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13 hours ago
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Rivals Five-Star: Gorney Awards
INDIANAPOLIS - The Rivals Five-Star is in the books and now it's time to hand out some hardware. These are the Gorney Awards: MORE FROM INDY: Highlights and analysis | Teams that should be pleased | Gorney Awards | Biggest surprises RECRUITING INTEL: Mid-South | Florida | West | Southeast | Midwest RIVALS FIVE-STAR MEDIA DAY: All the news, notes and interviews | The All-Lobby Team | How solid are the commitments? | Roster RIVALS FIVE-STAR INTERVIEWS: Jaden O'Neal | Trae Taylor | Chase Calicut | Samu Moala | Jake Kreul | Felix Ojo | Peyton Houston | CJ Sadler | Richard Wesley | JaReylan McCoy | Carter Scruggs | Nolan Wilson | Carson Sneed | Derrek Cooper | Devin Carter | Jayden Wade | Joel Wyatt | Kaden Henderson | Nick Abrams MR. EVERYTHING: JOEL WYATT Some programs like Wyatt as a safety. Others think he could move down and play linebacker or possibly be an edge rusher. At the Rivals Five-Star, not only was Wyatt an excellent defensive back with his length and ranginess but he flipped over to receiver where he had numerous catches and arguably the play of the day when he outjumped the defensive back to score a touchdown in 7-on-7. He then ran over and dunked the football over the goalpost. SPEED TO BURN: ERIC MCFARLAND McFarland didn't run the fastest 40 of the day - that went to new Florida State commit Devin Carter at 4.4 - but the 2028 star receiver won the Fastest Man Award because he beat everybody in the final. Not only does McFarland have straight-line speed but he's an incredibly dynamic route runner who is almost always open. SPEED TO BURN II: TYREEK KING King was a late arrival to the Rivals Five-Star but once he got going in one-on-ones and 7-on-7, the Tennessee commit was dynamic. He can always kick it into another gear and there always seems to be more speed for King to accelerate by defensive backs. The four-star receiver also has outstanding hands and catches everything thrown in his vicinity. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TENNESSEE FANS AT OPEN 24/7: CJ SADLER One of the best plays of the day came from Sadler, who has North Carolina, Maryland and Colorado leading in his recruitment, when he caught a short pass, ran to the middle of the field, stuck his foot in the dirt to burn a defensive back and then changed directions and ran away from everybody. It seemed like whenever he wanted, Sadler could get open and make something big happen. STICK 'EM: AARON GREGORY Gregory's best play came early in 7-on-7 when he caught a ball on a crossing route, turned upfield and even when two defenders closed in on him, the Texas A&M commit ran by them into the end zone. The four-star from Douglasville (Ga.) Douglas County consistently caught pass after pass, didn't drop anything and had a solid performance. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TEXAS A&M FANS AT ANGER MANAGEMENT: KEVIN BROWN The Penn State commit won this award at the Rivals Five-Star last summer in Jacksonville and now he's a two-time winner. His attitude is going to be a perfect fit in the Nittany Lions' locker room as he does everything with aggression, toughness and a predilection toward being overly physical. Plus, Brown pumped out 25 bench press reps which would have tied him for 10th among offensive linemen at this year's NFL Combine. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH PENN STATE FANS AT ENERGIZER BUNNY: DAVERIN 'DEUCE' GERALDS The defensive line group was absolutely loaded and it was a shame that we could only hand out two MVP awards there because Geralds was outstanding on the inside. What we loved most about Geralds is that he played with so much energy and never backed down to anybody, winning a ton of reps using speed and power to his advantage. Ohio State, LSU, Ole Miss and others are heavily involved. MOUNTAIN MAN: GABRIEL OSENDA Think about this: Osenda is already taller than almost every offensive tackle in April's NFL Draft (only Boston College's Ozzy Trapilo was an inch taller) and he's heavier than every offensive tackle or offensive guard in pre-draft guides. The Tennessee commit is 19 pounds heavier than Alabama's Tyler Booker and 25 pounds heavier than Texas' Kelvin Banks Jr. He's huge and getting better and better each time we see him. FAST BALL: COLTON NUSSMEIER Whether right or wrong, a lefty quarterback is almost never going to look as smooth but Nussmeier throws an incredible fastball that looks like it could travel in the air forever. The four-star from Flower Mound (Texas) Marcus can put touch on it when needed but Nussmeier is best zipping it around the field and he has arm talent for days as LSU and others keep battling. POWER MAN: GRANT WISE At Rivals Five-Star Media Day, Wise predicted he would do 27 reps on the bench press. That's exactly what he did as the four-star Clemson offensive line commit won the bench press competition which was no surprise since he holds multiple state weightlifting records. Wise has not done many events over the years but he was very impressive here and did well for himself. His 27 reps would put him tied for sixth - sixth! - at this year's NFL Combine for offensive linemen. