'24 FL CB Cai Bates (FSU Commit)

[LouderVol]

If Florida can recruit in the top 3 after back to back 6-7 seasons there is no reason we can't

they are in the top 3 right now, just like South Carolina was really high for a while when they got some early recruits. I think Florida probably has one more big fish they are favored to bring in. Then they have some fillers. that won't be good enough to maintain a top 3 status.

I am thinking come ESD they aren't #3, and won't be particularly close. They will fall back to the pack of 4-14 who are very close in ranking to each other

 

[DaddyChad]

We’ll see how that class hangs together when Napier is getting it handed to him on a silver platter game after game this season. That Florida team has train wreck written all over it.

Heupel needs to cut the head off of that snake this season. If Tennessee embarrasses them at home in the swamp it starts to derail their whole season; possibly even results in Napier being canned at the end of the season. If we screw around and let them win they can crawl out of the dumpster they’re in currently, add talent through this class and make the future much tougher.

People can look past them but it will not be easy for Milton to win in the swamp.

 

[cncchris33]

I think this will be long forgotten by end of week or worst case next

Warren, Cole, or a foreshadowing of Jefferson's announcement next week?

 

[DaddyChad]

I think this will be long forgotten by end of week or worst case next

Pessimistic outlook imo….

I’ll have forgotten it by the end of the day at worst.

 

[Ericvol2096]

I think this will be long forgotten by end of week or worst case next

Hopefully a Warren or Franklin sized distraction.

 

[bignewt]

sigh

 

[sjt18]

I think this will be long forgotten by end of week or worst case next

That's interesting. What will be forgotten?

 

[Vol423]

That's interesting. What will be forgotten?

This

 

[Dadof2Vols]

Heupel needs to cut the head off of that snake this season. If Tennessee embarrasses them at home in the swamp it starts to derail their whole season; possibly even results in Napier being canned at the end of the season. If we screw around and let them win they can crawl out of the dumpster they’re in currently, add talent through this class and make the future much tougher.

People can look past them but it will not be easy for Milton to win in the swamp.

That game could be a “Break” the season disappoint for both teams but it could be the start of the make for Tennessee but even if Florida wins that game it probably still doesn’t make their season.

 

[FirstAndGoal]

Not looking past Florida. But we WILL kick their butts in Gainesville. Now back to Cai Bates...

 

[Neyland Law Vol]

That's ridiculous. Tennessee has been a recruiting juggernaut in the past and can be again.

The only way TN recruits at the BAMA / UGA level (Top 3 classes year in year out) is if UGA and Clemson and Bama all fall back to middling programs like they were in the mid to late 90's. That is when TN can scoop up all the top talent in the Georgia and Carolinas.

But with BAMA, UGA, and Clemson having extreme success, to have a Top 10 class is good recruiting because we have to pull from similar areas.

 

[Ericvol2096]

The only way TN recruits at the BAMA / UGA level (Top 3 classes year in year out) is if UGA and Clemson and Bama all fall back to middling programs like they were in the mid to late 90's. That is when TN can scoop up all the top talent in the Georgia and Carolinas.

But with BAMA, UGA, and Clemson having extreme success, to have a Top 10 class is good recruiting because we have to pull from similar areas.

Not to mention the entire SECs increased commitment to winning.

1990s TN recruiting is incredibly irrelevant To today.

I do think TN can land top 3-5 classes though, just have to build up to it.

 

[SweetasSoda]

If Florida can recruit in the top 3 after back to back 6-7 seasons there is no reason we can't

So Clemson is recruiting top 3?

 

[csprig9]

AP acting like we might get one more before aug 1st

 

[VflPT22]

AP acting like we might get one more before aug 1st

Gotta be Warren

 

[LittleVol]

We've won a National Championship. We've had many Top 5 recruiting classes in the past 35 years. So Clemson, Bama, UGA, Ohio State being elite the past 10 years in recruiting, just means they are recruiting at that level. Yes...there's enough good players for us to do the same WHILE they're still good.

Yes, recruiting is subjective.

Do you think our coaches have an idea of how to beat UGA? I absolutely believe they do...
Which is WHY they are recruiting the guys they are.
So...when you miss ON THOSE GUYS. It's a problem.

