'17 WV OT Riley Locklear (UT signee)

#151
#151
Eastsidevol said:
Boom. Boom as in this class is going to be ranked in the lower half of the SEC. We could have landed Wills, Smith, and Eze but instead we pick up the 667th rated player and 73rd OT. The other SEC schools have to be laughing at us right now. This class will sink Butch Jones.
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1) OL is widely known to be the hardest position to predict by recruiting sites.

2) FSU coveted Locklear and that's a better indication of his talent level.

3) This commitment does not mean UT is out of it with Smith, Wills, or Eze. It just doesn't.
 
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#153
#153
Eastsidevol said:
Early…we are basically done on the OL if Ross commits. He isn't that highly ranked either.
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Maybe. Maybe not. Its Tucker, Locklear, and likely Ross today. If Smith or Eze wants in, Butch might take less at another position or he may give one if the three committed their walking papers. Its happened every year. Commitment isn't the same everywhere.
 
#156
#156
Eastsidevol thinks he and recruiting analyst are better at evaluating talent than the coaches! Kid had an impressive offer list!
 
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#160
#160
Eastsidevol said:
So what. Several people said we would get Higgins and we didn't. It happens. Nobody can accurately predict where every player goes.
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I like reading this site and others. If you only read this site you'll think we get everyone. LOL I like making predictions as well based on what I find as it keeps it interesting. You'll hit on some and whiff on others. Most who give you a hard time when your wrong are people who don't make predictions. They just say UTs in it for everyone. BORING.
 
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#161
#161
Eastsidevol said:
Boom. Boom as in this class is going to be ranked in the lower half of the SEC. We could have landed Wills, Smith, and Eze but instead we pick up the 667th rated player and 73rd OT. The other SEC schools have to be laughing at us right now. This class will sink Butch Jones.
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Right on cue with another less than knowledgeable post. Why don't you call Rick Trickett at FSU and see how he feels about this commit?
 
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#163
#163
BOOM! welcome to Big Orange Country! :loco:




And please I ask so kindly stop quoting that guy. If everyone would put hm on ignore he will dry up from not getting the attention he seeks and goes away.
 
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#170
#170
The three-star rising senior offensive lineman from Spring Valley High School in Huntington, W.Va., said he committed to Tennessee on Saturday, choosing the Vols over Florida State, South Carolina, Michigan State, Penn State and Marshall.

Locklear gave Tennessee its 18th commitment for the 2017 class and its second from an offensive lineman, joining three-star offensive tackle Jordan Tucker of Roswell (Ga.) High School.

“I went and visited Tennessee, and from the moment that I visited them, I kind of knew that’s where I wanted to be,” said Locklear, who’s ranked the nation’s No. 667 overall prospect and No. 73 offensive tackle in the 247Sports Composite for the 2017 class. “I visited them in March, and it was like, ‘Wow.’

“They play in the best conference. They have the best facilities and some of the greatest coaches. They continued to build the relationship with me, and I felt confident that this would be the best decision for me.”

The 6-foot-5.5, 295-pound Locklear, who has received scholarship offers from more than 20 teams, said his “strong relationship” with Tennessee offensive line coach Don Mahoney and head coach Butch Jones was “what really led me to my choice.”

“I could see myself there, and it really wasn’t that hard of a choice for me because they had everything that I needed for my academic and athletic goals,” Locklear said.

His decision came after a series of visits last month that allowed him to participate in one of the Vols’ camps, where Locklear showed Mahoney that he could be “a three-position guy” on the offensive line.

“He sees me being fast enough to catch guys off the edge playing offensive tackle,” Locklear said. “He sees me being able to play the inside position at guard, and I can long-snap the football. They tried me out at center, too, and he was really impressed with how I did at center during the camp.”

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Locklear, who plays tackle at Spring Valley, said he doesn’t “have a preference” on which position he plays in college.

“I just do what’s best for my team, and I just go out and I try to win ballgames,” he said. “They haven’t made any promises about (early playing time), and we’ve considered a redshirt, as well. But I’m just there to help as much as I can, to come in and pay my dues. And if I’m good enough to play, then I’ll play. And if I’m not, then I just want what’s best for my team.”


(Photo: Twitter, @LocklearRiley)
Geography also played a role in helping Locklear pick Tennessee over his other finalists.

“It’s really close to my family, so I felt like it would be the best choice for me and for my family to come and watch me play,” he said.

Locklear said he called Jones and Mahoney “around 12 o’clock” Saturday to inform them of his decision, “and they were full of excitement” when they heard the news.

“Coach Mahoney was kind of speechless,” Locklear said.

He said he’s already hoping to return to Tennessee with his family before the end of the summer, but he’s not planning to visit any other schools in the coming months now that he has announced his choice.

“I do not plan to attend any more camps or take any more visits to any more universities,” he said.

The only thing he’s still weighing, he said, is whether to graduate early from Spring Valley and enroll at Tennessee in January.

“I’m currently considering that,” Locklear said. “I have to finish three more classes throughout this next coming semester, and then I will be able to qualify to graduate early.” -247
 
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