Oakland High School is proud to announce the 2025 Football Hall of Fame inductees. We are pleased to recognize this group of Oakland Patriots for their achievements on the field. The induction will take place at halftime of the Friday night, November 7th, first round playoff game.
1. Christian Cantrell is a 2019 OHS graduate. As a Patriot, he wore jersey number 21 and played defensive lineman and tight end positions. He was a three-year starter on the OHS football team and was All State/All Region defensive lineman of the year in 2017. He was named to the all-region team as a senior and a member of the 2018 TSSAA state champion team.
2. Jackson Cauthen is a 2017 OHS graduate. As a Patriot, he wore jersey number 28 and played the linebacker position. He was a 3-year letterman with 288 career tackles. He was named all-state in 2015 and in 2016 was named Defensive MVP of the Blue Cross Bowl in 2016. Jackson played on the 2016 TSSAA runner-up state championship team.
3. Coach Melvin Daniels, Sr. (posthumous) is a former OHS football coach. Though Coach Daniels is no longer with us, his passion, dedication, and impact will forever be remembered and cherished. Coach Daniels was offensive coordinator for the 1984 OHS State Championship football team. Known for his straight-forward, firm-but-fair approach to education and coaching, he is remembered as a jovial mentor who took greater pride in the development of individuals than in game victories. Coach Daniels’s son, DJ and family, will accept the honor in his memory.
4. George Gbeese - Due to travel schedule, George was honored on October 24. George Gbeese is a 2015 OHS graduate. As a Patriot, he wore jersey number 8 and played cornerback and wide receiver for 4 seasons. As a senior, he had 31 catches for 731 yds and 3 INT and 10 total TDs. He earned All District as a junior and senior, All Mid-State as a Senior. George’s OHS teams went 25-3 in his last two years of high school, culminating with a state semifinal appearance in 2014.
6. Johnny McCrary is a 1984 OHS graduate. As a Patriot, he wore jersey number 55 and played the linebacker position where he led the team in tackles as a senior and was selected as the most valuable offensive lineman. He earned state linebacker honorable mention and played every down of every play on offense and defense as a senior. He currently lives in Murfreesboro, where he is the owner of a successful local home construction company, Trendsetter Homes.
7. Xavier Myers is a 2019 OHS graduate. As a Patriot, he wore jersey number 27 and played the running back position. He ran for 1,982 yards and scored 32 touchdowns as a senior. Xavier rushed for more than 100 yards in each of Oakland’s 15 games in 2018. He is a two-time Mr. Football finalist, the 2018 Blue Cross Bowl MVP, and was a member of the 2018 TSSAA state champion team.
8. Lazarius Patterson is a 2017 OHS graduate. As a Patriot, he wore jersey number 4 and played the running back position. He earned all-region as a junior and senior and was a member of the 2016 TSSAA runner-up state championship team.
9. Jeron Rooks is a 2018 OHS graduate. As a Patriot, he wore jersey number 15 and played the running back position. He led the region in rushing with 1,562 yards, had 668 yards receiving, and 34 total touchdowns as a senior in 2017. He was named 2017 Region MVP and was a member of the 2016 TSSAA runner-up state championship team.
10. Garrett Taylor is a 2019 OHS graduate. As a Patriot, he wore jersey number 95 and played kicker/punter positions. He was 5/7 on field goals with a long of 37 yards, made 55 extra points, and registered 57 touchbacks on kickoffs as a senior. He averaged 43 yards per punt and was the 2018 Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Kicker and a member of the 2018 TSSAA state champion team.
11. Principal William “Butch” Vaughn. Mr. Vaughn became principal at Oakland in 2006. He has served Rutherford County as a teacher, coach, administrator and now an elected member of the Rutherford County Board of Education. Mr. Vaughn was instrumental in bringing the International Baccalaureate program to OHS, and he has always been a proponent of athletics in schools and believes that the opportunities on the field are very important for students to develop character, determination, and responsibility.
12. Mike Young is a 1985 OHS graduate. As a Patriot, he wore jersey number 47 and played safety, wingback, and punt returner positions. He was a four-year member, two-year starter of the OHS Football team where he earned all-region, all mid-state honorable mention and was awarded best defensive back by the OHS football coaching staff. He was a member of the 1984 TSSAA state champion team. Mike currently lives in Suwanee, Georgia where he has worked for State Farm for 35 years.