We don't have 1 DB in this class that can play man 2 man defense and run with an elite SEC WR. We have guys that create opportunities and make plays, but we're after Cai Bates for a reason. Because he can play man 2 man. He can play the ball. He can be physical with big WR.
- Beasley lacks speed but is a CB
- Goree is a NB
- Boo is a NB/S
- Foruuq is a NB/S
All of them are good tacklers and physical but we NEED a Cai Bates.

It's not just "oh well. Let's just get the next guy. Because they're all the same???"
Like what??

 

[Volfan39]

We've won a National Championship. We've had many Top 5 recruiting classes in the past 35 years. So Clemson, Bama, UGA, Ohio State being elite the past 10 years in recruiting, just means they are recruiting at that level. Yes...there's enough good players for us to do the same WHILE they're still good.

Yes, recruiting is subjective.

Do you think our coaches have an idea of how to beat UGA? I absolutely believe they do...
Which is WHY they are recruiting the guys they are.
So...when you miss ON THOSE GUYS. It's a problem.

We don't have 1 DB in this class that can play man 2 man defense and run with an elite SEC WR. We have guys that create opportunities and make plays, but we're after Cai Bates for a reason. Because he can play man 2 man. He can play the ball. He can be physical with big WR.
- Beasley lacks speed but is a CB
- Goree is a NB
- Boo is a NB/S
- Foruuq is a NB/S
All of them are good tacklers and physical but we NEED a Cai Bates.

It's not just "oh well. Let's just get the next guy. Because they're all the same???"
Like what??

Beasley is an absolute stud so he can play cb. And we took three really good corners last cycle. It’s a big need but not a huge concern recruiting wise at the moment. The portal should help out there to

 

[sjt18]

If Florida can recruit in the top 3 after back to back 6-7 seasons there is no reason we can't

Really? None? There are currently 52 four* and 4 five* players in FL according to On3. TN has 10 four star players and no 5* In spite of this, UF has 6 of those 56 committed while UT has commitments from 4 of the top 10 in state players.

UF really isn't doing as well as they should be considering the amount of in state talent.

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

Really? None? There are currently 52 four* and 4 five* players in FL according to On3. TN has 10 four star players and no 5* In spite of this, UF has 6 of those 56 committed while UT has commitments from 4 of the top 10 in state players.

UF really isn't doing as well as they should be considering the amount of in state talent.

Well they are sharing the state with FL St and Miami

 

[beachvol23]

Great point and although the state of Tennessee’s talent overall has gotten much better, your stats show how disproportionate it is! The state of Florida was and is always loaded!!!! What helps UT offset is that there are several top schools in FL and all other major programs recruit Florida too.

 

[sjt18]

Well they are sharing the state with FL St and Miami

That's plenty of talent to go around. They used to dominate in state.

Truth is that none of them are doing that well. Thirty-seven of those 56 "blue chips" are committed. FSU, Miami, and UF have a total of 11 of them.

 

[LittleVol]

Beasley is an absolute stud so he can play cb. And we took three really good corners last cycle. It’s a big need but not a huge concern recruiting wise at the moment. The portal should help out there to

We got Jeudy Lali out of the portal.

But missed on Grimes, Fentress? Some other guys too last transfer portal.

So we have
JL / JM/ CC
KH / RG

Beasley will be a player. You're correct.

Deniko is solid but...we need Jonathan Wade type athletes out there

 

[sjt18]

We got Jeudy Lali out of the portal.

But missed on Grimes, Fentress? Some other guys too last transfer portal.

So we have
JL / JM/ CC
KH / RG

Beasley will be a player. You're correct.

Deniko is solid but...we need Jonathan Wade type athletes out there

I think Slaughter will be just fine. I'm more worried about the other guys.

 

[sjt18]

We got Jeudy Lali out of the portal.

But missed on Grimes, Fentress? Some other guys too last transfer portal.

So we have
JL / JM/ CC
KH / RG

Beasley will be a player. You're correct.

Deniko is solid but...we need Jonathan Wade type athletes out there

Always going to be that way.

There are folks here hung up on a specific "order" of players on the board. The staff has to look at groups/tiers of possible commits. There's a good chance that they were willing to take one or two CBs out of a group that included Jeudy-Lalli, Grimes, Fentress, and 2-5 more. After that group (however many they considered roughly equal and legit possibilities) there are a ton of guys who would have jumped at an offer but didn't have the value UT wanted for an offer.

 

[sneakergawd]

As I always say, take it for what its worth but he’s liking a lot of tennessee post on his twitter right now