The Tennessee Sports Writers Association has released its first wave of all-state selections from the 2025 football season, beginning with the TSSAA’s three private-school classifications in Division II, and 21 players from Chattanooga schools made the list.
Baylor, the DII-AAA state champion, had a city-best eight selections on the D-II all-state teams released late Wednesday night, and also included were six players from McCallie — the Red Raiders’ top rival who lost to them in the state semifinals this past fall — as well as four from Boyd Buchanan, two from Notre Dame and one from Silverdale Baptist Academy, with all three of those schools having qualified for the playoffs in DII-AA.
The Baylor contingent, which helped the program finish a season unbeaten (12-0) for the first time since 1973 and win its second state championship in four years — under the direction of Erik Kimrey, who took over ahead of the 2022 season, the Red Raiders have yet to miss the BlueCross Bowl title game at Finley Stadium — included four players selected on each side of the ball.
On offense were senior quarterback Briggs Cherry, junior running back David Gabriel Georges and senior linemen Charlie Edgeworth and Gabe Osenda. On the other side of the ball, Baylor’s four selections were lineman Jayden Arenas-Michel and linebacker Khori Faulker, plus Kolby Barrett and Jamyan Theodore in the secondary; Faulkner is the only junior among those defenders, with the other three seniors.
McCallie’s six, all of them seniors, were also evenly split between offense and defense. The offensive players are quarterback Elliott Drapeau, receiver Keeyshawn Tabuteau and lineman Moussa Seck, with the players on the other side being defensive end Fischer French, linebacker Cooper Gentle and defensive back De’Shun Tipton.
For Boyd Buchanan, running back David Green Jr. is joined by offensive lineman Celbie Urffer, defensive lineman Mason Bates and linebacker K’Leb Crowder. Bates is the lone junior among a trio of senior teammates. Notre Dame kicker Owen Maddox and quarterback Cooper Campbell — both of them seniors — and Silverdale Baptist junior offensive lineman Luke Burger also made the DII-AA list.
Cherry, who signed with Louisville, was also a Tennessee Titans Mr. Football finalist for the 2025 season after completing 75% of his passes for 2,958 yards and 33 touchdowns. He did not throw an interception through his first 204 attempts.
(READ MORE: Baylor’s David Gabriel Georges named national player of the year)
Gabriel Georges, rated the nation’s No. 2 running back in the class of 2027, ran for 1,756 yards and 27 touchdowns, he earned his second straight Mr. Football award for DII-AAA after being named MVP of Baylor’s BlueCross Bowl victory against Brentwood Academy last month.
Osenda, a five-star University of Tennessee signee, and Edgeworth, a Louisville signee, were the Red Raiders’ massive tackles with each close to 6-foot-8 and 330 pounds. They helped pave the way for an offense that amassed 6,256 total yards — including 121 explosive plays of 20-plus yards — and scored 63 touchdowns in 2025.
Arenas-Michel signed with Middle Tennessee State University after finishing with 26.5 solo tackles, seven for loss, six sacks, seven quarterback hurries and six pass breakups. Barrett, a Mississippi State signee, finished with 68 tackles and five interceptions, including one in the BlueCross Bowl.
In his first season with the Red Raiders, Faulkner finished with 107 tackles, including 16 for loss and 11 sacks, plus seven quarterback hurries. Theodore, a Tennessee signee who will play cornerback in college, finished with 33.5 tackles, six pass breakups and two interceptions. The speedster also led Baylor’s offense with 1,026 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.
McCallie’s Drapeau was a two-year starter who threw for 2,139 yards, rushed for 481 and had 28 total touchdowns. French had 32 solo tackles, 11 for loss, five sacks and 20 quarterback hurries for a defense that held nine opponents to 20 points or less, while Gentle was the tone-setter for a physical unit, finishing with 97 tackles, including 32 for loss and 12 sacks to help the Blue Tornado reach the semifinals.
Seck graded out as McCallie’s most consistent offensive lineman, helping his team average 37 points per game, and Tabuteau, a Wisconsin signee, totaled 1,286 offensive yards (22 yards per catch) and 17 touchdowns. Tipton intercepted five passes, returning three for scores, and added 32 solo tackles.
In DII-AA, Boyd Buchanan’s Green was a Mr. Football finalist who totaled 1,850 all-purpose yards and 24 touchdowns, while Bates finished with 60 tackles, including 10 for loss, plus five sacks and four forced fumbles.
Crowder had 61 tackles, including seven for loss and three sacks, and forced three fumbles for a defense that held nine of 12 opponents to 17 points or less. Urffer was the leader up front for an offense that averaged 359 total yards (254 rushing) per game while helping the Buccaneers reach the state semifinals.
Silverdale’s Burger, who was also named DII-AA East Region lineman of the year, helped pave the way for an offense that averaged 430 yards per game, including 230 on the ground, and helped the Seahawks advance to the state quarterfinals.
