The special ones, true phenoms who are gifted enough in the athletic arena to create a buzz outside of their own locales, are rare.
Oh, the Chattanooga area has produced its share of talented high school football players through the years — those who carried their team on state championship missions, earned all-state recognition, contended for or even won the state’s Mr. Football award, or set records while stuffing the stat book. There has even been a recent uptick in the number of highly touted college prospects who have dazzled for prep programs from the 423 area code, but it remains an exclusive few whose unique on-field ability causes their stock to soar beyond local hero status to become nationally recognized names.
Despite the current impulse by some to prematurely manufacture celebrity status or glorify young players whose potential has not yet been reached, the reality is the number of area players who have ever achieved five-star recognition — the highest rating by national recruiting services — into their senior season of high school can be counted on one hand. With a digit to spare.
By that measure, the cream of the all-time crop of local prospects is Red Bank running back Gerald Riggs Jr., who in 2001 became the area’s first football player with that status, Notre Dame receiver Adarius Bowman (2002), Ridgeland defensive back Vonn Bell (2012) and current Baylor senior offensive lineman Gabe Osenda. Those first three all played professionally, while Osenda is committed to the University of Tennessee as one of the nation’s most coveted big men.
Rare company indeed.