The four-star Class of 2020 cornerback, who recently moved to Lakeland (Fla.) High School, returned to Tennessee on Thursday and Friday for another unofficial visit with the Vols, and he said he already expects to return to Knoxville later this year on an official visit. The 5-foot-11, 173-pound Dennis said Tennessee is one of a handful of schools standing out to him, along with Auburn, Florida State, Miami and Georgia.
“They’re high on my list,” said Dennis, who’s ranked by 247Sports as the No. 221 overall prospect and No. 16 cornerback in the 2020 class. After traveling to Knoxville twice since early April, he said he’s strongly considering the Vols because of “just the coaching style, the environment, the love — all that.”
Tennessee has stayed in frequent contact with Dennis over the past few months, led by
Derrick Ansley – the Vols’ first-year defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach – and head coach
Jeremy Pruitt. Dennis said Ansley has been talking with him “every day, every week, really,” and Tennessee has made it clear that he could compete for early playing time in its secondary. “They said I have a chance to play early,” Dennis said. “(Ansley) said he likes my speed and aggressiveness — all that.”
During this week’s visit, Dennis said he “really talked to the whole coaching staff,” but “mostly Ansley.” Dennis said Ansley discussed “what I need to work on and when I’m going to come back up here again.” Some of Tennessee’s players also met with Dennis, including Vols junior running back
Tim Jordan, a fellow Florida native who was a somewhat-familiar face to Dennis.
“I played against him in high school,” Dennis said of Jordan. “I didn’t know him that well, but when I got there, we started talking. “He told me it’s a good school on and off the field.” Dennis said he has been impressed by the list of NFL defensive backs who have been coached and developed by both Ansley and Pruitt. “(Ansley) told me that he works on stuff that gets people to the next level,” Dennis said.
His trip to Tennessee was his first visit this month, he said, but he’s scheduled to travel to Miami on Monday. He said he’s going to “wait ‘til the fall” to take his official visits. Dennis said he expects Tennessee to host him on one of them, most likely “for a game.” “They’re getting an official,” he said. For now, he’s not rushing to decide on a college. “(I will) probably wait ’til I take the officials,” Dennis said. “I don’t have a timeline yet.”
