Alabama

Alabama budget throws crumbs to teachers

Published

3 years ago

April 16, 2022

Alabama budget throws crumbs to teachers

Loachapoka Excessive Faculty in Loachapoka, Alabama. (Wikimedia Commons)

Final week, the Alabama legislature authorized a report $8.26 billion schooling price range with the biggest trainer pay raises because the mid-Nineteen Eighties. The raises are an try to staunch the collapse of public schooling within the state and sluggish the mass exodus of chronically underpaid lecturers.

The New York Instances, masking this and related meager will increase nationally, voiced the hope that the small pay bumps might “assuage lecturers over labor issues, with lecturers having gone on strike in cities resembling Sacramento and Minneapolis .” The Democratic Social gathering mouthpiece expressed the ruling elite’s deep anxiousness over the rising motion of employees in opposition to poverty pay ranges and social inequality being exacerbated by the pandemic and the US proxy battle within the Ukraine.

Alabama’s Schooling Belief Fund (ETF) price range contains an preliminary enhance for fiscal yr 2023 starting from 4 % for these with fewer than 9 years of expertise, as much as 21 % for these with 35 years’ expertise. Thereafter, there shall be yearly step will increase of 1 % for all lecturers, stopping after 35 years of instructing. Republican Governor Kay Ivey, who faces a number of opponents within the main election this Could, is predicted to signal the invoice into regulation shortly.

The response on social media was appropriately offended. “To really impression [retention] lecturers want 25-30% pay raises. We have now been underpaid for many years,” stated one. One other added, “too little, too late.”

Apparently, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Lecturers, commenting on the just lately introduced pay will increase across the nation advised the New York Instances, “Let me simply say this: It’s by no means too late.” She continued, “Folks don’t go into instructing to grow to be wealthy, however they need to be capable to increase their children on a good wage.” Regardless of the disclaimer, Weingarten, netting greater than $500,000 yearly, apparently selected the primary motive.

For its half, the Alabama Schooling Affiliation likewise gushed its approval of measures. “The No. 1 sentiment has been: It’s about time, and it’s very a lot appreciated,” stated Amy Marlowe, the affiliation’s government director. Inadvertently pointing to the union’s failure to struggle for respectable wages over a long time, she famous it’s the first time lecturers in Alabama have seen a pay increase of this scale since 1983. Over the past 20 years, the legislature has authorized cost-of-living raises, starting from 2 to 7 %, solely eight occasions.

The end result has been that Alabama lecturers subsist on poverty wages. The state is rated thirty fifth out of fifty states in salaries, with lecturers receiving $10,000 a yr lower than their colleagues in different states on common. The present laws totally fails to make up for these a long time of stagnating wages.

For many lecturers the preliminary, bigger increase is not going to even sustain with rising costs in 2022. Lecturers rightly famous on social media, we’re “principally breaking even … inflation and price of residing.” One other added, “What a joke!! 1% pay increase … you continue to go within the gap yearly when insurance coverage goes up,” added one other.

Lecturers additionally questioned whether or not the cash would even make its approach into lecturers’ paychecks, or whether or not it could be whittled down after it passes by the palms of native college boards and superintendents.

Based on the March 2022 Shopper Value Index for All City Customers Report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, inflation has hit the South more durable than different areas of the nation. The rise in inflation over the past yr averages a staggering 9 % throughout the area, putting it larger than the nationwide common of 8.5 %. In different phrases, lecturers—like employees throughout the US—will wrestle to eat and put fuel of their automobiles.

The most recent ETF follows final yr’s initiative, TEAMS (Trainer Excellence and Accountability for Arithmetic and Science), which sought to make the most of the troublesome straits of educators by bribing them to surrender their rights. Lecturers in this system signed one- or three-year contracts to earn as much as $20,000 extra per yr however lose their persevering with service, or tenure, standing.

To offer a way of the horrible inadequacy of those raises (known as by the New York Instances “excellent news” and “important”), the common Alabama trainer, with a Grasp’s diploma and 11 years of expertise, will obtain solely a 7 % increase, lower than the speed of inflation. That’s the princely sum of $4,015, pre-tax. An Alabama trainer with a Bachelor’s diploma must be within the twentieth yr of instructing to see a increase of over $5,000 to simply meet the estimated prices in rising meals, gas and primary wants which monetary analysts anticipate to hit in 2022.

This isn’t to say the truth that many of those educators, after years of coaching, are combating scholar mortgage debt incurred for added levels.

