Five 2030 Mid-State Prospects to Know for Next Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The mid-state of the Tennessee high school football landscape witnessed a plethora of freshmen routinely making plays for winning teams as they made pushes deep into the postseason this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the modern era of high school football inside the state, players are contributing earlier than ever and with the season now over that means the 2030 class is the newest to the high school football scene.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As names begin to emerge over the offseason, here are five early standouts to know from the mid-state for the 2030 class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Battle Ground Academy IOL [player_tooltip player_id='1307148' first='Brandon' last='McDonald']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1307148"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6950c747c9753"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1307148' first='Brandon' last='McDonald'] actually contributed a lot down the stretch as BGA won a state championship with senior [player_tooltip player_id='866788' first='Nate' last='Fleming'] sidelined due to injury. As an 8th grader, he filled in and provided high-quality play from a guard position for the Wildcats.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Standing around six-foot and 290 pounds, he already holds a strong frame with a lot of power that he can use to move high school defensive lineman and create rushing lanes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He has a strong anchor that allows him to seal off opposing linemen and has the athleticism to work to the second level, including as a puller.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He is another exciting young offensive lineman that BGA can continue to build up the foundation of the future with.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rose Park WR/DB Kelan Taylor</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kelan Taylor","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2030","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"165","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Rose Park Middle","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6950c747c9823"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kelan Taylor is an exciting two-way prospect that has an impressive amount of potential as a premier perimeter playmaker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As a receiver, he already holds good size and a strong frame that allows for him to high-point the football against defensive backs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He is a very smooth mover and athletic player and that shows up on the 7-on-7 scene with several splash plays on both sides of the ball, including several interceptions from his secondary spot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He has the potential to become one of the premier prospects inside the entire state for his class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Oakland QB [player_tooltip player_id='1051781' first='Caleb' last='Johnson']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1051781"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6950c747c9878"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1051781' first='Caleb' last='Johnson'] is a talented quarterback with a strong arm that can push the ball downfield in an efficient manner, which allowed Oakland Middle School team to generate a lot of explosive plays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He is currently undersized, but that has not affected his arm talent and the plays he can make with both his arms and legs. As he continues to grow and add weight to his frame, he could become a dynamic quarterback prospect in the state of Tennessee.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ensworth WR/DB [player_tooltip player_id='1654341' first='Jaxon' last='Hopkins']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1654341"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6950c747c98c2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1654341' first='Jaxon' last='Hopkins'] is an exciting athlete with playmaking ability, ball skills and positional versatility along with coming from an athletic family. As [player_tooltip player_id='492562' first='Justin' last='Hopkins'] leaves for Minnesota, another Hopkins is ready to make plays for Ensworth at the high school level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He has solid size for his age and has grown a lot during his eighth grade season, while maintaining a level of athleticism and playmaking at receiver, running back and defensive back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He has natural instincts and is a fluid mover with some explosiveness. He is a prospect that should develop into one of the better prospects in the state as he continues to get bigger and everything that comes with that.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Brentwood Academy [player_tooltip player_id='1307126' first='K.J.' last='Baker']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1307126"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6950c747c990a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1307126' first='K.J.' last='Baker'] has long been an exciting prospect for the future at Brentwood Academy and he should be the running back to replace current standout Larry Sanders II.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He has a good frame at 5'8-5'9 and pushing closer to 170 pounds and has great natural cutting ability, which should round out nicely as he continues to grow and become even more explosive as he matures.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He produces at a high level at the level he has been at and could find ways to contribute as a freshman to spell one of the best backs in the state in Sanders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He has the tools to quickly become a standout weapon in the backfield for Brentwood Academy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->