From Army football commit Omeiza Daniyan to Liberty commit Elijah Fernandez, choose a candidate and vote for Nashville's Ponce Law 2025 Preseason Top Linebacker.
The Tennessean ranked the top 20 Nashville area high school linebackers returning for the 2025 TSSAA football season.
Now, you get to choose the best.
Vote for the Ponce Law 2025 Preseason Top Linebacker. Voting will close Thursday at noon.
Rankings were based on 2024 statistics, strength of schedule, observations, recruiting interest, and coach feedback. Players below are listed by their grade for the 2025-26 school year and in order of their schools alphabetically.
Elijah Fernandez, BGA, Sr.: Fernandez, a Liberty commitment, finished with 14 TFLs, three sacks, two fumble recoveries, two blocked punts and a team-high 82 tackles. He has 11 Division I offers.
Roman Jennings, Brentwood Academy, Jr.: Jennings had 6.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, 18 solo tackles and 36.5 total stops. His offers include UAB, Miami (Ohio) and Wayne State.
Preston Patterson, CPA, Sr.: Patterson, whose offers include UT-Martin, ETSU and Bowling Green, had 11.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, eight pass breakups, two sacks and 113 tackles during CPA’s DII-AA state title run.
Weston Willeford, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Sr.: Willeford, a Lipscomb University baseball commitment, had three TFLs, three interceptions, five pass breakups, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and 46 tackles.
Nixon Love, Columbia Academy, Jr.: Love had 13 TFLs, one sack, two fumble recoveries and 112 tackles during Columbia’s run to the DII-A state final.
Teighan Lee, Franklin, Sr.: Lee had nine TFLs, three forced fumbles, four sacks and 115 tackles.
Kwadir Fletcher, Franklin Road Academy, Jr.: Fletcher led FRA with 82 tackles, adding nine TFLs, five sacks and a fumble recovery.
Omeiza Daniyan, Green Hill, Sr.: Daniyan, an Army commitment, had 14 tackles for loss last season with two interceptions, six forced fumbles, eight sacks and 72 tackles.
Brayden Hightower, Hillsboro, Sr.: Hightower had 63 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions. He has an offer from UT-Martin.
Drake Armstrong, Montgomery Bell Academy, Sr.: Armstrong finished with 64 tackles, two TFLs and two sacks.
Noah Anderson, Mt. Juliet, Jr.: Anderson had 19 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, two interceptions, one fumble recovery and one defensive touchdown, finishing with 80 tackles.
RJ Perkins, Nashville Christian, Sr.: Perkins, the DII-A Middle Region Defensive Player of the Year, had 14 TFLs, two sacks, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and 101 tackles.
Kullen Williams, Oakland, Sr.: Williams had one interception, 68 tackles and 0.5 sacks.
Sean Cunningham, Page, Sr.: Cunningham finished with 105 tackles and made all-region.
Karmelo League, Pearl-Cohn, Sr.: League had 24 TFLs, one interception, eight sacks, two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and 106 tackles.
Kyrin Coleman, Pope John Paul II Preparatory School, Jr.: Coleman, who has offers from Austin Peay and UT-Martin, had one interception, two sacks, one forced fumble and 63 tackles.
Sean Birkofer, Providence Christian Academy, Sr.: Birkofer had four interceptions, five sacks, two fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and 109 tackles. He has an offer from Sewanee.
Matthew Anderson, Ravenwood, Sr.: Anderson had 19 TFLs, three forced fumbles, two pass breakups and 112 tackles during Ravenwood’s run to the Class 6A semifinals.
Ayden Emmons, Riverdale, Sr.: The 3-6A co-linebacker of the year led Riverdale with 120 tackles (11 for loss), 3.5 sacks, two interceptions and five pass break-ups.
Will Hyden, Tullahoma, Sr.: Hyden had four sacks, four forced fumbles, two blocked kicks, five TFLs and 67 tackles.
Tyler Palmateer covers high school sports for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for him? Reach Tyler at [email protected] and on the X platform, @tpalmateer83.
He also writes The Tennessean’s high school sports newsletter, The Bootleg. Subscribe to the newsletter here.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSSAA football: Vote for Nashville's Ponce Law 2025 Preseason Top Linebacker
Category: General Sports
