioned Alpha Male on this defensive front. Honestly, he could play either Defensive End or Defensive Tackle at this point--and while it's an uphill climb for a Defensive Lineman to be named MVP--Pasley has the ability to get it done. I'm very high on him.     I'm not entirely sure which position this 5-foot-9, 200-pound prospect out of Rockvale is going to end up playing, but he's a banger. Thompson, the reigning Rockvale Middle School Defensive Player of the year, has been selected for the 2024 8th Grade Tennessee Future Stars as a Defensive Lineman--but I can easily see as a Mike Linebacker going forward. Now officially, a two-time Tennessee Future Star, I love the way he plays the game. He's a tough, strong kid that rather run through you than find the correct tackling angle. When he hits kids, it makes a different type of sound--there's a lot of power here. Also a standout in track and field, I anticipate Tennessee using Thompson as an interior Defensive Tackle that the will challenge the Center and Guards of Kentucky, all day long.     As decorated a player coming out of middle school football in this 2028 Tennessee class. Hawkins has does things in pairs throughout his pre-high school career: A two-time East Tennessee All-Star, a two-time Tennessee Future Star selection and a two-time PRZ Next Middle School camp attendee. At 5-foot-9 and 220-pounds in late May 2004 (up 10 pounds of good weight since January), he's a valuable interior Defensive Tackle at this point in June 2024. After a season where his coach at Heritage Middle School described him as, "...the anchor on the offensive and defensive line..." who, "Led team in tackles for loss...", this team is better with him on it, than without. Look for him to flash athleticism, mixing the power to play inside and grind, with the athleticism to play on the edge in third-and-short situations.     Newsome is a prospect I got a glimpse of earlier this calendar year, then revisted when finding out about him trying out for this team. Simply put, I fully expect him to be a difference-maker as a Defensive End. Newsome is extremely quick off the edge, fires off the ball with out of a four-point stance and forces Offensive Tackles to make a decision very quickly: Should I make my block as it's drawn up, or do I need to improvise? If it the latter, Newsome has already done has job. Sequatchie County continued its recent run of success and Newsome was an All-Conference player in 2023. Looking honestly, based off what I've seen on film up until this point, I'd be surprised if Newsome wasn't a starter at D-End.    Additional Defensive Linemen   [player_tooltip player_id='1208010' first='Brannon' last='Hunt'] | Defensive Tackle | Bearden - A wide load on the interior defensive line as a Defensive Tackle and a road grader on the offensive line as an Offensive Guard. One of two prospects on the defensive line who are at, or above the 300-pound mark, Hunt is listed on the roster as 325-pounds.   [player_tooltip player_id='1292694' first='Calyx' last='Dougherty'] | Defensive End | Elizabethton - Only heard about Dougherty a few months ago and just watched the few clips available this morning. A multi-sport athlete, there is athleticism here. Offensively, was a threat in the receiving game and caught some passes too. Defensively, look for him to use his agility as a D-End.   [player_tooltip player_id='1031736' first='Elijah' last='Gales'] | Defensive Tackle | West Collerville - Made it the trifecta this year, by being selected for the Tennessee Future Stars all three of his middle school years. Gales is an active, nearly 300-pound interior guy that can command double teams and has the ability to muck up the inside running attack of Kentucky.   [player_tooltip player_id='1292565' first='Jeremiah' last='Caswell'] | Defensive Tackle | Bearden - I haven't seen enough of Caswell as of this write up in June 2024, but this Tight End/Defensive Line prospect is intriguing. However, from what I have seen, he moves decently enough for a prospect at this point based on position. I think he'll likely be bumped inside to Tackle, due to some of the speed on the Edge on this roster.   [player_tooltip player_id='1038570' first='Judah' last='Silvey'] | Defensive End | Avery Trace - Silvey returns to the Tennessee Future Stars, after making the team a year as a seventh-grader. An inch taller and nearly 10 pounds heavier than last year, he'll be a nice piece to move around. Silvey was part of a championship-winning Avery Trace Middle School team in 2023.   [player_tooltip player_id='1292758' first='Landon' last='Gunn'] | Defensive Tackle | Germantown - Another prospect that I've heard about for nearly a year, yet haven't been able to see any tangible film. He's a wide body that should sit in the interior of the defensive front. At a bare minimum, put the western TN big man in an A-Gap and make running lanes tough.   [player_tooltip player_id='1293119' first='Parker' last='Reeves'] | Defensive Tackle | White Station - Reeves returns to the team as an eighth-grader in 2024, after playing for the Tennessee Future Stars program as a sixth-grader in 2022. Since that last time I saw him play, he has tacked on three inches and over 30-pounds. I don't have much other information to go off as of June 2024, for him.   [player_tooltip player_id='1293029' first='Ph'landan' last='Hill'] | Defensive Tackle | Memphis Business Academy - A key member of the 2023 MSCIAA Class A-champion Memphis Buissness Academy Exces football program. Looks to have grown taller and leaned out a bit since the regular season, Hill looks the part at 5-foot-8 and 260-pounds. Played D-Tackle during the season, but I presume he can play D-End too.

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 Defensive Linemen selected.