TSSAA: Top Tennessee football prospect Reggie Grimes II ineligible at Ravenwood

Tom Kreager
The Tennessean

The top college football prospect in Tennessee is ineligible by TSSAA rules after transferring from Mt. Juliet to Ravenwood.

Reggie Grimes II transferred schools after his father Reggie Grimes was named the defensive coordinator at Ravenwood.

He was originally believed to be eligible because his father is in the process of becoming a full-time certified teacher at Ravenwood and has an intent to hire offer letter from the Williamson County school, Ravenwood coach Matt Daniels told The Tennessean.

TSSAA bylaws state that to be eligible when a parent takes a teaching job at another school, the student must have been attending school where the student's parent works as a full-time certified teacher and that parent takes a full-time job as a certified teacher at a different school.

The elder Grimes has been a classified employee and not a full-time certified teacher at Mt. Juliet, which would make his son ineligible by TSSAA rules for one calendar year unless the family moves into Ravenwood's zone or a hardship is applied for and approved by the TSSAA.

Daughter Reghan Grimes also would be ineligible for one year. The sophomore was a three-sport athlete at Mt. Juliet this past season playing volleyball, basketball and track and field.

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The elder Grimes told The Tennessean a hardship would be filed to get his son and daughter eligible at Ravenwood.

Grimes II, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound defensive end, is the No. 1 prospect in Tennessee, according to the 247Sports Composite, and No. 26 overall prospect in the country. His top six choices include Alabama, Florida State, LSU, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. 

Ravenwood is coming off a Class 6A state semifinal appearance and could be the Nashville area's top team entering the 2019 season with or without Grimes.

Ravenwood's returning lineup already includes Duke commitment Graham Barton, an offensive lineman. Athlete Andrew Mason and offensive lineman Gabriel Sleenhof also are returning seniors and are receiving college offers.

The Raptors' junior class includes linebacker Junior Colson, the state's No. 4 prospect for 2021, and tight end Jake Briningstool, the No. 6 prospect.

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Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Kreager.