Here are 8 Knoxville area football players poised for breakout seasons in 2023 TSSAA season
Tennessee high school football is less than 10 days away from commencing.
While we should be eager to see Knoxville area teams overall, let’s also be energized for the returning players who will rise in prominence.
Here are the Knoxville area football players PrepXtra predicts are poised for a breakout season.
Kolby Barrett
Alcoa, So.
Position: Defensive back
Barrett, who has offers from Memphis and Tulane, should be in for a dominant year as one of the best cornerbacks in the area. The 6-foot-1 sophomore had 48 tackles and one interception last season. In Alcoa’s 45-26 Class 3A state championship win over East Nashville last year, he had 7.5 tackles and a pass breakup.
Israel Small
Anderson County, Sr.
Position: Defensive back
Small was a starter last year for the Class 4A state champions. He had 36 tackles and six pass breakups. The 6-foot athlete had six tackles and a sack in the 34-30 championship win over Pearl-Cohn. This upcoming season, he will be relied on more and will be one of the primary options for returning punts and kickoffs.
Brody Smith
Bearden, So.
Position: Offensive lineman
Smith is a transfer from Knoxville Catholic and is expected to be a significant piece of the pass-and-run blocking for the Bulldogs. Smith, who has an offer from the Tennessee Vols, is the son of 11-year NFL player Lee Smith.
Will Kelley
Christian Academy of Knoxville, Jr.
Position: Wide receiver
Kelley had 49 receptions, 443 receiving yards and three touchdowns in only four games. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound wideout has a chance to be one of the most productive players in Division II if he puts together a full season for CAK.
Tyreek King
Knoxville Catholic, So.
Position: Wide receiver
King is one of the most talented sophomores in the area as he has offers from Tennessee, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Arkansas, etc. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound wide receiver had 468 receiving yards and three touchdowns last season in his first year ever playing the position. With greater experience and confidence, King should be in for a impressive year.
Price Davis
Maryville, Jr.
Position: Wide receiver/running back
Davis played behind two 1,000-yard rushers in Noah Vaughn, now at Virginia, and senior Gage LaDue, an Air Force commit last season. The 6-foot, 180-pound athlete is only behind LaDue at the tailback spot and will be more heavily used as a wide receiver for the Red Rebels. Price finished last year with 50 rushes for 352 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. As a wideout, he had nine catches for 55 receiving yards.
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Maddox Cupp
South-Doyle, Sr.
Position: Quarterback
Cupp has a chance to be one of the most productive signal callers in the area as he will have another year running the offensive system of second-year coach Paul Shelton, a former quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Bearden and Unicoi County. The returning starter threw for 732 passing yards and nine touchdowns last season. In the final game of the season, Cupp completed 18-of-30 passes for 343 passing and four touchdowns in a 71-42 loss to Gibbs.
Elijah Williams Smith
The King’s Academy, Sr.
The Lions have a familiar face at quarterback in Williams Smith who missed all of his junior season due to a season-ending knee injury in the preseason. The 5-foot-11 athlete should be set for a season that may exceed what he did as a sophomore when he threw for 1,400 passing yards and rushed for 500 yards.
Toyloy Brown III is a Knox News sports reporter. Email tbrown@usatoday.com. Twitter @TJ3rd_.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: TSSAA football: Knoxville area players poised for breakout seasons in 2023
