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The Tennessean ranked the top 20 Nashville area athletes returning for the 2026 TSSAA football season.
Now, you get to choose the best.
Vote for the Ponce Law 2026 Preseason Top Athlete. Voting will close Thursday at noon.
Rankings are based on 2025 statistics, strength of schedule, observations, recruiting interest, and coach feedback. Players are listed by their grade for the 2025-26 school year.
More: Ponce Law is honored to offer the 2026 Perspectives Scholarship to support students’ educational journey. Learn more.
More: Ranking Nashville area's top 20 athletes for 2026 TSSAA football season
Alie Bangura, Middle Tennessee Christian, Jr.: The DII-A East MVP had 40 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery as a defensive back, while also rushing for more than 1,000 yards on offense.
Daniel Booker, Columbia Central, Sr.: Booker rushed for 1,616 yards with 25 touchdowns while also completing 78-of-132 passes for 1,203 yards with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. Booker was named Region 4-5A MVP and set single-game program records for rushing yards (383) and touchdowns (six) in a first-round playoff win against East Hamilton.
Donte Cameron, Oakland, Sr.: Cameron led Oakland with 1,524 total yards last season. He threw for 658 yards and seven TDs and rushed for 861 yards and 10 TDs. He’ll play an even more versatile role for the Patriots in 2026. His offers include North Alabama and Missouri Western State.
Carsen Carter, Lincoln County, Sr.: Carter rushed for 1,324 yards and 16 TDs. On defense, he had 107 tackles, 10 TFLs, two forced fumbles, two blocked extra points, one blocked punt and a defensive touchdown.
Jermaine Cobbins, Springfield, Jr.: Cobbins, who’s being recruited as a defensive back, is a five-star prospect ranked as the No. 1 player in Tennessee from the 2027 class and the No. 3 cornerback nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite. He totaled 1,186 all-purpose yards and 12 TDs on offense, adding 41 tackles, one TFL, one interception returned for a TD, one fumble recovery and a forced fumble on defense. His offers include Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
Fletcher Fields, Battle Ground Academy, Sr.: Fields rushed for 699 yards and eight TDs, in addition to 34 catches for 281 yards and two scores. His offers include UT-Martin and EKU.
Kwadir Fletcher, Franklin Road Academy, Sr.: Fletcher rushed for 558 yards and 11 TDs without a fumble. As a linebacker, he had 62 tackles, five sacks, six TFLs, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two defensive TDs. His offers include ETSU, EKU, Tennessee State and UT-Martin.
Tot Gardner, Marshall County, Jr.: Gardner, the Region 5-4A Athlete of the Year, had 1,171 yards rushing and 22 TDs, plus 19 catches for 362 yards and two scores.
King Gardner, Donelson Christian Academy, Sr.: Gardner rushed for 1,090 yards and nine TDs, in addition to 26 catches for 232 yards and three scores. He had 32 tackles and an interception on defense.
Gavin Gregory, Lebanon, Sr.: Gregory, whose offers include Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Memphis, caught 22 passes for 402 yards and four TDs. He had 35 tackles, one sack, three interceptions and four pass breakups on defense.
Kaden Grigsby, Nashville Christian, Sr.: Grigsby totaled 1,034 all-purpose yards. He caught 39 passes for 635 yards and 10 TDs, adding 399 yards in kick returns. His offers include Indianapolis, ETSU, Tennessee State, EKU, Samford and Austin Peay.
De'Aries Holland Jr., Whites Creek, Jr.: Holland caught 39 passes for 882 yards and 13 TDs, to go with 25 carries for 276 yards and three TDs. He’s a three-star prospect with offers from Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Colorado, Tulane, Memphis, Kentucky, North Carolina, Maryland, Nebraska and Southern Miss.
Carter Kilburg, Montgomery Bell Academy, Sr.: Kilburg, an Air Force commitment, caught 36 passes for 410 yards and five TDs. He also had 18 carries for 136 yards and a score.
Jeramy Laster, Beech, Jr.: Laster, a four-star receiver prospect, caught 26 passes for 554 yards and seven TDs last season. He also returned a punt for a touchdown and a kickoff 99 yards for a TD, in addition to 363 yards rushing and five scores. He’s the No. 9 player in Tennessee from the 2028 class and No. 31 receiver nationally, with offers including Florida, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Indiana, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Auburn.
