Jaron Willis is a Rivals Top-200 player and one of the higher-rated outside linebackers in the country. However, the four-star doesn’t play outside linebacker.
“We play a 3-3-5 stack and I’m the nickel,” Willis laughed. “It looks like an outside linebacker, so I can understand why people think I play that spot – but being able to cover makes me stick out.
“Tennessee likes how I come downhill, play sideline-to-sideline and really loves my coverage skills. If you’re 220 pounds in high school, the saying nowadays is that you can’t move. I can move and I’m versatile. I can also come off the edge and rush to quarterback.”
“The relationship is building and going well right now with Tennessee,” the Lee County standout said. “We are taking it slowly. So many coaches nowadays just say false information. I’ve picked up on that. Tennessee is coming at me and being straight up with. I’m blessed to be in contact with the new staff.”
What does ‘straight up’ mean for the prospect? “Tennessee is telling me what my role would be in its defense,” the athlete continued. “They are telling me what playing time would look like and the education options and all that. They’ve told me they want me at hybrid-safety, essentially. They view me as a guy who can play safety and linebacker in this defense – versatility – and someone who can blitz off the edge at times.”
Willis is in contact with the coaching staff at Tennessee just about every other day or three days a week at minimum. The two sides exchange phone calls, texts and zooms. And though it’s been a team effort so far in courting the athlete, Heupel is very much involved.
“I talk to the whole staff and they are always showing me some love. They continue to explain how they would use me and it’s intriguing,” Willis said. “Coach Heupel, we talk all the time. He is real and is always telling me the routes of my recruitment. He tells me I can be a factor on and off the field.”