06/05/2025
Peach-Chief City
Volume 1
The 2026 Class
By
Christopher Bennett Sr (Mr No A.I)
This fall marks the 4th season of the Derrick Smith era at McIntosh High School. The first 3 years of his tenure has been full of firsts and new age opportunities for the Chiefs. Seeing 2 playoff appearances in his first 3 years, which is a lot when looking at the schools history of not seeing the post season regularly. The first 3 years has also seen more than 20 student athletes receive college offers to continue their education as well as playing careers. The number is astonishing considering the handful of football players that have gone on to play the sport collegiately from the school since its inception.
The offers are a direct reflection of Smith opening the team to D1 and D2 coaches, through constant and consistent contact with universities and truly seeing the best match for each student athlete. Not every university is right for every student, so knowing the athlete on and off the field helps match both sides with the best student in regard to not only talent on the field, but their ambitions in the classroom. This approach has made McIntosh a jewel just south of Atlanta as our athletes perform in the classroom as well as on the field.
Following last year and an introduction to a new region, the Chiefs posted a 3-7 record and missed the playoffs for the first time in Smiths time as head coach in the great state of Georgia. The Florida bred coach knew that the level of football in the new region was going to make the Chiefs better in the future and this years team seems to be on the verge of something special if the spring game is a foreshadowing of things to come where they dominated a young Arabia Mountain team. The Chiefs themselves are young, strong and big!
Lead by several 2026 players who are ready to lead the Chiefs to not only a playoff birth, but a bid for region supremacy and a deep run in the playoffs! QB Elijah Strader takes over the offense from 2025 graduates Chase Cromartie and Elliott Sturbaum. The senior quarterback has patiently learned the offense over his time in Smiths offense and has a firm grasp on the offensive strategy and overall game plan. A tough runner, with a sharp arm the heady QB protects the ball and makes plays to move the chains. At Running back the Chiefs boast their first single season 1000 yard rusher in Brandan Ridley. The 6’1 RB has made a name for himself toting the rock and accumulating more than 600 receiving yards to go with his 1k on the ground. Accounting for the lion share of the offense last year Ridley looks to play all over the field on offense while also breaking out on defense as one of the shining safeties in the southeast. Ridley has over 7 offers from universities and that number will more than double by November.
At receiver Strader not only will have Ridley out of the backfield, but also three seniors that will contribute heavily! Yuri Ajai is a speedy receiver that started to spark last year, but plans to fully ignite this season. The 5’10 twitchy WR is improving every day and can stretch the field and put pressure on the back end of the secondary and open up underneath routes for his counterparts. Yuri will also see time at DB and is a real asset in pass coverage. Opposite of Ajai the Chiefs have new blood in 6’0 wideout Skip Smith! Skip is one of the most precise route runners in the region. He creates space and has hands that catch everything in his vicinity. Smith looks to bring a level of consistency that will keep the chains moving this season. A 800 to 1000 yard season is not out of the question and his ability to find the end zone can’t go unmentioned when talking touchdowns!
The potential breakout player of the year for the Chiefs at the end of the season could very well be senior tight end Cole Herman. Standing at 6’1 the beefy H receiver has great hands and weighing more than 200 pounds he is a weapon through the air, but also blocking for the ground game! Herman is known to make the tough catches and is one of the leaders when it comes to YAC (yards after catch)! Replacing 4 star now Auburn tight end Hollis Davidson isn’t easy, but Herman is working to have a phenomenal 2025 season and earn his own offers. 6’3 WR Trey Heaton returns to the receiver room after a year off and is also looking to make some grabs this season!
The offensive line boasts 2 starting seniors with others fighting to secure a spot and contribute along the line! Veterans Troy Gumbs and Matthew Bailey are trying to lead a young Oline that boasts good size, but with an innovate blocking scheme, technique is more important than just sheer size.
At 6’2 Gumbs is a returning full time starter that is expected to bring the toughness and leadership to the group. Showing excellent athleticism and utilization of his strengths, Gumbs is the lead soldier in creating the army mentality needed to have the Offensive Line Coach Adam Daigler’s strategy work with Smiths run and shoot offense. 6’1 240 pound Matthew Bailey is another senior that can play all three positions on the line and may have to this season. His ability is going to be leaned on heavily this year on the field and the sideline as the coaching staff teaches the young hogs the system. Other senior lineman that will contribute are Nathan Hill, Soren Thorpe and Matthew Decker, all three are ready to go and their ability to be ready will be vital in the coming months as the Chiefs make a push for region!
Coach Blacks Joker defense has a chance to be one of the most dominant in years! The defense is full of 2027 talent, but the 2026 class is making a two way push to add leaders and fire to the defense. The defensive line is anchored by the 6’3 250 pound DT/DE Chance Tyson! Tyson is powerful, quick and large, with a growing set of D line moves. Tyson is capable of a 10 plus sack season and is a hard block for any lineman we will face this year. He is joined by fellow senior Brian Tatum that is sneaky fast and strong, the change of pace D lineman is looking to have a healthy senior year and contribute to an impressive D line. Another member of the stacked Chiefs D-Line is Landon Reiser! The 6’0 230 pound run stuffer is coming back with a vengeance after a late season injury cut his junior season short. Strong, smart and active Reiser knows his job and does it well stuffing the middle and occupying multiple offensive lineman every snap. The defense also has two players Ajai and Ridley playing in the secondary, along with OLB Tyler Braswell, ILB Howard Chen, and DB Tanish Gupta. Braswell is a gritty defender, tough tackler that has experience in the defense. Gupta is a solid secondary player always in the right place and plays the game with the desired heart and determination coaches look for.
The 2026 class looks to finish their high school football career with not only a winning season, and a playoff run, but by laying more bricks in the building of the new football culture at McIntosh!
Next up The Dawg Pound - the 2027 Junior class! Let’s Go Chiefs!
