Catholic High School rising senior Zak Tait is one of more than 400 nominees being considered to play in the January’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio.
The 6-foot-4, 290-pound offensive lineman is one of 13 nominees from Tennessee. Others include: University of Tennessee commitment and defensive lineman Jaques Smith (Ooltewah), Ferlando Bohanna (Whitehaven, LB), O.C. Brown (Manassas, OL), Barry Brunetti (Memphis University School, QB), Fred Harvey Jr. (White Station, LB), Harrison Jones (ECS, TE), Justin Maclin (Ridgeway, LB), Keiwone Malone (Mitchell, WR), Terry Redden Jr. (Whitehaven, DB), Eric Watson (Melrose, RB), James Stone (Maplewood, OL) and Bo Wallace (Giles County, QB).
The 90 players that will compete in the game will be selected later this year.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
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Comments » 27
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
i was looking at past teams, like the '67 '68 '69 '70 '71 teams and almost all were from our volunteer state....those teams were damn good......
orngbluded writes:
Are we recruiting Zak Tait because he is a O-lineman,dont know much about him,is he talented enough to play in the SEC?who else is recruiting him?
Irwin_Linker writes:
Pretty obvious where all of the in state talent is.
FWBVol writes:
I hope this doesn't sound racist, but those teams you mentioned were before the SEC was heavily integrated. Most experts agree that the black athlete has changed the game. The fact is with the exception of Memphis and Nashville the state of Tennessee there is a higher percentage of white athletes than black athletes.
I hope this post doesn't offend anybody. That was not my intention.
Irwin_Linker writes:
Not to familiar with the Knoxville High school football scene...Honestly, I can't tell if you are trying to be funny or not. You should work on that Bob.
Stark_Vol writes:
oh hey, your secretary called so I just told her to clear your plans for tonight so you could make it to the Klan meeting
ANGRYWOLF writes:
You must be joking right ?
golfballs03 writes:
OC Brown and Justin Maclin are two we need to lock down.
golfballs03 writes:
But Tennessee is far behind the "Big 3" when it comes to high scool football: Vermont, North Dakota, and Alaska
jimr07 writes:
you have to be kidding.
jimr07 writes:
not nearly as offensive as most of your posts.
SPEAKS_THE_TRUTH writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Colliervol writes:
Unusually good year for high school talent in Tennessee and we need to take advantage of it. As always for the Memphis talent, you'll have to see the grades before finding out if they are serious prospects or not.
I'm wondering if Kiffin is looking at Barry Brunetti as a QB. I understand he's a good one. And if he's at MUS, he's no dummy.
footballfan34 writes:
Tait is a stud. He will sign with one of the top sec schools or Notre Dame.
MrBamSeydu writes:
People that live in TN and watch or keep up with high school football are way to bias. I hate when people want UT to recruit all these East TN players (i.e. Tait).
Can you name 5 players who are playing in the NFL (or the past 20 years) who played high school football in East TN??? In fact, the same could be said for the entire state of Tennessee. Al Wilson aside, I cannot name 5 big-time players who were anything more than a "solid" college ball player but never made it to a super-star level in college or progressed to a long career in the NFL.
So, stop thinking that just because a player like Zak Tait dominates the East TN d-linemen, he is a "stud". He is an average lineman, no better than a player like Darris Sawtelle (from Michigan) who never saw a snap at UT in 3 years.
Tennessee high school football is nowhere near as talent-laden as states like Florida, Texas, Cali, etc. I'll take a gamble on players like Jacques Smith, James Stone, and Marlon Brown (yeah, sorry to bring him up)... but even those 3 players, in all reality, may not ever add up to being more than a decent college player.
I hope Chris Walker proves me wrong this season and becomes a superstar, moves on to the NFL, and becomes the next Dwight Freeney, but I just don't see that happening either. Sorry fellas.
MrBamSeydu writes:
By the way, if you do try to name players from Tennessee.... try to stay within the past decade or so. I don't need to hear about what Bill Bates did back in the 80s. Few and very far between is my point.
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
jason witten....elizabethton.....
reggie white....chattanooga.....
Aubrayo Franklin....johnson city
dustin colquitt.....knoxville
eric westmoreland....jasper .....
scott wells.....brentwood
bill bates...knoxville
chad clifton....west tenn
mike cofer....knoxville....
beattie feathers....bristol
gerald sensaubaugh....kingsport
should i go on?
235lbVol writes:
Tennessee's high school talent is getting alot better of late. but with our recruiting staff, we'll get the studs from every state.
235lbVol writes:
why in the world would he sign with Notre dame?
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
how many others would love to play for tennessee and instead a five star from new jersey or wherever is offered a scholorship.......
i'll take a three or four star player like dale jones, chris white and bill bates that seem to "give their all to tennessee"
don't want to be taken wrong here....of course you take the mannings, jamal lewis, alvin harpers.....
http://www.databasefootball.com/playe...
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
Chad Pennington.... Webb
But I agree that much of the East TN talent is not on par with the national talent. I played in Knoxville not too long ago and it is not all that great.
chargervol writes:
I don't think that you know who Bill Bates was. I know for sure you wouldn't want to get hit by him. He got blasted by Hershel Walker, an unknown talent at the time. If he had to do that play over again knowing the train that was coming toward him, we all know he would have done it very differently. OBTW, he wasn't good enough to play in the NFL was he? Oops! My bad, he did play in the NFL. I don't think any of that crowd would ever put him in the coward category. Come on man, yo can't be that forgetful. He was one of the most feared hitters in his day. GO VOLS!!!
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
Wish that I was on ole rocky top,
Down in the tennessee hills.
Ain't no smoggy smoke on rocky top,
Ain't no telephone bills.
Once there was a girl on rocky top,
Half bear the other half cat.
Wild as a mink, sweet as soda pop,
I still dream about that.
Rocky top, you'll always be
Home sweet home to me.
Good ole rocky top,
Rocky top tennessee, rocky top tennessee.
lcazbill writes:
Patrick Willis, Bruceton
Craig Cooper, Memphis
Marlon Brown, Memphis
George Kidd, Milan
Al Wilson, Jackson
Trey Teague, Jackson
Doug Atkins, Humbolt
Michael Oher, Memphis
Chad Clifton, Martin
Justin Harrell, Martin
Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Jackson
Some former players and few the university missed out on. Please go on with your list and I will as well. Point is there is alot of talent in the West Tennessee area as well, particularly around Gibson, Madison and Shelby Counties.
chargervol writes:
The one and only time. Like I said, if he had known the kind of train that was coming at him he would have used a little more savvy. Anybody that is a Vol or Cowboy or 99.9% of the dudes he hit will tell you, coward was not in his vocabulary. He made the Cowboys roster by laying the wood, leaving his feet, jumping over the wedge on kickoffs(fearless), head over heels plays, anyway he could get in on the play and make contact. You know this is true. You know it. No arguement on Bill Bates being a coward. There is no debate on that, get real.
Ironcity writes:
Bobbea you are day in and day out offensive to everyone on this board. So I for one could care less if you are ever offended by anything anybody writes.
Vol_FAN_atic writes:
Well, its nice to see the NFL and Dallas being so kind and forgiving to athletically challenged persons. They let him play for 14 years.
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