The AEA’s endorsement of the Alabama price range is simply its most up-to-date betrayal of the pursuits of lecturers. The union has grow to be infamous amongst lecturers within the state for its refusal to struggle in opposition to the lethal reopening of faculties all through the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the peak of the Omicron surge, when faculties throughout Alabama have been reopening with out even probably the most minimal mitigation measures in place, AEA Consultant Anna Bern stated that the group was decided to “preserve faculties open” and would concentrate on “advocating” for masks mandates.

The pandemic has exacerbated the grave scarcity of educators nationally, for good motive, as college employees have been on the entrance strains of calls for by massive enterprise politicians that employees return to unsafe job websites, regardless of how many individuals get sick or die.

Although no official tally has been printed, an unofficial Twitter tracker has documented at the very least 22 educator deaths in Alabama because the begin of the 2021-2022 college yr. In September 2021, earlier than the peak of the Delta and Omicron waves, the Birmingham Metropolis Faculties District reported eighty workers members and one scholar had died of COVID-19. In the course of the winter of 2020-2021, eight educators died in Montgomery.

As for the impression of the pandemic on youngsters, the state stopped publicly reporting pediatric COVID-19 deaths in July of 2021, earlier than the Delta and Omicron waves ripped by the US and prompted report infections, hospitalizations and deaths amongst youngsters nationwide.

A survey carried out by the Nationwide Schooling Affiliation (NEA) in January discovered that 55 % of its members supposed to go away instructing before deliberate “due to the pandemic,” up from 37 % in August 2021. A staggering 90 % stated burnout was a significant issue. Already there are 567,000 fewer educators in public faculties than earlier than the beginning of the pandemic, in accordance with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As the identical time the ratio of latest hires to job openings reached the report low of .57 in January.

Earlier than the pandemic, the Alabama Trainer Scarcity Activity Drive reported in 2019 on the intense scarcity throughout the state. Thirty % of all Alabama school rooms have been being taught by lecturers outdoors their subject of experience, and 1,700 secondary lecturers have been instructing with emergency certification or out of subject. From 2010 to 2019, college students coming into instructing education schemes dropped by 40 %. Solely 4 % of highschool juniors taking the school admissions ACT indicated they might take into account a instructing profession, down from 12 % in 2015.

Final yr, over 3,500 lecturers and faculty workers retired after the 2020-2021 college yr, probably the most in a decade. A survey carried out by the Alabama Fee on Larger Schooling in Could-June 2021 amongst Okay-12 public college educators, together with each lecturers and different college workers, discovered that 38 % of respondents indicated they deliberate to go away inside 5 years. An extra 17 % thought-about leaving inside 5 years.

Of these with plans to go away inside 5 years, 47 % cited burnout as a contributing issue, 41 % cited each lack of respect at their job and low wage. Even amongst respondents with no plans to go away, 44 % stated burnout was a difficulty, and 42 % stated their wage was too low.

The consensus was that along with needing important pay will increase above what was authorized, lecturers are additionally quitting resulting from being overburdened by workers shortages, onerous administrative pressures, standardized testing necessities, and hostile work environments. As one trainer remarked, “The schooling system is damaged and it’s going to take greater than cash to repair it.”

Determined temporizing measures by state officers within the face of rising class struggles, propelled by the rising price of residing because of the ongoing pandemic and compounded by the outbreak of battle in Ukraine, are usually not distinctive to Alabama. In Louisiana, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Schooling handed a price range which included a $1,500 increase for licensed lecturers. Tennessee Governor Invoice Lee has additionally proposed an analogous enhance of $1,550 for lecturers within the subsequent price range. This interprets to a rise of solely $125 and $129 a month.

In Mississippi, which ranks final within the NEA’s estimates of common trainer wage nationally, the legislature just lately handed the biggest trainer pay increase within the state’s historical past. Even this solely quantities to a median increase of $5,140 within the first yr, adopted by annual step will increase of solely $400, with $1,200 to $1,350 will increase each 5 years.

In the meantime, the ruling elites, represented by each capitalist events, have spared no expense of their reckless drive to battle, with the swift passage of the Biden administration’s report $800 billion army price range.

There may be loads of cash to totally fund free, high-quality schooling for all college students, however this requires an unlimited redistribution of sources away from the battle machine and the tremendous rich. To mobilize a struggle for his or her calls for requires that lecturers and faculty employees set up themselves independently of the official commerce unions and associations, that are tied hand and foot to the politicians and faculty officers which have carried out steady assaults in opposition to public schooling.