Brandon Leavell, Goodpasture, Sr.: Leavell, a Tennessee commitment, is the No. 22 player in Tennessee from the 2027 class and No. 31 athlete nationally. Leavell caught 35 passes for 735 yards and 12 TDs as a junior. He had four interceptions at cornerback.
Jadon Portis, Kirkwood, Sr.: Portis, a safety, wide receiver and special teams player, was the Region 7-5A Athlete of the Year. He had 80 tackles (seven for loss), one sack, two forced fumbles and one recovery, caught 35 passes for 504 yards and four touchdowns and totaled 312 yards and a TD as a kick and punt returner.
Drew Rempel, Lipscomb Academy, Sr.: Rempel caught 30 passes for 415 yards and five TDs last season, helping Page capture the Class 5A state title. He had 308 yards after the catch and 705 all-purpose yards. His offers include Arkansas State, Samford, UNC Charlotte, Dartmouth, MTSU, Penn, UT-Martin and Butler.
Omarii Sanders, Franklin Road Academy, Sr.: Sanders, a four-star Vanderbilt linebacker commitment, caught 58 passes for 1,084 yards and 13 TDs. On defense, he logged 82 tackles, two sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He’s the No. 2 player in Tennessee from the 2027 class and No. 3 linebacker nationally.
Ka’Juan Taylor, James Lawson, Sr.: Taylor was limited to five games last season due to an ankle injury, but he totaled 422 all-purpose yards and five TDs in that span, to go with 27 tackles and two pass breakups. His offers include Oregon State, ETSU, East Carolina, Memphis, Liberty and MTSU.
DK Williams, Beech, Sr.: Williams, whose offers include Bowling Green and Eastern Kentucky, rushed for 638 yards and 14 TDs. On defense, he was the Region 6-5A Defensive MVP with 145 tackles, 10 TFLs, four sacks and four forced fumbles.
Tyler Palmateer covers high school sports for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for Tyler? Reach him at [email protected] and on the X platform, @tpalmateer83.
He also contributes to The Tennessean's high school sports newsletter, The Bootleg. Subscribe to The Bootleg here.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vote for Ponce Law's Preseason Top Athlete for 2026 TSSAA football season
Continue reading...
Now, you get to choose the best.
Vote for the Ponce Law 2026 Preseason Top Athlete. Voting will close Thursday at noon.
Rankings are based on 2025 statistics, strength of schedule, observations, recruiting interest, and coach feedback. Players are listed by their grade for the 2025-26 school year.
You must be registered for see images attach
More: Ponce Law is honored to offer the 2026 Perspectives Scholarship to support students’ educational journey. Learn more.
More: Ranking Nashville area's top 20 athletes for 2026 TSSAA football season
Alie Bangura, Middle Tennessee Christian, Jr.: The DII-A East MVP had 40 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery as a defensive back, while also rushing for more than 1,000 yards on offense.
Daniel Booker, Columbia Central, Sr.: Booker rushed for 1,616 yards with 25 touchdowns while also completing 78-of-132 passes for 1,203 yards with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. Booker was named Region 4-5A MVP and set single-game program records for rushing yards (383) and touchdowns (six) in a first-round playoff win against East Hamilton.
Donte Cameron, Oakland, Sr.: Cameron led Oakland with 1,524 total yards last season. He threw for 658 yards and seven TDs and rushed for 861 yards and 10 TDs. He’ll play an even more versatile role for the Patriots in 2026. His offers include North Alabama and Missouri Western State.
Carsen Carter, Lincoln County, Sr.: Carter rushed for 1,324 yards and 16 TDs. On defense, he had 107 tackles, 10 TFLs, two forced fumbles, two blocked extra points, one blocked punt and a defensive touchdown.
Jermaine Cobbins, Springfield, Jr.: Cobbins, who’s being recruited as a defensive back, is a five-star prospect ranked as the No. 1 player in Tennessee from the 2027 class and the No. 3 cornerback nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite. He totaled 1,186 all-purpose yards and 12 TDs on offense, adding 41 tackles, one TFL, one interception returned for a TD, one fumble recovery and a forced fumble on defense. His offers include Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
Fletcher Fields, Battle Ground Academy, Sr.: Fields rushed for 699 yards and eight TDs, in addition to 34 catches for 281 yards and two scores. His offers include UT-Martin and EKU.
