Vote for Nashville area's top high school quarterback for 2026 TSSAA football season
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The Tennessean ranked the top 20 Nashville area high school quarterbacks returning for the 2026 TSSAA football season.
Now, you get to choose the best.
Vote for the Ponce Law 2026 Preseason Top Quarterback. Voting will close Thursday at noon. Players are listed below in alphabetical order.
Players were selected by comparing 2025 statistics, strength of schedule, observations, recruiting interest, and coach feedback. Players are listed by their grade for the 2025-26 school year.
Andre Adams, Antioch, Sr.: Adams, a three-star Colorado commitment, completed 174-of-243 passes for 3,421 yards (71.6%), 35 TDs and one interception. He also rushed for 855 yards and 13 TDs on 98 carries with just one fumble.
Deon Barnes, Whites Creek, Jr.: Barnes was 100-of-153 passing for 2,007 yards, 22 touchdowns and three interceptions last season. He also rushed for 268 yards. His offers include Cincinnati, Memphis, Colorado and Tennessee State.
Bo Bryan, Battle Ground Academy, Sr.: Bryan, a three-star prospect with offers from Austin Peay, North Alabama and UT Martin, is primed for a big season after being last year’s backup for Division II-AA Mr. Football Kaedyn Marable. Bryan was 28-of-44 passing for 336 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.
Dallas Covington, East Nashville, Sr.: Covington, whose offers include Memphis, MTSU, Liberty and Arkansas State, threw for 2,310 yards and 22 TDs last season. He added 667 yards rushing and seven TDs.
LJ Funk, Pearl-Cohn, Sr.: Funk, who has 23 offers including Memphis, Liberty and Toledo, was 144-of-216 passing for 2,577 yards, 26 TDs and eight interceptions while helping lead Pearl-Cohn to the Class 4A state final.
Gavin Hampton, Riverdale, Jr.: Hampton, a three-star prospect with offers including Mississippi State, North Carolina, Arizona State, Nebraska and Colorado, was the Region 3-6A Offensive MVP last season. He completed 179-of-293 for 2,663 yards with 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while adding four rushing TDs.
Matthew Horner, Independence, Sr.: Horner was 172-of-302 passing for 2,114 yards, 19 TDs and 12 interceptions. He rushed for 195 yards and a TD.
Crews Jenkins, Brentwood Academy, Sr.: Jenkins, a three-star Ole Miss commitment, completed 137-of-205 passes (66.8%) for 1,817 yards, 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions while helping lead Brentwood Academy to an 11-1 record and an appearance in the TSSAA football state championship game in Division II-AAA. He also rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown.
Cam Kruse, Page, Sr.: Kruse, a three-star Kansas State commitment, threw for 2,264 yards, 35 touchdowns and three interceptions last fall in his first season at Page, leading the Patriots to a 14-0 season and the TSSAA football Class 5A state championship. He also rushed for 376 yards and six TDs for an offense that averaged 40 points per game.
Kam Morton, Oakland, So.: Morton was 67-of-107 passing for 936 yards, nine TDs and four interceptions as a freshman while splitting time at QB to help Oakland (15-0) win the Class 6A state championship. He rushed for 127 yards and three TDs.
Xavier Murray, White House Heritage, Sr.: Murray, who has a Kentucky Wesleyan offer, was limited due to injury last season but still finished 172-of-261 passing for 1,826 yards and 17 TDs. He also had a rushing TD.
Jack Nimitz, Franklin Road Academy, Jr.: Nimitz, who has an offer from Samford, completed 67% of his passes for 2,375 yards passing and 29 TDs as a sophomore with just three interceptions. He also rushed for six TDs.
Colton Overbey, Station Camp, Sr.: Overbey was 177-of-293 passing for 2,521 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also rushed for 766 yards and 10 TDs with no fumbles.
Miles Reding, Kirkwood, Sr.: Reding, who was a Class 6A Mr. Football finalist two years ago, was 130-of-216 passing for 2,223 yards, 23 TDs and six interceptions last season. He also rushed for 449 yards and 10 TDs and caught a TD pass.
Gavin Strang, Brentwood, Jr.: Strang threw for more than 1,900 yards and totaled 19 touchdowns while completing 65% of his passes for the Bruins. His offers include Oklahoma, Memphis and EKU.
Jack VanOrman, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Sr.: VanOrman, whose offers include UT Martin, Austin Peay, MTSU and Missouri State, threw for 1,652 yards and 14 TDs.
Charlie Verner, Montgomery Bell Academy, Jr.: Verner’s production could increase after splitting reps in 2025. He was 77-for-110 passing for 814 yards and seven TDs. He also rushed for 279 yards and a TD.
Kason Woodson, Springfield, Sr.: The Region 6-4A MVP was 116-of-203 passing for 2,009 yards and 23 TDs. He also rushed for 777 yards and 11 TDs.
Blake Waldorf, Friendship Christian, Sr.: Waldorf, who has an offer from Eastern Kentucky, threw for 1,791 yards, 15 TDs and seven interceptions to go with 519 yards rushing and 11 TDs.
Kason Young, East Robertson, Sr.: Young, who has an Eastern Kentucky offer, completed 64% of his passes for 2,656 yards and 24 TDs. He rushed for 532 yards and nine TDs.
Tyler Palmateer covers high school sports for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for Tyler? Reach him at tpalmateer@tennessean.com 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: Who is Nashville's top TSSAA football quarterback for 2026? Vote now
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