McDaniel also has made it clear that he wants to run track in college in addition to playing football. He won the District of Columbia State Athletic Association championship in the 55 meters during the indoor season with a time of 6.54 seconds. Sources close to his recruitment have indicated that his desire to run track and the traditionally strong track programs at Florida and Tennessee piqued his interest in both of the SEC schools.
At least a couple of the Vols’ coaches also have developed strong relationships with McDaniel over the past several months. He’s being recruited for Tennessee by
Derrick Ansley, the Vols' first-year defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach, along with defensive line coach
Tracy Rocker, who recruits the D.C. area for second-year Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt’s staff.
McDaniel’s speed and athleticism have made him a dynamic player on offense, defense and special teams at St. John's, where he's a teammate of another of the Vols' top targets, five-star LSU wide receiver commitment
Rakim Jarrett. McDaniel also has a large frame that still could allow him to add a few pounds.
His speed, versatile skill set and upside are among the reasons the Vols have coveted him for months and have made him one of their top defensive-back targets, viewing him as an athletic safety who also could help at the Star position, since they joined the race for him earlier this year. Since McDaniel revealed last week that he would be announcing his decision on Wednesday, sources close to his recruitment have indicated that Tennessee has emerged as the team to beat for him.
The Vols and Penn State are believed to be the favorites to land him, and while the Nittany Lions are closer to home for McDaniel and hosted him on his most recent official visit, sources said his relationships with Tennessee's coaches and his opportunities in both football and track at UT have caused him to lean toward the Vols.
All signs now point to Tennessee, which already has received a commitment from top-100 safety
Keshawn Lawrence of Nashville, Tenn., further addressing the back end of its defense by adding McDaniel. Barring a late surprise, the Vols have put themselves in position to add another top target to their class going into the 2019 season.
PREDICTION: Tennessee
