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How a Memphis native helped TCU football land Briarcrest athlete Max Carroll

The 2023 four-star recruit chose the Horned Frogs over Michigan, Texas A&M and Vanderbillt last weekend

One of top senior football players in Memphis went off the board this weekend. Briarcrest athlete Max Carroll announced his commitment to TCU, choosing the Horned Frogs over schools like Michigan, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.

"When I went down there it just kind of felt like home," he said. "It felt right."

It didn't hurt having someone from home. Memphis-native Anthony Jones Jr. was hired as TCU's running back coach this spring. He spent the last four years in the same position at the Univ. of Memphis.

"Coach Jones has been recruiting me since my freshman year," he said. "He really just spilled his heart out to me and my family. And it meant a lot when I got the offer when I went down there."

Carroll was recruited as a linebacker, so while he won't work with Jones directly, it was his relationship with the Carrolls that helped seal the deal.

"He's really just a great guy," Max said of Jones. "Like honestly, not even talking about football or anything. He's just a good guy off the field and just a life coach, if that makes sense. It meant a lot to me when he got to TCU he started recruiting me even more."

Saints head coach Brian Stewart says Carroll has not even come close to reaching his full potential. 

"He's a total package guy," Stewart said. "Because of his work ethic, his leadership and just making everyone around him better and inspiring his teammates. He's going to make an organization improve drastically upon his arrival."

Athleticism runs in the family. Max's father, Derrick Carroll Sr., was a star running back for Bartlett High School and went on to play at Middle Tennessee State University. 

His oldest brother, Malik, played basketball at Arlington High School. Max played at Briarcrest with his brother, Derrick—now at IMG Academy.

His twin sister, Milan, is one of the best goalkeepers in the Mid-South. She is getting college interest for both soccer and basketball.

"Wouldn't it be great if all of them could go to the same school?" Stewart said. "I used to always find them on the campus and try to introduce them to every coach that used to come there and show them that this runs in the family."

A Carroll college takeover: That's still the dream for Max.

"I feel like we could run the college maybe," he said. "Being the best player on the field, whether it's football or soccer or maybe even basketball for my sister. I don't know. But it would be awesome."

But for now, this Carroll has a state title on the mind.

"We always doubted," he said. "As long as I'm on the field, we'll be good."

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