The Tennessee high school football season begins this week as teams around the state settle in for four months of action that will culminate with the TSSAA state championships in December.
The Tennessean has put together its annual preseason ranking of the state's top high school football players for 2026. Our rankings began with the 2027 class as we ranked the top 75 seniors, and followed with the top 50 juniors
.Now we turn our attention to the Class of 2029 with our the top 25 sophomores. Rankings are determined by on-field performance, projectability in college, in-person evaluation and feedback from high school coaches.
Here are the top Tennessee high school football sophomores, ranked 1-25.
1. Maddox Porter, Battle Ground Academy, 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, WR
Why chosen: Porter is among the top wideouts in
the state and holds offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Florida State, Miami and Notre Dame among others. As a freshman Porter had 78 catches for 1,556 yards and 27 TDs during BGA’s Division II-A state championship run.
2. Colton Laisure, Sullivan East, 6-2, 185, WR,
Why chosen: Laisure has more than 50 offers to his name, including Georgia, Penn State, Oregon, USC, Florida State, Colorado, Miami, Ole Miss and Auburn. As a freshman last year he had 25 catches for 489 yards and five TDs.
3. Elijah Turner, Bartlett, 6-5, 285, OL
Why chosen: Turner helped guide Bartlett to a Class 6A playoff appearance with offers from Georgia, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Memphis and Maryland.
4. Jamil Thompson, McCallie, 6-6, 325, OT
Why chosen: Thompson, a Knoxville Webb transfer, is a massive addition to the Blue Tornado on the offensive line. Thompson has offers from Memphis, Georgia, Kansas, Vanderbilt and Tulane.
5. ReMello Armstrong, Franklin Road Academy, 6-0, 190, WR
Why chosen: Armstrong, whose offers include Tennessee, Arkansas, Michigan and Kentucky, recorded 42 tackles, two TFLs and one interception as a freshman in Division II-AA.
6. Carson Scott, Davidson Academy, 6-5, 208, TE
Why chosen: Scott could have a big year at Davidson Academy providing coach Jonathan Quinn's offense with a big target in the passing game. Scott already has offers from Tennessee, Colorado, Arkansas State and Memphis
7. Luke Tritch, Riverdale, 5-10, 170, WR
Why chosen: Tritch was The Daily News Journal's second-team all-area performer as a freshman in Murfreesboro, racking up 48 receptions for 714 yards and seven touchdowns. He holds offers from Nebraska, Louisville, Kentucky, Maryland and North Carolina.
8. Jake Berte, BGA, 6-2, 190, DB
Why chosen: Berte, a transfer from Georgia, has moved up the recruiting ladder at the safety position with offers from schools like Louisville, Kentucky, Auburn, Nebraska and Virginia Tech.
9. Levi Scott, McCallie 5-7, 145, WR
Why chosen: Scott had 764 all-purpose yards as a freshman with 35 receptions for 491 yards. He also had 76 yards rushing and five TDs as a kick returner. He holds offers from LSU and Ole Miss.
10. JD Gillum, Anderson County, 6-0, 195, QB
Why chosen: Gillum holds offers from Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Memphis, Nebraska and Maryland among others. He finished his freshman season with 1,776 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions on 61% completion, leading Anderson County to a Region 2-4A championship victory over Alcoa and an appearance in the 4A quarterfinal round.
11. Damarii Gordon, Red Bank, 6-3, 300, OL
Why chosen: Gordon was a key piece in Red Bank's eight wins last season and a trip to the Class 4A state quarterfinals. He holds offers from Nebraska and Kansas.
12. Jeremiah Stevens, Oak Ridge, 6-5, 215, Edge
Why chosen: A two-sport star, who plays basketball at Oak Ridge, Stevens has secured football offers from Tennessee and Auburn.
13. Caleb Green, Chattanooga Prep, 6-4, 320, OL
Why chosen: Green was the Region 3-3A newcomer of the year. He has offers from Ole Miss, Eastern Kentucky, Western Kentucky, Tulane and Memphis
14. Kruise Buntyn Jr., Knoxville Catholic, 5-8, 160, RB
Why chosen: Buntyn became the lead back in his first season and finished with 572 yards and five touchdowns on 104 carries. He holds offers from Arkansas, SMU, Austin Peay, Tennessee Martin, Troy and Ohio University.
15. Brayden Gonzalez, Knoxville Catholic, 6-3, 290, OL
Why chosen: Gonzalez, a transfer from Knoxville Webb, holds offers from Maryland, Old Dominion, East Tennessee State, Tennessee Martin, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Carolina and Liberty.
16. La’Miere Porter, Oak Ridge, 6-3, 190, WR/DB
Why chosen: Porter will be a key component in Oak Ridge's offense this season after transferring from Powell. The sophomore holds offers from Memphis, Tulane and Tennessee Martin.
17. Dhillon Booker, FRA, 6-1, 210, LB
Why chosen: Booker was a solid rotational piece for the Panthers as FRA advanced to the DII-AA state title game against BGA. He had 17 tackles, three for a loss and two sacks. He holds offers from WKU, Memphis, Miami (Ohio).
18. Kam Morton, Oakland, 5-10, 170, QB
Why chosen: Morton comes from a championship pedigree at Oakland where he threw for 936 yards, nine TDs and four interceptions as a freshman while splitting time at quarterback to help the Patriots go 15-0. He holds offers from Miami (Ohio) and EKU.
19. Gavin Shrader, Marshall County, 6-3, 190, QB
Why chosen: Shrader played at Richland in 2025 where he threw for 942 yards and four four touchdowns and was named TnFCA All-State. He holds offers from Tennessee State and Murray State.
20. Gabriel Gonzalez, Knoxville Catholic, 6-1, 323, OL
Why chosen: A transfer from Knoxville Webb, Gonzalez followed his brother Brayden to Catholic and has made the rounds during college football camps this summer. He holds offers from Maryland, Old Dominion and ETSU among others.
21. Cayden Williams, Lausanne, 6-4, 205, ATH
Why chosen: Williams plays both defensive end and tight end. He had six tackles as a freshman last year and holds an offer from SMU.
22. Haddon Thornburg, Baylor, 6-7, 295, OL
Why chosen: Thornburg is a massing offensive tackle who transferred from Knoxville West where he helped lead it to the 5A playoffs. He has an offer from Toledo.
23. Trenton Gibbs, Oakland, 6-1, 215, LB
Why chosen: Gibbs started as a freshman last year, but along the Patriots' offensive line. He moves to linebacker this season with an East Carolina offer.
24. Alexander Duhart, McCallie, 6-3 245, DL
Why chosen: Duhart is a transfer from Brentwood Academy who had nine tackles and one for a loss as a freshmen. He currently holds offers from Memphis and MTSU.
25. Cameron Hardin, Trinity Christian, 5-11, 170, WR
Why chosen: Hardin had 10 receptions for 134 yards and a touchdown as a freshman. His speed has already garnered offers from Murray State and Howard.
Reach The Tennessean's high school sports editor, George Robinson, at georgerobinsontheleafchronicle.com and on the X platform (formerly Twitter) @Cville_Sports.
Dasani Moulden, Concord Christian, XX-XX, ATH: Miami Ohio, UT Martin, VMI, ETSU offers
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Ranking Tennessee's top 25 high school football sophomores, including Maddox Porter
