This 2029 running back class is such a loaded one. Maurice Smith Jr. Maurice Smith Jr. 5'10" | 180 lbs | RB Concord Christian | 2029 TN was a 1,000-yard back last season, but is the No. 4 RB in his own class. That’s not a slight at him, it just shows how deep this position group is across the state.

He is one of the best built tailbacks in the class, standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 170 pounds. Smith Jr. has a thick, athletic frame that gives him high upside at the next level. In his first game this season, he carried the ball nine times for 101 yards, which is over 11 YPC.

The 2029 prospect is physical, has an impressive amount of body control, is a weapon in the pass game, has good speed and is shifty enough to juke out several defenders in the open field.

The Concord Christian School did a nice job with this 2029 class, going and getting a lot of speed and versatility in the kids they’re bringing in — kids like Maurice Smith Maurice Smith 6'5" | 240 lbs | TE Oakland | 2026 State TN Jr. The last verified size I had for him (5’10, 170 lbs.) looks outdated by my naked eye. He’s a thoroughbred that passes the eye test right away. Long limbs, muscular frame, not afraid to get physical by any means. The best comparison I can come up with, is Adrian Peterson.

Rounding out this list of notable 8th Grade Tennessee Future Stars offensive performances is the newly-minted Concord Christian Lion, Maurice Smith Maurice Smith 6'5" | 240 lbs | TE Oakland | 2026 State TN Jr. With all the talent listed above, Smith Jr. surely didn’t get as many opportunities as he would have liked, but the coaching staff did a nice job of utilizing his athletic ability. He lined up primarily as a Wildcat QB, and had his biggest contribution of the day on the final play of the first quarter. He took a direct snap and carried the ball 25-yards into Kentucky territory. Tennessee went on to score three plays later.

In somewhat of a quiet way, which is surprising given his talent on the field, Maurice Smith Jr. Maurice Smith Jr. 5'10" | 180 lbs | RB Concord Christian | 2029 TN had a nice showing throughout the practices. After seeing him play this past June as a member of the Tennessee Future Stars, Smith Jr. appears to have put on a good 10 pounds of muscle over the last five months. He still has the long torso and legs that made him effective as Running Back, but I noticed some stronger shoulders on him too. An eventual starter at Outside Linebacker in the game, Smith Jr. did an excellent job of dropping back and playing in space during pass coverage drills. He looked very comfortable and understood spacing well. He also got his fair share of touches as a Running Back throughout the day too. There’s a ton of upside here on both sides of the ball.

Starting Running Back Maurice Smith Jr. Maurice Smith Jr. 5'10" | 180 lbs | RB Concord Christian | 2029 TN had a very good game for Tennessee. Blessed with size, speed and the willingness to block out of the backfield, he ran hard all day long. It didn’t matter if it was between the tackles or stretch plays to the outside, Smith Jr. picked up a bunch of yards. In my notes I jotted down that he appears to be a very complete RB only being a 2029 prospect. On top of what he contributed out of the backfield, he also set the tone early with a big return on the opening kickoff.