Notre Dame’s Campbell threw for 1,995 yards and 20 touchdowns and ran for 255 yards for the Fighting Irish, who returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2018. Maddox was a Mr. Football finalist who connected on eight of nine field-goal attempts, including a long of 52 yards, and also made 22 of 23 extra-point tries, with 80% of his kickoffs going for touchbacks.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com.
TSWA ALL-STATE FOOTBALL 2025
Names of Chattanooga-area selections in bold
TSSAA Division II-A
OFFENSE
QB: Jared Curtis (Nashville Christian), Kohbe Ward (Concord Christian), Blake Waldorf (Friendship Christian); RB: Nix Fullen (Tipton-Rosemark), TJ Ward (Nashville Christian), Jackson Pugh (University School of Jackson); WR: Gabe Lee (Trinity Christian), Zayden Rauner (Providence Christian), Kaden Grigsby (Nashville Christian); OL: Kaden Buchanan (Friendship Christian), Jacob Crews (Middle Tennessee Christian), Carson Moore (University School of Jackson), Hunter Boyd (Providence Christian), Colin Romero (Nashville Christian), Josh O’Neal (University School of Jackson); ATH: Alie Bangura (Middle Tennessee Christian); K: Drew English (University School of Jackson).
DEFENSE
DL: Lyric Jackson (Concord Christian), Gideon Knox (Friendship Christian), Colt McClary (Nashville Christian), Barrett Shelton (University School of Jackson); LB: Sean Birkofer (Providence Christian), Eric Bowling (Middle Tennessee Christian), RJ Perkins (Nashville Christian), Hank Miller (Trinity Christian); DB: Dasani Moulden (Concord Christian), KeAndre Gibson (Nashville Christian), Dominic Davis (Donelson Christian), Terris Smith (Ezell-Harding); P: Cooper McFarland (Providence Christian).
TSSAA Division II-AA
OFFENSE
QB: Kaedyn Marable (Battle Ground Academy), Cooper Campbell (Notre Dame), T.J. Jenkins (Lausanne Collegiate); RB: David Green Jr. (Boyd Buchanan), Ryan Gibson (Christian Academy of Knoxville), Ajabeon Stinson (Knoxville Grace); WR: Maddox Porter (Battle Ground Academy), Jawell Rodgers (Lausanne Collegiate), Max Curry (Battle Ground Academy); OL: Will DeLong (Knoxville Grace), Celbie Urffer (Boyd Buchanan), J.B. Hoehn (Lausanne Collegiate), Koehn Dial (Battle Ground Academy), Luke Burger (Silverdale Baptist), Keilan Neal (Franklin Road Academy); ATH: Jace Ballard (Knoxville Grace); K: Owen Maddox (Notre Dame).
DEFENSE
DL: Collin Crider (Christian Academy of Knoxville), Sidikay Dikisongele (Lakeway Christian), Mason Bates (Boyd Buchanan), Ayden Woodruff (Battle Ground Academy); LB: Jackson Coffey (Knoxville Grace), K’Leb Crowder (Boyd Buchanan), Kwadir Fletcher (Franklin Road Academy), Elijah Fernandez (Battle Ground Academy); DB: Shavar Young (Knoxville Webb), Jayden Rush (Franklin Road Academy), Gabriel Linkous (Christian Academy of Knoxville), Omarii Sanders (Franklin Road Academy); P: Bennett Jelks (Christian Academy of Knoxville).
TSSAA Division II-AAA
OFFENSE
QB: Briggs Cherry (Baylor), Hudson Tucker (Briarcrest Christian), Elliott Drapeau (McCallie); RB: David Gabriel Georges (Baylor), Larry Sanders (Brentwood Academy), EJ Gibson (Ensworth); WR: Tyreek King (Knoxville Catholic), Keeyshawn Tabuteau (McCallie), William Jones (Briarcrest Christian); OL: Gabe Osenda (Baylor), Charlie Edgeworth (Baylor), Moussa Seck (McCallie), Blake Adams (Briarcrest Christian), Skyler Smith (Christ Presbyterian Academy), Xavier Yelder (Brentwood Academy); ATH: Cam Blivens (Lipscomb Academy); K: Tommy Bauchiero (Brentwood Academy).
DEFENSE
DL: Fischer French (McCallie), Jayden Arenas-Michel (Baylor), Brody Belville (Brentwood Academy), Nate Knox (Christ Presbyterian Academy); LB: Cooper Gentle (McCallie), Khori Faulkner (Baylor), Benjamin Buckhold (Christian Brothers), Kenneth Simon II (Brentwood Academy); DB: Chaston Smith (Knoxville Catholic), Jamyan Theodore (Baylor), De’Shun Tipton (McCallie), Kolby Barrett (Baylor); P: Garrett Dane (Briarcrest Christian).