High School

A Top Tennessee High School Football Prospect is Transferring

Top 2027 defensive back Loia Valade is transferring from McCallie to Knoxville Catholic. Here’s what the move means for the Fighting Irish’s defense and 2026 outlook.

Conner Linsner

McCallie's Loia Valade (13) on the kickoff return during the TSSAA Division II-AAA high school football championship game against Baylor on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Chattanooga, Tenn.
McCallie's Loia Valade (13) on the kickoff return during the TSSAA Division II-AAA high school football championship game against Baylor on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Chattanooga, Tenn. / Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Loia Valade, one of the top defensive backs in the class of 2027, is on the move. The standout prospect is transferring from McCallie High School in Chattanooga to Knoxville Catholic High School, according to Prep Redzone Tennessee’s Shayne Pickering.

A Prep Standout in 2025

In 2025 at McCallie, Valade emerged as a lockdown defensive back. He had 21 tackles, three passes defended, and two interceptions. He also made an impact on offense, hauling in 29 receptions for 456 yards and five touchdowns, cementing himself as a true two-way standout on the gridiron.

Valade is ranked as the No. 14 player in Tennessee and the No. 42 safety in the class of 2027 by 247Sports. He has eight offers, including three SEC schools: Arkansas, Kentucky, and in-state Vanderbilt. With a strong 2026 season, the offer list could grow significantly with Power-Four schools.

Valade is a Top Athlete

One of the biggest selling points for colleges is Valade's combination of speed and size. At 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Valade runs a 4.43 40-yard dash and a 4.28 shuttle run, numbers that back up what shows on film.

That speed jumps off the tape, as Valade consistently makes plays in coverage downfield and shows the quick-twitch instincts to break on the ball and close quickly on ball carriers in the run game.

2026 Could be a Breakout Year for Knoxville Catholic

The Knoxville Catholic Fighting Irish went 6-5 in 2025, losing to Baylor High School in the playoffs, which went on to be the TSSAA Division II Class AAA state champions.

Valade will join defensive back Xavier Bowman, who is rated a four-star and the No. 104 player in the class of 2028, giving the Fighting Irish the makings of their own “no-fly zone” in the secondary. Knoxville Catholic fielded a solid defense in 2025, allowing 24.9 points per game, but that unit looks poised to take another step forward next fall.

With the addition of Valade, Knoxville Catholic is positioned to make a legitimate push for a breakout season in 2026.

Published
Conner Linsner
CONNER LINSNER

Conner has been covering high school football and basketball recruiting for over five years. In college, he started his own blog covering high school recruiting. Right now, Conner is the Site Expert at All for Tennessee, covering Tennessee Volunteers athletics. He has also been covering college and professional sports on various FanSided sites since 2020. After graduating from Wayne State University in 2024, he decided that his passion for collegiate and professional athletics had driven him to pursue a career in sports media. Conner has been to over half of the Major League Baseball stadiums with his father and plans to hit every single ballpark in the majors. He began contributing to High School On SI in 2026.

Home/Tennessee