The Five: #TN2026 Top Sack Artists

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">If college coaches want to know where to find a few top pass rushers, these are five prospects have a tendency at finding the quarterback. </h2>   <p></p>   <p>Disclaimer: This piece does not indicate who we think are the best pass rushers with potential for the college level. These prospects are high producing sack artists that put up big numbers last season and will be returning for the upcoming 2025 season. </p>   <p></p>   <p><strong>(DL) [player_tooltip player_id='866788' first='Nate' last='Fleming'] - BGA </strong></p>   <p>- This Nashville area two-way lineman had a breakout season last Fall where he became the team's most disruptive player as he led his Wildcats team in sacks (13) while consistently placing himself around the football. Returning for the 2025 season, Fleming sits as one of the better sack artists we have from our #TN2026 class that has yet to reach his ceiling, which should be an appealing concept for college coaches. The Wildcats senior shows an outstanding release off the line with some active hands and a great burst towards the ball. Fleming is also a versatile guy that can get after the quarterback from defensive end or slide inside to the 3-tech and get upfield. He needs to continue adding weight but Fleming has the frame to certainly do so. I would not be surprised to see this Mid-TN product raise his sack numbers this Fall as Fleming has the potential to put up a 20 plus in this category.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/connersmith04/status/1906824055040422033 </div></figure>    <p>- - - - - </p>   <p><strong>(DL) [player_tooltip player_id='1585716' first='Johnathan' last='Holcomb'] - Ripley</strong></p>   <p>- One of the better sack artists coming from the greater Memphis area is not someone that competes on the highest levels of high school football here in Tennessee but a D-lineman from Ripley that became near unblockable throughout his junior campaign. Holcomb was a force last year that is looking to double up his sack numbers in 2025 and push his game to another level that forces college coaches to look his way. The Tigers senior D-lineman produced 14 sacks last year, which led his classification and 2nd overall in the greater Memphis region. Holcomb is an interesting talent that brings versatility to the defensive line. His skill for the college ranks works best on the interior as a 3-tech but Holcomb has enough athleticism to work the end if needed. The Tigers big man will need a big college camp season and a strong senior year to boost his recruitment but as you can see, Holcomb knows how to get after the passer.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/CSmithScout/status/1885389672014373341 </div></figure>    <p>- - - - - </p>   <p><strong>(DL) [player_tooltip player_id='820869' first='Jake' last='Coffey'] - Carter </strong></p>   <p>- Sitting under the radar as we head into camp season, Coffey returns for the 2025 football year as one of the top sack artists not just from the East Tennessee region but also the entire state. The Hornets senior D-lineman has a chance to boost his stock further with strong work this summer but an even stronger final campaign with his Carter team that could help him find a spot somewhere within the FCS ranks. Coffey has steadily gotten better each year on the field with the Hornets with his junior year being the best where he produced 11.5 sacks on the season along with 22 tackles for loss. Where Coffey stands out with his work is his get-off and ability to get skinny through blocks and use his deceptive athleticism to get after the quarterback. Much work must be done in the weight room for Coffey to entice coaches from the bigger level but this East Tennessee talent has a unique feel for the game and for consistently playing in the backfield.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/CarterHSFB/status/1875651203876712810 </div></figure>    <p>- - - - - </p>   <p><strong>(LB) [player_tooltip player_id='1607757' first='Ashton' last='Martin'] - Marion Co. </strong></p>   <p>- Possibly the biggest hidden gem within this piece is this Chattanooga area linebacker that burst on the scene in a major way last year as Martin produced a sensational number of 17 overall sacks along with 22 tackles for loss. The Warriors linebacker was a major piece behind the teams 2A championship last year and with his return, Martin will be asked to be a key leader on getting them back to the title game. This is a versatile backer that did a lot of work off the edge last season and I expect that to remain the same this Fall but for the college level, Martin fits best playing in the middle. The Warriors senior is undersized for the big stage right now but could be an outstanding addition for any NAIA school looking for a player that gets to the backfield fast with a great nose for the ball.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/CSmithScout/status/1882614512911863970 </div></figure>    <p>- - - - - </p>   <p><strong>(LB) [player_tooltip player_id='1617369' first='Darius' last='Brooks'] - Haywood</strong></p>   <p>- The Tomcats proved to have one of the better defenses coming out of the West Tennessee region last year with Brooks becoming a major catalyst behind those efforts. This 6 '3 200 pound athletic and fast linebacker showed off a variety of skills from showing good work against the pass but more importantly, putting pressure on the quarterback. Brooks ended his junior season with 12 sacks on the year and 22.5 tackles for loss. He was a constant menace for opposing quarterbacks and opposing blockers as his speed was too tough to deal with. Brooks brings a lot of traits to the playing field that translate well to the college game. He is tall, long, agile and fast along with the ability to play several defensive roles. Look for this under the radar to expand his stock over the coming months as I expect him to stand out in college camps then put forth a monster senior season.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/haywoodtomcats/status/1864033067049812453 </div></figure>    <p>- - - - - </p>   <p>Five Other Sack Artists to Know: (DT) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1634136' first='Martavion' last='Pratcher'] </strong>- Mitchell, (DL) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1614937' first='De'Angelo' last='Franklin'] </strong>- Sheffield, (DT) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1258053' first='Christian' last='Wilson'] </strong>- Jefferson Co., (Edge) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1432204' first='Karmelo' last='League'] </strong>- Pearl Cohn, (DE) <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='854363' first='Charles' last='Sullins'] </strong>- Southwind</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/cwilson.webp?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1656738" style="width:414px;height:auto" /></figure>