The Southern Educators Rank-and-File Security Committee is preventing to unite the working class throughout the area, in solidarity with committees throughout the US and internationally, to wage a wrestle in opposition to the pandemic, austerity and the specter of battle. Contact us to be taught how one can be part of the struggle!

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Related Topics:AFT Alabama Alabama Education Association education Featured inflation Ivey pay raise Randi Weingarten teacher strike

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Alabama

Report: The top 10 highest-paid coaches in Alabama 7A high school football

Published

5 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Press Room

Class 7A in Alabama high school football hosts the 32 largest high schools in the Yellowhammer State, and 16 of those programs entered the 7A playoffs last weekend. Now onto the second round, just eight teams are left.

This Friday — Auburn will face Thompson, Enterprise heads to Baker, Phenix City Central and Vestavia Hills square off, and Hoover will play Opelika.

Of those eight teams, six have head coaches in the top 10 of Alabama 7A coach salaries, per AL.com.

Below are the 10 highest-paid 7A high school football head coaches in the state of Alabama.

1. Mark Freeman

School: Alabaster Thompson
Base Salary: $84,323.55
Coaching Supplement: $77,731.06
Total: $162,054.61

Mark Freeman has been the head coach at Thompson since 2015. In that time, the Warriors have racked up several state championships. This season, Thompson is 8-3 and set to play Auburn this weekend after thrashing Daphne 50-0 last Friday. The Warriors are ranked No. 3 in Alabama, according to the On3 Massey Ratings, and No. 71 in the United States.

2. Patrick Nix

School: Phenix City Central
Base Salary: $62,568
Coaching Supplement: $92,532
Total: $155,100

Patrick Nix became the head coach at Central in 2020. He played quarterback for Auburn from 1992-95 and previously held the offensive coordinator job at Miami. Phenix City Central put up a whopping 70 points on James Clemens in the first round to improve to 8-2 on the year. The Red Devils, home to Miami commit Daylyn Upshaw and Alabama pledge Mal Waldrep, are the No. 5 team in the Yellowhammer State.

3. Josh Floyd

School: Hewitt-Trussville
Total: $151,107.36

Brand new to Hewitt-Trussville, Josh Floyd led the Huskies to a playoff berth in his first season under the hood. Hewitt-Trussville was upset by Baker in the first round, but still put together an impressive 8-3 season and finished No. 7 in the Alabama high school football rankings. Recent alumni include class of 2023 prospects Hunter Osborne and Rickey Gibson.

4. Keith Etheredge

School: Auburn
Base Salary: $104,755.70
Coaching Supplement: $43,813
Total: $148,588.70

Keith Etheredge took over the Auburn job heading into the 2021 season. Now with the best team in the state, the Tigers are looking to get over the Central hump for a state championship. Auburn continues to roll with a perfect record. The Tigers are undefeated and No. 1 in the state of Alabama, fresh off of a 63-27 win over Bob Jones in the first round. They will play Alabaster Thompson this weekend.

5. Robert Evans

School: Birmingham Vestavia Hills
Base Salary: $97,841
Coaching Supplement: $47,500
Total: $145,341

Rob Evans returned to his alma mater in 2022 after serving as the defensive coordinator at Mountain Brook. Vestavia Hills is still alive in the postseason. Evans’ Rebels are just 6-5 against what has been a brutal schedule. They are the No. 10 team in the state and coming off of a three-score win over Mary G. Montgomery.

6. Bryan Moore

School: Opelika
Base Salary: $71,812
Coaching Supplement: $69,467
Total: $141,279

Head coach Bryan Moore has been suspended for Opelika’s playoff game this week after he was seen on the sidelines at Hoover’s round one playoff game against Fairhope last Thursday. A picture captured by Under The Lights shows Moore holding a pen and binder watching the Hoover game on the sidelines. He was also wearing a credential, which, according to WKRG’s Simone Lee, was intended for Opelika student media.

7. Ben Blackmon

School: Enterprise
Base Salary: $91,423.32
Coaching Supplement: $48,534
Total: $139,957.32

Ben Blackmon was also suspended for a single game by the AHSAA for advance scouting earlier this season. A video submitted to WKRG showed Blackmon sitting beside an Enterprise assistant filming Opelika’s (Ala.) game against Dothan (Ala.) ahead of Enterprise’s clash with Opelika.

