As we badmouth the near misses & decommits

[VolunteerHillbilly]

I was looking at the 2010 NFL draft projection and it got me to thinking what would this Vols team look like if the youngest Clausen, Harrison Smith and Golden Tate had come to UTK rather than succumbing to the advances of Charlie Weiss? I know that many of us railed on these kids when, as prospects, we saw UTK vanish from their interest lists but I am convinced that with those three kids in Orange the history of the last three years of Vol football would be completely different.

Which prospect(s) from the 2010 class will we be thinking back on and thinking that he/they would've been the guy to take us to the next level?

 

[SGMVols]

I was looking at the 2010 NFL draft projection and it got me to thinking what would this Vols team look like if the youngest Clausen, Harrison Smith and Golden Tate had come to UTK rather than succumbing to the advances of Charlie Weiss? I know that many of us railed on these kids when, as prospects, we saw UTK vanish from their interest lists but I am convinced that with those three kids in Orange the history of the last three years of Vol football would be completely different.

Harrison Smith wasn't really a big loss.

 

[UT_King]

heaps

 

[volfromfla56]

Only Tate, but to be fair, he probably wouldn't have done much in the Fulmer system!

 

[MikeHamiltonFan]

I was looking at the 2010 NFL draft projection and it got me to thinking what would this Vols team look like if the youngest Clausen, Harrison Smith and Golden Tate had come to UTK rather than succumbing to the advances of Charlie Weiss? I know that many of us railed on these kids when, as prospects, we saw UTK vanish from their interest lists but I am convinced that with those three kids in Orange the history of the last three years of Vol football would be completely different.

Which prospect(s) from the 2010 class will we be thinking back on and thinking that he/they would've been the guy to take us to the next level?

Not sure other people understood the ?

You are talking about people we almost got, maybe should have gotten but who went elsewhere?

Hard to point to many studs like that in this class. Should we get D Wright when he decides to stay in state and go to his state school? Same for Mosley, or Luc, or Elam?

We are not missing on a stud in TN this year. Clausen had family ties, but the other two were Catholic HS products and unlikely to be vols.

I guess I will say that we will feel sorry when we watch UNC and Leifheit and Brandon Willis both have great careers.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

You're on the right track. I was thinking about guys that the Vols had a better than average shot at due to a tie like in-state, legacy, etc. and who the coaching staff really seemed interested in but could not close the deal. I'm not thinking so much about in-state sleepers that alot of teams passed on.

 

[volguy0992]

Harrison Smith was not a loss, Tate was being recruited here as a safety if I remeber correctly, so Clausen was the biggest loss of the three mentioned.

 

[TheVol]

You're on the right track. I was thinking about guys that the Vols had a better than average shot at due to a tie like in-state, legacy, etc. and who the coaching staff really seemed interested in but could not close the deal. I'm not thinking so much about in-state sleepers that alot of teams passed on.

My guess would be Willis. He is going to be really good.

 

[bignewt]

demarco cobbs may be another.

 

[jwells]

Only Tate, but to be fair, he probably wouldn't have done much in the Fulmer system!

Yeah, like Jason Swain, Donte Stallworth, Kelly Washington and Robert Meachem.....:crazy:

 

[volroadwarrior]

Yeah, like Jason Swain, Donte Stallworth, Kelly Washington and Robert Meachem.....:crazy:

As you so ably pointed out....we have some real dimwits posting on this board.

 

[fairviewvol]

We would probably still have CPF still if they all came here. Not sure that would have been a good thing

 

[nikesportsfan]

My guess would be Willis. He is going to be really good.

He has the ability, but I think he will be a headcase. I can see him transferring when he isn't handed the job from day 1. Seems like he will be a primadonna who doesn't want to earn his way hence the little interest in Miami and decom from UT

 

[TrésDay]

Christian Jones and Elam are difference makers that could put us over the top, but will or already have chosen to go elsewhere.

 

[VolinMichigan]

Patrick Turner also would have been nice to have....

 

[DaddyChad]

He has the ability, but I think he will be a headcase. I can see him transferring when he isn't handed the job from day 1. Seems like he will be a primadonna who doesn't want to earn his way hence the little interest in Miami and decom from UT

I don't think Willis is a bad kid; no need to be bitter about him, being a Vol isn't for everybody. I don't think depth or competition played a huge role.

 

[thegeneralneyland]

Patrick Turner also would have been nice to have....

I would say for the most point, Patrick Turner was okay in a high octane passing attack for USC, and really would be considered a bust with the expectations they had for him. He just never became that playmaker. However, I would still have taken him over Lucas Taylor.