Michael Reese, son of former TSU coach James Reese III, is Cane Ridge's first Power-5 football signee

Tom Kreager
Nashville Tennessean

Michael Reese wasn't aware of the school history he was making by signing with Duke until a couple weeks ago.

The Cane Ridge senior, the son of former Tennessee State football coach James Reese III, was set to become the first from the high school's football program to sign with a Power-5 program.

Cane Ridge coach Eddie Woods and James Reese III, the Ravens' athletic director, told Michael Reese about the feat.

Cane Ridge's first varsity season was in 2009.

Cane Ridge's Michael Reese puts on his Duke University hat after signing a letter of intent with the Blue Devils at Cane Ridge High School Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, in Antioch, Tenn.

"I was speechless," Michael Reese said. "I didn't know about it until they told me.

"It's just not about me. My teammates before me, the 2017 and 2018 and 2019 class, they helped me get to this where I could get up here."

Reese's signing comes on the heels of running back Jacquez Norman signing with Tulane, an FBS school in the AAC last year.

Reese, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound two-way lineman, was one of four Nashville area college football signees with Duke. He was recruited as a defensive tackle and will enroll in January.

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Reese, a three-star defensive tackle, is the No. 29 prospect in the state according to the 247Sports Composite and No. 78 defensive tackle in the country.

Reese, who was the Region 5-6A defensive MVP, had 54 tackles with 12 for loss and he had five sacks. He also was the Ravens' left tackle on offense.

He started as a sophomore when the Ravens finished Class 6A runner-up.

"He is what we want our program to represent," Woods said. "We want them to perform at the highest level athletically and also academically. He represents what Cane Ridge is about and what we want to continue."

James Reese III said it was his son's idea to graduate early to get on campus in January. It allows him to have a semester of college before the season starts. It also gets him in the weight room ahead of the rest of the freshman class.

"It will be hard to see him leave (in January), but he'll be fine," James Reese III said. "It was all his decision.

"When we were in the recruiting process, (Michael) asked them if it would be possible for him to come in January. They told him they would love to have him."

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