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Mr. Football ballots were sent out last week and the regular season has officially come to an end. So who did the 615 Preps crew put on its collective ballot?
Earlier today this year’s semifinalists for each class were announced. With our ballot, we tried to pick players who mostly come from our coverage area however, there are a few exceptions.
Here are the three guys per class that we had on our ballot when we submitted it late last week.
*Note: The TSSAA Mr. Football award is a regular-season award and nominations were due on Oct. 28. The banquet where each winner will be announced is held the week after the conclusion of the 2024 season.
Class 6A
Kannon Burroughs, Green Hill, Jr.: Rushing for over 1,000 yards, passing for 1,000 yards and leading Green Hill to its first unbeaten regular season in school history, Burroughs was an easy choice at No. 1 for us.
Atticus Fiorita, Mt. Juliet, Sr.: There’s no defender in 6A around here feared more than Fiorita. He’s torn offenses up all season and is on pace to put up career numbers.
Austin Mayfield, Ravenwood, Sr.: We flipped back and forth between Mayfield and Donovan Starr for this pick but ultimately settled on Mayfield. He leads the Raptors 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks manning the middle.
Class 5A
Eric Hazzard, Page, Sr.: Again, another easy choice. Hazzard’s bigger, faster, stronger and dominating opposing lines weekly. Between he and Anes, Page’s front-seven is one of the best around.
Brenden Anes, Page, Sr.: This was an easy choice. Anes is the best linebacker around and vowing to get the Patriots their first gold ball, he’s played his best ball this season.
Chelton Swafford, Beech, Jr.: Swafford is Beech’s home run threat and as the year’s gone on, he just keeps getting better. Picking between Swafford and Kaden Powell was hard but we leaned towards their dynamic back.
Class 4A
Javion Kinnard, Pearl-Cohn, Sr.: How Kinnard wasn’t selected as a semifinalist is beyond us. We had him at the top of our ballot easily as he’s one of the most dynamic players not only our coverage area, but the state.
Bronzden Chaffin, Upperman, Jr.: Chaffin may not be in our coverage area but it’s hard to deny what he’s done leading the No. 1 Bees. A true dual-threat in every sense of the word, He’s a reason why so many have Upperman winning this year’s Class 4A title.
Gabe Borders, Macon County, Sr.: Borders is as dynamic as a player can get and while his numbers haven’t been what they’ve been in the past, he’s still led the Tigers to another great season.
Class 3A
Graham Simpson, Westview, Fr.: If we’re being real, Simpson should run away with the Mr. Football award in this class. He’s thrown for nearly 3,000 yards and 43 touchdowns with no interceptions as the Chargers also picked up a crucial Week 11 win over Covington.
Skylan Smith, Covington, Sr.: Covington’s all-time leading rusher just so happens to be playing the best ball of his career. If the Chargers are looking to make a run to Chattanooga, it starts and ends with Smith.
Xavier Murray, White House Heritage, So.: We went with the local guy with our No. 1 pick. Murray’s had a better season than most other quarterbacks in the area and will be a major reason why the Patriot have such high expectations this postseason.
Class 2A
Cooper White, Westmoreland, Sr.: White led the Eagles to their first region title in a few decades which included a huge win over East Robertson. He ran for 1,011 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Kason Young, East Robertson, So.: Young was asked to do a lot more when Isaiah Groves went down early in the year and he has thrived. The Indians’ sophomore signal-caller threw for 1,670 yards and 18 touchdowns while rushing for over 600 yards and six more touchdowns.
Zach Groves, East Robertson, Jr.: There may not be a more feared defender in all of 2A. Groves finished the regular season with 53 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Class 1A
Tate Surber, McKenzie, Sr.: Surber should run away with the Mr. Football award in 1A after accounting for 2,904 total yards and 46 total touchdowns. He has the state title favorite Rebels rolling and no team has figured out a way to stop him yet.
Amari Cotton, Jo Byrns, Sr.: Cotton’s had a fantastic year for the Red Devils rushing for for close to 1,400 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s also thrown for over 400 yards and threw for six more touchdowns.
Nate Adams, Clay County, Sr.: Adams leads a prolific passing attack for the Bulldogs completing 55% of his passes for 2,492 yards and 34 touchdowns.
DII-A
Jared Curtis, Nashville Christian, Jr.: This award is Curtis’ to lose. The Eagles are firing on all cylinders but on the offensive side of the ball, he runs the show both through the air and on the ground.
Mitchell Carey, DCA, Sr.: Carey has once again had a season where he put up video game numbers leading the 8-2 Wildcats. He enters the postseason having thrown for over 1,700 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Car’lando Barton, Friendship Christian, Sr.: Once Friendship’s best offensive lineman, Barton has turned into the Commanders best threat running the ball. On the year he ran the ball for 1,227 yards, 21 touchdowns and also had 40 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and six sacks.
DII-AA
Hutson Chance, CPA, Sr.: Chance may not have the same numbers as some others but he’s put up very good numbers still and led the Lions to a 10-0 regular season mark. He completed 63% of his passes for 1,731 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Kaedyn Marable, BGA, Jr.: Bobby Bentley’s offense has unlocked Marable’s game. On the year he’s completed 75% of his passes for 2,374 yards and 24 touchdowns. He’s also rushed for 374 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Mike Hassell, FRA, Jr.: Hassell is FRA’s home run hitter and that’s saying something on an offense as explosive as theirs. The Panthers have a lot of weapons but Hassell is their best.
DII-AAA
Ethan Utley, Ensworth, Sr.: On the best defense in the state, Utley is the best player. He’s put up solid numbers and is a major reason why the Tigers are legit state title contenders.
George MacIntyre, Brentwood Academy, Sr.: MacIntyre’s thrived in Paul Wade’s system leading the Eagles to a 7-3 regular season mark. The Tennessee commitment was already one of the best quarterbacks around but has been at his best this season.
Cam Blivens, Lipscomb Academy, Jr.: Blivens really came into form late in the year and became the Mustangs’ top offensive threat.
Kicker
Daniel Echievierra, Mt. Juliet, Sr.: The Golden Bears’ kicker has one of the biggest legs around. In an area loaded with talent at the position, we rolled with one of the most consistent kickers we’ve seen.
Khalil Arman, Riverdale, Sr.: Arman may not get talked about enough when it comes to the area’s best kickers. He can hit from any distance and is very consistent.
Max Kelley, Gallatin, Sr.: South Carolina doesn’t recruit you if you’re not a talent. They got one with Kelley’s who’s been one of our best kickers the last few years.
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