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH CLEMSON FANS AT BULL MARKET: KHARY WILDER Wilder is ranked right at No. 100 nationally and eighth at defensive end which is very respectable but his performance in Indianapolis should push him even higher before all is said and done. The Ohio State four-star commit has added 20 pounds of muscle in the last few months and had an absolutely dominant performance using his length and newfound power to win a ton of reps against some elite offensive linemen. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT HOT OR COLD: SAMARI MATTHEWS There were some times when Matthews got turned around and beaten during one-on-ones (but almost everybody lost reps to Tyreek King) but then the four-star cornerback was outstanding at other times knocking passes down and locking down receivers over and over. MASH UNIT: GREGORY PATRICK He hurt his ankle. He got hit in the face and had a bloody nose packed with gauze. But the four-star offensive tackle from Portage, Mich., kept bouncing back, lining up and competing all day long. Patrick had some struggles against some of the most elite defensive linemen but that toughness and that willingness to keep getting back up will be welcomed at Notre Dame. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH NOTRE DAME FANS AT DOT 'EM: JAYDEN WADE Wade is special. The 2028 quarterback has all the talent in the world, was outstanding during 7-on-7 play and threw some of the nicest passes all day. Once he gets even more experience at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy as the starter this season, his recruiting could go even more parabolic. He's one of the next big-time guys, it just feels that way in every sense. FANCY FEET: DERREK COOPER During 7-on-7, Cooper would get the ball dumped off to him and it looked like he would go for a short gain but then he would run by defenders, get 10 or 15 yards and show off his explosiveness. The five-star was excellent in drills where he showed off great feet and burst, excelled in one-on-ones where linebackers were grabbing for him and then was terrific in 7-on-7 as well. THE SNUGGIE: JONTAVIUS WYMAN The best defensive back at the Rivals Five-Star, Wyman was incredible during one-on-ones with at least two interceptions and then he continued to lock up receivers throughout the 7-on-7 portion. The Miami commit was even beaten on one rep, closed ground and made an impressive interception. Wyman was really impressive in every setting. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MIAMI FANS AT YOUNG BUCK: KASI CURRIE The 2027 four-star defensive tackle is dripping with all kinds of potential. At 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, Currie is so physical and plays with an edge that he will only get better with more experience. Currie has had an excellent offseason and has emerged as one of the top 2027 defensive tackles in the West, if not the country. MR. VERSATILE: JOEY O'BRIEN O'Brien had some excellent moments at safety. But where the Notre Dame commit really shined was when he flipped over to receiver as he had one of the best catches of the day going over the top of a defensive back and holding onto the ball. Asked afterward, O'Brien said Notre Dame has discussed using him in some packages at receiver. Maybe more should be developed after this performance.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Sport
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Early Dandy Dozen 2.0: Looking at Nashville area's top college football prospects from 2026 class
Players from the Tennessean's 2024 Dandy Dozen are done with their TSSAA football careers and ready for their college assignments. Now, the Tennessean is taking a look at next fall's potential athletes from the 2026 class for its 2025 Dandy Dozen, a hand-picked group of the area's top senior class recruits. From Jared Curtis to Joel Wyatt, here is a way-too-early look at the Nashville area football players who could be among the 12 chosen for the 2025 Tennessee high school football season. Players are listed alphabetically. Nolensville | 6-4, 180 | WR Why chosen: Bender, an all-region receiver, has offers from Syracuse, Pitt, Eastern Kentucky, Austin Peay and Miami (Ohio). Lipscomb Academy | 6-2, 175 | WR Why chosen: Blivens, who's also a basketball star, caught 55 passes for 835 yards and 10 TDs last season. He could build on his offer list of Pitt, Arkansas State, Georgia State, UAB, Western Kentucky and Miami (Ohio). Christ Presbyterian Academy | 6-3, 195 | WR Why chosen: Cabell's offers include Tennessee, Georgia, Vanderbilt, West Virginia and Wisconsin. He caught 43 passes for 973 yards and 13 touchdowns last season for the DII-AA state champion Lions. He's a three-star prospect ranked as the No. 18 player from the 2026 class in Tennessee, according to the 247Sports Composite. More: When is National Signing Day for Nashville area TSSAA football athletes? Nashville Christian | 6-4, 225 | QB Why chosen: The five-star prospect is the No. 1 Class of 2026 player in Tennessee and No. 2 quarterback nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite. The former Georgia commitment has a final list of Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Ohio State, South Carolina, and Oregon. He was named DII-A Mr. Football and the Gatorade Tennessee state player of the year after finishing 179-of-255 passing for 2,830 yards passing, 40 touchdowns and three interceptions last season. He