Top 10 Vanderbilt football players from Knoxville

Adam Sparks | The Tennessean

Show Caption Hide Caption Watch: Derek Mason post-game press conference after loss to Missouri Coach Derek Mason comments after Vanderbilt lost 33-28 at Missouri on Saturday.

Vanderbilt’s football recruiting road hasn’t run through Knoxville, home of the rival Tennessee Vols, in quite a while.

But a few Knoxville area natives have found their way to West End over the years, especially those who came more than a half-century ago. Heading into Saturday’s game against the Vols, here are the top 10 former Vanderbilt football players from the Knoxville area (in alphabetical order):

More: Top 10 UT Vols football players from Nashville

John Cropp

A member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, John Cropp came from Maryville to Vanderbilt, where he was a two-way starter at offensive guard and linebacker. He was part of a 14-0 win over Tennessee in 1959 at Neyland Stadium, about 20 miles from his home. Cropp then served two stints as a Vanderbilt assistant coach.

Steve Fritts

The 1970 Commodores team featured future Vanderbilt coach Watson Brown and future Texas coach Mack Brown as players, but Oak Ridge native Steve Fritts was chosen as team captain. The linebacker was a three-year letterwinner on the Vanderbilt defense, which shut down No. 13 Alabama for a 14-10 upset win in 1969.

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John Hall

John Hall played at Knoxville City High, but he turned down an offer from the Vols. He instead became an all-time great as a Commodores lineman from 1951-54 and earned the program’s first Academic All-America honor as a senior. He was named an SEC Legend in 1996, served as Board of Trust chairman in the late-1990s and was inducted in the inaugural class of the Vanderbilt Hall of Fame in 2008.

Gary Hart

Gary Hart played at Alcoa, just south of Knoxville, and excelled at Vanderbilt. In 1964, he was an All-SEC tackle and played in the Blue-Gray Classic. The Commodores won only five games combined in Hart’s final three seasons, but his last day was a wonderful one. On Nov. 28, 1964, Hart led Vanderbilt in a 7-0 win over Tennessee, and he was drafted by the Washington Redskins on the same day.

Bob Hines

Bob Hines, who played at Knoxville Young High, starred at end for Vanderbilt in the early 1950s. He was a three-year letter winner, debuting in the 1950 season when the Commodores upset No. 12 Alabama and vaulted to No. 13 in the polls. Hines earned 1952 All-SEC honors and played in the 1953 Senior Bowl. His breakout game came in a 22-7 win over MTSU in the 1951 opener, when he returned an interception 65 yards and a fumble 66 yards for a touchdown.

Cassen Jackson-Garrison

Cassen Jackson-Garrison was a Mr. Football at Knoxville Central, and then he amassed 2,104 yards from scrimmage and 19 touchdowns in his Vanderbilt career. Jackson-Garrison played a key role in beating Tennessee in 2005, the Commodores’ first victory in the series in 23 years. He scored an early rushing TD and added a career-long 35-yard catch in the long-awaited win.

Jeff Jennings

A Mr. Football finalist at Jefferson County High, about 30 miles east of Knoxville, Jeff Jennings was a punishing power back and a resilient player for Vanderbilt. Despite injuries, he had 18 TDs in his career, including two scores as a freshman against Tennessee in 2004.

Patton Robinette

Quarterback Patton Robinette won two state titles at Maryville. He then went to Vanderbilt, where his career was notable but far too brief. Robinette passed for 1,096 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 games, including five starts. Concussions and his acceptance into medical school cut Robinette's career short. But he must be on this list for scoring the game-winning TD with 16 seconds remaining to beat Tennessee in 2013.

Sam Sullins

Perhaps either Sullins brother could make this list, but Sam represents the family here. Sam and Bob Sullins came to Vanderbilt from Huntsville, Ala., but they actually were born in Knoxville and grew up in Oak Ridge until high school. Sam Sullins was a standout center and captain of Vanderbilt’s 1963 team. A year later, Bob Sullins led Vanderbilt in rushing, but he scored his lone touchdown of 1964 to beat Tennessee 7-0.

Kimmie Weaver

Linebacker Kimmie Weaver was a standout at Clinton, just northwest of Knoxville, before becoming a mainstay on the Vanderbilt defense in the 1970s. He was in the lineup all four seasons, racking up 271 career tackles. He helped the 1974 Vanderbilt squad upset No. 8 Florida en route to the Peach Bowl. And Weaver had 88 tackles on the 1975 team, which beat Tennessee 17-14 to finish off a second straight seven-win season.

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Reach Adam Sparks at asparks@tennessean.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.