Fertile ground and then some.
The eastern Tennessee city of Kingsport has given Christ School athletes such as John Fulkerson ’16, the Halvorsen brothers (Matt ’17 and Brad ’19), and the Browder brothers (Charlie ‘21 and Sam ’25).
Like those other Greenies before him, Sam Browder will be playing his chosen sport at the next level.
The 6-foot-6, 290-pound lineman announced Monday night on his social media that he has verbally committed to the University of Memphis football program.
Sam was an all-state and all-conference selection his junior year and maintains a 4.1 grade-point average off the field. He is one of four team captains for this season’s Greenie team, which plays its opener Friday at East Burke.
Sam’s size and blocking ability drew a significant amount of college interest – his offer sheet included Appalachian State, Army, Austin Peay, Cornell, Dartmouth, East Carolina, Elon, Florida Atlantic, Furman, Gardner-Webb, Georgia Southern, Kent State, Old Dominion, South Florida, and Wofford.
Memphis offered Sam in April and continued to make the Greenie a high priority. The Tigers open their 2024 season on Aug. 31, home against North Alabama.