also led Nashville Christian in rushing with 637 yards and 18 touchdowns on 88 carries during the Eagles' DII-A state championship run. More: Jared Curtis makes Nashville Christian the best show in TSSAA football finals | Estes Beech | 6-6, 280 | OL Why chosen: Fuchs, the son of Titans offensive line assistant Scott Fuchs, is the No. 11 player from the 2026 class in Tennessee and No. 33 offensive tackle nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite. His offers include Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Indiana and Kansas State. More: What new Titans assistant's son Jack Fuchs wanted in family's seventh move that landed prospect at Beech East Robertson | 6-4, 212 | EDGE Why chosen: Groves is the No. 4 player from the 2026 class in Tennessee and No. 12 edge-rusher nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite. Tennessee, LSU, Texas A&M and Michigan are among his 26 offers. He recorded 21 tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles, one interception, one blocked punt, four pass breakups and 16 quarterback hurries. He scored two defensive touchdowns in addition to 501 all-purpose yards and six TDs. Ensworth | 6-0, 160 | CB Why chosen: Hopkins is the No. 9 player from the 2026 class in Tennessee and No. 18 cornerback nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite. His offers include Tennessee, USC, Auburn, Missouri, Indiana and Ole Miss. He caught 42 passes for 705 yards and seven TDs last season. He also had a 90-yard kickoff return touchdown. More: What Josh Heupel said about Ensworth that impressed Tennessee football recruit Justin Hopkins MBA | 6-3, 235 | TE Why chosen: Hutchinson's recruitment picked up in late December, as he added Nebraska to a list that includes Kentucky, Mississippi State, Toledo, Pitt and Liberty. Mt. Pleasant | 6-2, 205 | ATH Why chosen: McClure has offers from Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Colorado and Eastern Kentucky. More: National Signing Day: See where Nashville area's TSSAA football recruits signed in December CPA | 5-10, 190 | RB Why chosen: Patterson is still emerging but might start gaining Power 4 attention. His brother Kane played at Clemson and Vanderbilt. His other brother, Langston, is a Vanderbilt linebacker. Rawls Patterson had 336 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 27 carries in the DII-AA state championship and finished with 1,593 yards and 18 TDs on 193 carries for the season. MBA | 6-5, 190 | QB Why chosen: He's the No. 16 player from the 2026 class in Tennessee, according to the 247Sports Composite, with offers from Michigan, Indiana, Pitt and Boston College. Price spent much of last season with a shoulder injury after throwing for 1,039 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for three scores as a sophomore. Page | 6-3, 285 | OL Why chosen: The Region 6-5A lineman of the year recorded 25 pancake blocks and graded out at 88% during the Patriots' run to the state title game. His offers include Memphis, WKU, Buffalo, Liberty, UAB, Ball State, UT-Martin and Miami (OH). Donelson Christian Academy | 6-5, 235 | TE Why chosen: Sneed, a Tennessee commitment, is a four-star prospect ranked as the No. 6 player from the 2026 class in Tennessee and No. 10 tight end nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite. He caught 34 passes for 419 yards and six touchdowns last season. More: Why 4-star 2026 Tennessee football commit Carson Sneed isn't joining rash of decommitments Ensworth | 6-6, 310 | OL Why chosen: Thigpen's massive size figures to draw more interest. He has offers from West Virginia, Georgia Tech, Memphis, UAB, Tulane, Troy and Arkansas State. Oakland | 6-0, 180 | S Why chosen: Tutt is the No. 12 player from the 2026 class in Tennessee, according to the 247Sports Composite. His offers include Tennessee, Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan and UCLA. The Class 6A Mr. Football finalist totaled 1,649 yards and 21 touchdowns from scrimmage during Oakland's state title run. He also had 64 tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception, seven pass breakups and two forced fumbles on defense. Nashville Christian | 6-0, 200 | RB Why chosen: Ward flew under the radar a bit having missed most of last season due to TSSAA eligibility rules after transferring from McGavock. His offers include Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Ole Miss and Indiana. He rushed for 653 yards and seven touchdowns in just four games. More: What makes Joel Wyatt's offers from Tennessee football, Georgia, other SEC schools so unusual Webb School - Bell Buckle | 6-4, 192 | WR Why chosen: Wyatt is the No. 2 player from the 2026 class in Tennessee and No. 14 receiver nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite. He's emerging as a priority target for Tennessee and also has offers from Vanderbilt, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Arkansas, LSU, and Miami. He caught 49 passes for 907 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He also had a rushing TD, kickoff return TD and added 48 tackles, nine tackles for loss and two sacks on defense. Reach sports writer Tyler Palmateer at tpalmateer@ and on the X platform, formerly Twitter, @tpalmateer83. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSSAA football: Top 2026 Nashville area prospects include Jared Curtis, Joel Wyatt
