Many people don’t know the name Kaylaun Smith. But they know the name “Tank” from Palm Springs High School.
Ask players around the valley and there’s a respect level for a player nicknamed Tank who has barely scratched the surface of his potential as a high school football player.
Last year, playing linebacker and running back as a freshman, the 5-foot-10, 190-pound Smith was a major contributor on a team that finished the regular season 9-1, won a share of the Desert Empire League title and reach a CIF Southern Section semifinal.
During that stretch, Smith recorded 47 tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and two forced fumbles in nine games. He also ran for a touchdown and caught a pass for another and ran for 118 yards against Shadow Hills.
For that reason, Smith is No. 4 on this year’s Elite 11 countdown, highlighting the top players in the Coachella Valley ahead of the 2026 season.
The lone sophomore on this year’s countdown, Smith has the maturity and poise to justify inclusion on this list. He plays with the quiet confidence of a senior and he’s been a locker room leader for a winning program since his freshman year.
Coaches at Palm Springs typically only let senior captains speak to the team before games or during halftime. But last year Smith asked to address the team on multiple occasions and coaches let him. They say that the team responded extremely well and rallied around the freshman.
Now, Smith is the unquestioned leader of a team that will be rebuilding after the loss of multiple key seniors, including DEL defensive player of the year Koa Rapolla, running back Jordan Johnson and quarterback and DEL co-offensive player of the year Bishop Miller V.
Andrew John covers sports and recreation in the Coachella Valley for The Desert Sun. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com. Find him on Instagram at @desertwriter.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: No. 4 in our Elite 11 is the only sophomore on the list. Meet Tank