8. Shane McComb

School: Birmingham Oak Mountain
Base Salary: $62,923.22
Coaching Supplement: $73,442
Total: $136,365.22

Shane McComb took over the Oak Mountain job heading into the 2023 season. The team was coming off of a 3-7 season and went 1-9 in McComb’s first year. This season has seen a marked improvement with a 4-6 record. The Eagles did not make it to the Alabama high school football playoffs.

9. Bert Browne

School: Albertville
Base Salary: $78,493
Coaching Supplement: $48,900
Total: $127,393

Also new to his program in 2023, Bert Browne’s Aggies are 0-20 in his tenure. But, he had a tall task ahead of him when he took the job. In the two years before Browne’s hiring, Albertville had won just two games.

10. Chad McGehee

School: Madison James Clemens
Base Salary: $83,937
Coaching Supplement: $41,789.58
Total: $125,726.58

Chad McGehee took over as the head coach at James Clemens in 2021 after three years as the defensive coordinator at Hoover. The Jets made the postseason with a 6-4 record but fell 70-14 to Phenix City Central in the first round.

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Alabama

New Gap ad features Alabama musician, and an iconic pop star approves

Published

12 hours ago

November 13, 2024

Press Room

New Gap ad features Alabama musician, and an iconic pop star approves

You know you’ve crushed a Janet Jackson cover when Ms. Jackson (if you’re nasty) is into it.

The Gap’s new holiday ad campaign has nine “sing-fluencers” — vocalists popular on social media — performing a version of Jackson’s 1997 chart-topper “Together Again” whilst clad in Gap gear.

Among that nonet, north Alabama musician Lamont Landers, whose TikTok followers number over a half-million. Other singers in the Gap campaign include two gifted young nephews of pop star Bruno Mars, who go by the names of Nyah Music and Zyah Rhythm.

Jackson’s classic track was a sensual banger. The Gap version stripes it down to a stirring a capella ballad.

After the Gap shared a video of the “Together Again” cover on the San Francisco headquartered clothing retailer’s Instagram, Jackson’s account commented with a black heart.

Other celebs — including ‘80s pop icon Debbie Wilson, Bruce Willis’ wife Emma Heming Willis and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model Camille Kostek — also expressed their fondness for the clip, in the form of likes or comments. As have notable influencers, like Sarah Nicole Landry and Aubrey Fisher, with millions of IG followers.

The Gap content was filmed over two days in Los Angeles a few months ago. Other singers include Hana Effron, Aneesa Strings, Paige Fish, PawPaw Rod, Amaria and Liamani.

North Alabama musician Lamont Landers, as shot for the Gap’s 2024 holiday ad campaign. (Courtesy Samuel Bradley)Samuel Bradley

Landers says, “Everybody was so cool, and we all meshed very well. We sang the commercial live, so what you hear and see is a live performance. There’s no Auto Tune or us in a studio doing it after the fact. It put the onus on us to really have it tight and sound good.

“I didn’t know what to expect going into it, but it was an overwhelmingly enjoyable experience. It was cool. To represent north Alabama and a nationwide campaign is very cool – and the money didn’t hurt at all.”

The vocal arrangement for the Gap ad was done by Patrick Lawrence Zappia, whose resume ranges from metal band Slipknot tor virtual-reality headset Meta Quest, and Alexander Lloyd Blake, who’s worked on films like “Wakanda Forever” and Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect.”

“It was almost like an impromptu high school choir,” Landers says. Back in the day, Landers sang choir at Decatur High School under choral director Dr. Carl Davis. “It felt like a throwback to that,” he says.

Landers deft, deep-soul vocals are endearingly juxtaposed to his bespectacled, baby-faced, pale-skinned and redhead appearance. As Kiss frontman Paul Stanley posted on X early this year, ” If you love R&B like I do you’ll LOVE him. No, he doesn’t look what you expect but just goes to show ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’. LOVE him.”

Landers was on tour as the opening act for acclaimed soul-rock band Black Pumas, when his manager called him with the news he’d locked down the Gap gig. He says since the campaign launched November 1, he’s gained a couple thousand followers on Instagram, pushing him back over 300,000 there.

“More so than any kind of benefit I’ve reaped from it,” Landers says, “it’s been cool to see the positive response for the campaign. It’s always good to participate in something that’s successful and that people enjoy rather than, you know, the commercial come out and people are like, ‘Well, this sucks.’”

The Gap content is one of the most effective uses of music in advertising since the now-classic iPod ads featuring the likes of Jet and U2 and Volkswagen’s Super Bowl spot this year with Neil Diamond classic “I Am … I Said.”

