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April has arrived, meaning we’re four short months away from the 2024 high school football kicking off. That means it’s a perfect time for some preview action to prepare you for the upcoming season.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve highlighted each of the area’s top returning players and their position groups. Now one remains.
Here are 20 returning Nashville area specialists you need to keep an eye on during the 2024 season:
TOP RETURNERS PER POSITION: QB / RB / WR / OL / DL / LB / DB
Andrew Bingham, Independence: The special teams unit at Independence may be the best in Williamson County this year. They have a deadly punter in Bingham who averaged 40.17 yards per punt with a long of 62 and pinned 11 inside the 20.
Camden Holiday, CPA: Holiday was a consistent scoring threat for the Lions in the run to the DII-AA title. He was 39-of-41 on PATs and 6-of-9 on field goals with a long of 39 yards.
Daniel Echeverria, Mt. Juliet: Echeverria was our large class Special Teams Player of the Year in 2023. He averaged 40.2 yards on 18 punts and pinned eight inside the 20. As a kicker, he was 30-for-30 on PATs, 10-of-12 on kicks with a long of 50 yards, and was 7-of-7 on field goals longer than 40 yards.
Drew Crabtree, Ravenwood: The Raptors return a ton and that includes an experienced kicker in Crabtree. He enters his senior season with 17 field goals, 105 PATs, and 54 touchbacks.
Gavin Rush, Page: When his number was called, Rush continually put the Patriots in a good spot with his 37-yard punt average. He had a long of 63 yards on the season pinning 22 inside the 20.
Jack VanOrman, CPA: VanOrman’s got a bright future ahead after being named the Lions’ starting punter as a freshman. He recorded 27 for the season with an average of 38.7 yards and a long of 56.
Jaxon Endres, Ravenwood: Time to give a long snapper some love right? Endres is ranked as the state’s top long snapper for the 2025 class and No. 23 in the nation by Rubio Long Snapping.
Landric Mayeski, Independence: The scoring portion of Independence’s standout special teams unit, Mayeski was special for the Eagles last season. He was 28-of-29 on PATs and 6-of-9 on his field goal attempts with a long of 50.
London Bironas, Brentwood Academy: It could be argued that there’s not a stronger foot in Nashville than Bironas. Colleges have taken notice and he’ll be headed to some Division I program once his high school career is over.
Keith O’Neal, Springfield: O’Neal was called upon frequently last season and more often than not delivered. He averaged 34.4 yards on 23 punts and pinned five inside the 20.
Khalil Arman, Riverdale: The Warriors were a scoring machine last season and that includes their kicking department. Arman was 56-of-60 on PATs and 6-of-8 on field goals with a long of 40 yards.
Noah Harris, FRA: Harris is a top-100 prospect according to Kohls and should flash that power several times in 2024.
Max Kelley, Gallatin: Kelley handled all kicking duty for the Green Wave last season and did so extremely well. On punts, he averaged 38.1 yards and pinned nine inside the 20. Scoring-wise he was 33-of-38 on PATs and 9-of-12 on field goal attempts with a long of 45.
Mick Casto, Rossview: He may have only been a freshman but Casto was as efficient as they come drilling 7-of-9 field goals and 33-of-34 PATs.
Rhys Stevenson, Franklin: Kohls ranked Stevenson following the 2021 season and he should be in for another great season with the Admirals.
Roman Mathis, Davidson Academy: Mathis was our Medium Class Special Teams Player of the Year in 2023. His junior included going 10-of-13 on field goal attempts with a long 47 yards, 54-of-56 on PATs, 40 touchbacks, and averaged 38.5 yards on 11 punts pinning four inside the 20.
Ronit Chandra, MBA: Kohls has Chandra ranked as one of the best in the country for the 2026 class and he showed why multiple times in 2023. Don’t be shocked to see his ranking skyrocket over the next two years.
Tommy Bauchiero, Brentwood Academy: The Eagles have the luxury of having two big boots in the kicking department with Bauchiero and Bironas. He’s ranked nationally by Kohls and for good reason.
Travis Wakefield, Lipscomb Academy: Wakefield’s the area’s top-ranked 2026 long snapper according to Kohls, and holds a four-star ranking.
Will Arbuckle, Pope Prep: They may have had struggles at time scoring last season but Arbuckle wasn’t in that boat. He was 22-of-26 on PATs and 7-of-9 on field goals with a long of 34 yards.
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