Way-Too-Early Tennessee High School Football Top 25 Rankings

As fans gear up for the 2025 season, expectations are high across the Tennessee high school football landscape. With a rich tradition of competitive teams and standout athletes, the Volunteer State is poised to showcase some of the best high school football talent in the region. From traditional powers to rising stars eager to prove themselves, these are the top teams in the the Tennessee football rankings according to Massey.

The Massey Ratings, officially used during the BCS era, is a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule and margin of victory.

1. McCallie School Blue Tornados

McCallie School is taking aim at a three-peat this fall after winning Division II-3A state championships in 2024 and 2025. The Blue Tornados will start their title defense on Aug. 22 against Lipscomb Academy, their first of four games this season against top-10 teams in Tennessee. The team will also be challenged by California power Mission Viejo on Sept. 19.

Quarterback Elliott Drapeau returns to lead a talented McCallie offense that features multiple FBS prospects. Three-star receiver Keeyshawn Tabuteau committed to Vanderbilt in June, while three-star offensive lineman Moussa Seck has multiple SEC and ACC options. Purdue has already offered rising sophomore receiver Mylz Williams.

2. Oakland Patriots

Oakland captured its fourth 6A state crown in five years last December with a 42-20 win over Houston. The Patriots’ hunt to make it five out of six will largely depend on how they replace key contributors, like quarterback Kyler Creasy. Four-star safety Craig Tutt returns to Oakland’s defensive backfield, while junior Velon Henderson will be back making plays on both sides of the ball.

The Patriots’ opener against Christ Presbyterian Academy on Aug. 22 will be one of the best games Tennessee high school football has to offer in Week 1.

3. Baylor School Red Raiders

Baylor School ended its last two seasons with losses to McCallie in the Div. II-3A state championship game. The Red Raiders are hoping to engineer a slightly different ending to their 2025 campaign.

Talent won’t be an issue. Louisville quarterback commit Briggs Cherry will get most of the headlines but he’s far from alone. Four-star Tennessee commit Gabriel Osenda and three-star Louisville pledge Charlie Edgeworth are back to anchor the team’s offensive line. Four-star David Gabriel Georges, a top 2027 recruit, was named Mr. Football for Div. II-AAA in 2024. The defensive backfield should be a strength of the Baylor defense with the return of three-stars Jamyan Theodore and Kolby Barrett.

4. Christ Presbyterian Academy Lions

Christ Presbyterian Academy rolls into the 2025 season riding a 25-game winning streak. The Lions capped off a perfect 2024 season with a 38-26 win over Battle Ground Academy in the Div. II-2A state championship game. Now they’ll take aim at winning it all again in 2025, which would be their fifth title in eight years.

Receiver Owen Cabell, an Alabama commit, headlines a CPA passing attack that will be retooling under a new quarterback. The return of running back Rawls Patterson will certainly help as well.

5. Lipscomb Academy Mustangs

From back-to-back state championships to back-to-back losing seasons, Lipscomb Academy is hoping to get back to winning football in 2025. The Mustangs will have an excellent opportunity to jumpstart their season in their opener against McCallie on Aug. 22.

Two-way standout Cam Blivens and linebacker Danny Brown headline the players returning to the Lipscomb Academy roster.

6. Ensworth Tigers

Two years ago, Ensworth‘s season ended in the Div. II-3A quarterfinals. Last season, Ensworth fell in the semifinals to McCallie. The Tigers enter the 2025 campaign hoping that steady progress continues with a berth in the state championship this fall.

Quarterback Taylor Hasselbeck – son of former NFL signal caller and Ensworth coach Tim Hasselbeck – returns as one of the top passers in the state. The rising senior completed 134-of-190 passes for 1,790 yards, 18 touchdowns and three interceptions a year ago. Hasselbeck will have offensive lineman Richard Thigpen keeping him upright while Eli Wilt makes plays in the passing game. Four-star Minnesota commit Justin Hopkins leads the Tigers’ defensive efforts.

7. Maryville Rebels

Maryville enters the fall looking to win its first state title since 2019. The Rebels came oh-so-close to playing for the championship last fall but coughed up a halftime lead against Oakland in the semifinals.

Rising junior quarterback Will Jones will helm Maryville’s offense again after accounting for 37 touchdowns in 2024. He’ll have standout offensive lineman Brody Smith protecting his blindside. Safety Andrew Smith returns to patrol the Rebels’ secondary.

8. Ravenwood Raptors

Ravenwood’s storybook 2024 season ended with a thud last season. The Raptors were perfect in the regular season but dropped a narrow 24-21 decision to Houston in the state semifinals. Quarterback Femi Babalola, a three-star Boston College commit, hopes to cap off his senior campaign by delivering Ravenwood’s first championship since 2015.

9. Brentwood Academy Eagles

Despite a 3-3 start last season, Brentwood Academy got hot at the right time and rode that momentum all the way into the Div. II-3A semifinals. Crews Jenkins takes over as QB1 after backing up George McIntyre last year. He’ll be throwing to a pair of standout 2027 receivers in four-star Kesean Bowman and Eli Ferguson. Chattanooga Prep transfer Romel Koon should bolster the Eagles’ defensive backfield.

10. Houston Mustangs

Houston was unable to defend its 2023 title last year, falling to Oakland in the Tennessee high school football championship game last November. Still, the Mustangs are hoping the best two-year stretch in program history extends into a third campaign. Replacing quarterback Chandler Day will be difficult but three-star running back Marcelles Davis should help ease the transition to a new starter.

11. Riverdale
12. West
13. Brentwood
14. Bartlett
15. Montgomery Bell Academy

16. Page
17. Franklin Road Academy
18. Collierville
19. Powell
20. Germantown

21. Alcoa
22. Blackman
23. Beech
24. Bearden
25. Anderson County