Kwadir Fletcher, Franklin Road Academy, Sr.: Fletcher rushed for 558 yards and 11 TDs without a fumble. As a linebacker, he had 62 tackles, five sacks, six TFLs, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two defensive TDs. His offers include ETSU, EKU, Tennessee State and UT-Martin.
Tot Gardner, Marshall County, Jr.: Gardner, the Region 5-4A Athlete of the Year, had 1,171 yards rushing and 22 TDs, plus 19 catches for 362 yards and two scores.
King Gardner, Donelson Christian Academy, Sr.: Gardner rushed for 1,090 yards and nine TDs, in addition to 26 catches for 232 yards and three scores. He had 32 tackles and an interception on defense.
Gavin Gregory, Lebanon, Sr.: Gregory, whose offers include Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Memphis, caught 22 passes for 402 yards and four TDs. He had 35 tackles, one sack, three interceptions and four pass breakups on defense.
Kaden Grigsby, Nashville Christian, Sr.: Grigsby totaled 1,034 all-purpose yards. He caught 39 passes for 635 yards and 10 TDs, adding 399 yards in kick returns. His offers include Indianapolis, ETSU, Tennessee State, EKU, Samford and Austin Peay.
De'Aries Holland Jr., Whites Creek, Jr.: Holland caught 39 passes for 882 yards and 13 TDs, to go with 25 carries for 276 yards and three TDs. He’s a three-star prospect with offers from Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Colorado, Tulane, Memphis, Kentucky, North Carolina, Maryland, Nebraska and Southern Miss.
Carter Kilburg, Montgomery Bell Academy, Sr.: Kilburg, an Air Force commitment, caught 36 passes for 410 yards and five TDs. He also had 18 carries for 136 yards and a score.
Jeramy Laster, Beech, Jr.: Laster, a four-star receiver prospect, caught 26 passes for 554 yards and seven TDs last season. He also returned a punt for a touchdown and a kickoff 99 yards for a TD, in addition to 363 yards rushing and five scores. He’s the No. 9 player in Tennessee from the 2028 class and No. 31 receiver nationally, with offers including Florida, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Indiana, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Auburn.
Brandon Leavell, Goodpasture, Sr.: Leavell, a Tennessee commitment, is the No. 22 player in Tennessee from the 2027 class and No. 31 athlete nationally. Leavell caught 35 passes for 735 yards and 12 TDs as a junior. He had four interceptions at cornerback.
Jadon Portis, Kirkwood, Sr.: Portis, a safety, wide receiver and special teams player, was the Region 7-5A Athlete of the Year. He had 80 tackles (seven for loss), one sack, two forced fumbles and one recovery, caught 35 passes for 504 yards and four touchdowns and totaled 312 yards and a TD as a kick and punt returner.
Drew Rempel, Lipscomb Academy, Sr.: Rempel caught 30 passes for 415 yards and five TDs last season, helping Page capture the Class 5A state title. He had 308 yards after the catch and 705 all-purpose yards. His offers include Arkansas State, Samford, UNC Charlotte, Dartmouth, MTSU, Penn, UT-Martin and Butler.
Omarii Sanders, Franklin Road Academy, Sr.: Sanders, a four-star Vanderbilt linebacker commitment, caught 58 passes for 1,084 yards and 13 TDs. On defense, he logged 82 tackles, two sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He’s the No. 2 player in Tennessee from the 2027 class and No. 3 linebacker nationally.
Ka’Juan Taylor, James Lawson, Sr.: Taylor was limited to five games last season due to an ankle injury, but he totaled 422 all-purpose yards and five TDs in that span, to go with 27 tackles and two pass breakups. His offers include Oregon State, ETSU, East Carolina, Memphis, Liberty and MTSU.
DK Williams, Beech, Sr.: Williams, whose offers include Bowling Green and Eastern Kentucky, rushed for 638 yards and 14 TDs. On defense, he was the Region 6-5A Defensive MVP with 145 tackles, 10 TFLs, four sacks and four forced fumbles.
Tyler Palmateer covers high school sports for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for Tyler? Reach him at [email protected] and on the X platform, @tpalmateer83.
He also contributes to The Tennessean's high school sports newsletter, The Bootleg. Subscribe to The Bootleg here.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vote for Ponce Law's Preseason Top Athlete for 2026 TSSAA football season
Continue reading...