“You gotta take every avenue these days,” Landers says. “It’s not a one-shot deal.”

That said, Landers is building a career via more traditional music biz paths too. Touring with Black Pumas “was like a dream,” Landers says. “We got to play these venues that were way above our pay grade.” The trek brought Landers and his band to stages like Brooklyn Paramount Theater and Boston’s Leader Bank Pavilion. The last night of the tour, Black Pumas brought Landers onstage with them to sing on a cover of Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.” This year, Landers also played sets at Atlanta’s Shaky Knees Festival and Tennessee’s Pilgrimage Fest.

Landers is no stranger to the spotlight. In spring 2018, the Lamont Landers Band wowed on Fox TV’s “Showtime at The Apollo.” They did a hot version of Bill Withers funk-pop classic “Use Me” at Apollo Theater, the hallowed Harlem, N.Y. venue where legends like James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson broke through early in their careers.

The Apollo performance helped score Landers a slot on Tuscaloosa Amphitheater’s Bicentennial Bash, a daylong 2019 concert headlined by Grammy-winner Jason Isbell. That summer, Landers returned to TV. He appeared on top-rated NBC show “America’s Got Talent,” performing Al Green soul standard “Let’s Stay Together” in front of judges including Simon Cowell, the notoriously blunt “American Idol” heel, with whom Landers had a (staged) on-camera confrontation.

Next year should be Landers’ biggest yet. He’s signed a recording contract with a label founded by A-list Americana producer Dave Cobb, known for his work with Isbell, Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Slash, Great Van Fleet, and Red Clay Strays. “I’m really excited about it,” Landers says. “The man’s got nine Grammys.”

Landers checks in for this phone interview from writing sessions in Muscle Shoals for his debut full-length album, targeted for a first-quarter 2025 release.

“I’ve got eight songs cut right now,” he says, and I gotta go back and hit some more. We’re gonna finish it by the end of the year.” He describes the sound as “contemporary southern soul and Americana-ish.”

Musicians on Landers’ upcoming album include drummer Derek Phillips (credits include Michael McDonald, Vanessa Williams), bassist Brian Allen (Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga), and keyboardist Philip Towns (Brent Cobb, Anderson East).

Cobb connected with Landers after The Roots drummer and “The Tonight Show” musician Questlove shared an Instagram clip of Landers nailing the lead vocal from “The Rubberband Man,” a 1976 hit by R&B group The Spinners.

“And because of that,” Landers says, “Dave Cobb reached out to me on Instagram. And lo and behold, a couple days later I was in Savannah, Georgia to meet with him, and we talked, and he wanted to sign me.”

Landers also has an EP in the can recorded with an indie-rock-meets-vintage-soul project called Player’s Club, with Brittany Howard/Alabama Shakes bassist Zac Cockrell. Muscle Shoals legend Spooner Oldham is on keyboards.

Landers says his contract with Low Country Sound includes a provision allowing him to release the Player’s Club recordings, which he plans to drop between his first and second albums for Cobb’s label. Landers previous recordings include a strong self-titled EP, recorded at local studio Clearwave and featuring alt-rock tinged single “Into the Fold.”

Thursday, Landers will perform in Nashville at East Iris Studios, headlining a 7 p.m. bill of north Alabama’s best new artists, including Camacho, Common Man and Local Brand. The show, a collaboration between the Huntsville Music Office, Huntsville commercial development MidCity (home of Orion Amphitheater), and major label Universal Music Group will stream live on volume.com.

All signs point to Landers being the next north Alabama musician to break big, following the footsteps of Jason Isbell, Alabama Shakes and Brittany Howard. He isn’t taking doing a touchdown dance just yet though.

“Something’s gonna happen next year regardless,” Landers says. “I’m just not sure which turn it’s gonna be, but I’m feeling very optimistic with the songs we’ve got and the songs that I’m currently writing. It’s just you just never know how people are gonna receive it. And that’s the scary thing. I can think everything’s good all day, but it’s up to the people to decide whether it’s good.”

A former Huntsville resident, during the pandemic Landers returned to his Decatur hometown, where he currently resides with his fiancé and young child. “Having something worth coming home to,” Landers says, “it’s so good, man. It’s the best.”

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Alabama

Spiegelman Awards: Best of the high school season

Published

20 hours ago

November 13, 2024

Press Room

Spiegelman Awards: Best of the high school season

Rivals national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman has been all over the Southeast this season, scouting top high school prospects from the 2025, 2026, 2027 and even 2028 classes. Here are his awards for the top performances he saw in person.

