First 2022 player rankings: 5 takeaways

<p>Many people, for weeks, have been waiting on the first Tennessee 2022 player rankings.</p> <p>Well, the rankings are out now, and I’m pretty sure the people who have been texting and calling me have checked them out.</p> <p>I think the player rankings are as accurate as they could possibly be.</p> <p>Here are my 5 takeaways from the first Tennessee 2022 player rankings.</p> <p><strong>Spots 3 and 4 could have went either way.</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="787649" first="Brandon" last="Miller"] was the unanimous No. 1, and he deserves it. The 6-foot-8 small forward runs the floor well, knows how to finish at the rim and shoots an efficient percentage from the field. [player_tooltip player_id="748745" first="Skyy" last="Clark"], [player_tooltip player_id="996878" first="Chandler" last="Jackson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="996904" first="Brian" last="Edwards Jr"]. rounded out the top four. Now, Jackson is definitely a top three prospect in the state. He’s a 6-5 point guard with upper body strength. His mid-range game is about where it needs to be at this point of his high school basketball career.</p> <p>Edwards is coming off a solid sophomore season leading Knoxville Catholic to a state title. At 6-2, Edwards has a high basketball IQ. He’s very patient as a floor general and sees a play before it fully unfolds. Spots three and four could’ve went either way. Both point guards have shown that they’re pretty darn good.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1011978" first="JaSteven" last="Walker"] at No. 17 is only temporary.</strong></p> <p>The 6-10 big man has high upside. Walker is already a good rim protector. He already knows how to contest shots at the rim. On the offensive end, Walker runs the floor well to be his size. He needs to improve on his post moves and develop a consistent mid-range jump shot. Walker at No. 17 is only temporary if he continues to develop.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="787686" first="Braeden" last="Moore"] in the top 10 was a no-brainer.         </strong></p> <p>Moore checked in at No. 9. He’s deserving of that because of his offensive strengths. At 6-8, Moore can stretch the floor. He’s a very smart basketball player. Moore can post up, knock down shots from 17-feet out and make shots from 3-point range. He and [player_tooltip player_id="787687" first="Braden" last="Ilic"], who ranked one spot above Moore, from Morristown East, are two of the best players in the state at the power forward position.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1021717" first="Micah" last="Simpson"] is a sleeper at No. 24.</strong></p> <p>Simpson has yet to pick up an offer from a Division 1 program, but schools have been watching him over the summer, playing for BMaze Elite 16U. Simpson is an underrated defender. As a 6-0 point guard, Simpson always looks up the floor each time he gets the rebound. Not only does Simpson have solid court vision, but he does a good job of getting into the lane. Simpson is going to hit a growth spurt and could possibly be as tall as Jackson from Christian Brothers. People are sleeping on Simpson in this class.</p> <p><strong>Griggs could improve his ranking with a solid junior season.</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1021718" first="Harmonta" last="Griggs"] checked in at No. 32, and that’s not a bad start for the shooting guard. They’re some talented guards in front of him, but a productive junior season could move him inside the top 30, possibly the top 25. It will be up to Griggs to make that happen. He showed solid offensive flashes last season, notching a 40-point performance against Bolivar Central. He also had 24 against Haywood. Griggs is a natural scorer. It’s not hard for him to put the ball in the basket. Consistency is the key for him.</p>