THIS SERIES: Greg Smith’s awards for this season

MR. PLAYMAKER: Na’eem Offord

Offord fits the bill as a playmaker in the secondary. Offord is long at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, and his ability to accelerate in a hurry and seamlessly break on the football is evident in coverage. The five-star prospect is dynamic in the defensive backfield and also on special teams, where he’s returned multiple punts for touchdowns as a senior.

He has the ability to smother receivers and mirror routes. He has superb anticipation and suddenness, and has shined as a senior.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OHIO STATE FANS AT DOTTINGTHEEYES.COM

COOL UNDER PRESSURE: Julian Lewis

Lewis has been dynamic in his senior season at Carrollton (Ga.) High. He’s been a highly efficient, high-level game manager that’s stepped up in big-game moments week in and week out against a rigid high school schedule. Lewis is immune to pressure and delivers in big moments.

The five-star USC verbal is highly efficient and extremely accurate on throws on in-breaking routes and delivers great balls from off-platform throws. We love Lewis’ ability to command an offense.

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ONE GIANT LEAP: Jared Smith

There might not be another defensive end who has made a bigger statement as a senior than Smith. The fourth-ranked defensive end in the Rivals250 has been absolutely electric flying off the line and making splash plays off the edge.

Smith has exceptional burst and a quick, explosive first step. He turns the corner with conviction and plays with a high motor. At 6-foot-5 and north of 230 pounds, Smith’s length and size allow him to impact plays consistently.

No prospect in the Southeast has taken a bigger leap forward than Smith, a key component of Auburn’s top-five recruiting class.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH AUBURN FANS AT AUBURNSPORTS.COM

SWISS ARMY KNIFE: Michael Terry

Terry wears multiple hats for his high school team. He sees snaps out of the shotgun, out of the backfield, and lined up as a receiver on the perimeter. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder brings physicality out of the backfield and out wide. He has sure hands and is able to add yardage after contact and break free from hosts of defenders.

Texas and others are recruiting Terry as a hybrid H-back, where he would be a mismatch out of different formations as a pass-catcher and weapon out of the backfield.

MR. ELECTRIC: Adrian Wilson

Wilson, a recent Colorado commit, is one of the most electric receivers from the Lone Star State. Wilson has outstanding body control and is a crafty route-runner – with an explosive release off the line and fantastic hands on the back end. Wilson is smooth in and out of his breaks and is a fluid receiver able to adjust and make plays on the fly.

He’s been doing this for years at Pflugerville (Texas) Weiss and is primed to be a difference-maker in Boulder.

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ADONIS: David Sanders

Sanders has been rock-solid anchoring the offensive line at Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day. The elite OL is a sculpted 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, and has been dynamic working on both sides of the ball as a senior. Projecting as an offensive tackle for the Vols, Sanders has been brilliant. He anticipates well in pass pro and is strong enough to withstand power rushes and agile enough to dispel speed rushers off the edge.

Sanders is light on his feet and plays with great leverage. He thrived blocking in space and clearing paths in the run game in motion. Sanders was one of the best in-person evals from a left tackle in recent memory.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TENNESSEE FANS AT VOLREPORT.COM

THE SNUGGY: Shamar Arnoux

Arnoux has battled injuries for parts of his high school career, and the senior has been absolutely stellar in coverage on the perimeter. The USC verbal out of the Peach State is able to effectively blanket receivers and use his excellent length and fluidity in coverage to cover bigger receivers outside and move well with quicker pass-catchers, too.

Arnoux is undoubtedly a stock-up candidate after this season, proving to be an aggressive, ball-hawking cornerback and a willing tackler, too.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH USC FANS AT TROJANSPORTS.COM

THE TAKE OVER: Deuce Knight

Knight has the ability to take over a game, a prerequisite as an elite QB in this era of football. As a senior, Knight has continued to improve with his efficiency as a passer and decision-maker. He enjoyed a strong off-season throwing the football at different levels of the field.

As a senior at Lucedale (Miss.) George County High, he’s kept his eyes downfield, effectively evaded pressure and maneuvered efficiently within the pocket to extend plays. Knight can maintain accuracy and touch on throws when on the move.

The 6-foot-4, 190-pounder leaned on his legs in critical game situations and is a devastating runner in the open field. The Auburn commit’s mobility is an absolute game-changer when can he extend plays to keep defenses off-guard.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH AUBURN FANS AT AUBURNSPORTS.COM

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