Recruiting Updates - No Disucssion

[BigVol80]

Since the weekly recruiting update is falling off and a lot of threads are turning into dumpster fires or discussions about numbers or discussions about Torrance Gibson.....I would like to just post relevant updates on this thread with no discussion.

Instead of updating an OP, the thread can just get added to and people can scroll through for good information without all of the junk.

Thanks in Advance!

 

[BigVol80]

Cam Ordway

Made his top 10

 

[BigVol80]

JUCO DJ Jones


"I had this day scheduled to make a top 10. I knew it was going to be today is yesterday. This is really important to me," Jones said.

Tennessee holds the lead for the South Carolina native because the Vols have stuck with him since his days at Wren High School.

"It's just how they've been with me. With them not leaving me in high school and still recruiting me the same way," Jones explained. "I have a good relationship with the head coach and the position coach, too.

"(Tennessee sticking with him) meant a lot. For the only team to be with you when everything went down, that was huge."

Vol coaches Steve Stripling and Butch Jones have now been recruiting Jones since they first arrived in December 2012. Jones credits that long-standing relationship as another reason he is high on the Vols.

"It's going to continue to grow," Jones said. "Myself and coach Jones have developed a great relationship, coach Strip. I've become a lot closer to them since high school when I was already close to them."

Looking back at his Tennessee visit last month, Jones said Knoxville seemed like a good fit.

"Tennessee is a great place. I really can see myself at a lot of places, but I would be with great coaches every day. And Knoxville is a great place," Jones said.





Just talked to Jones about being his top school and he said it all goes back to the Vols staying with him through high school and into junior college.

He said he's built a strong relationship with Stripling and Jones and has become really close with them.

Alabama is second and he said his friendship with guys that were at East Mississippi last year, DJ Pettway and Jarron Reed is part of it as well as getting to know the staff more on a trip recently.

He will visit USC in two weeks he said and is looking forward to that trip.

His timetable is still late in the fall and he plans in taking all five official visits. He said he knows Auburn, Florida State and Tennessee will all receive official visits.
-Fortenberry

 

[BigVol80]

San Clemente (Calif.) High quarterback Sam Darnold gets out of school on June 24.

The first day of summer vacation, Darnold will get cracking on making his college decision.

Beginning on June 25, the nation's No. 17 dual-threat quarterback will begin checking out potential destinations.

Northwestern will get the first visit for Darnold, and he'll stay overnight in Evanston.

On June 26, Darnold will check out Duke, get over to Wake Forest on June 27 and wrap things up the following day at Tennessee.

Darnold adds that all four schools are running even. A commitment could come shortly after his trip.

Besides the schools mentioned, Darnold holds offers from Utah, Nevada and San Diego State among others.

 

[BigVol80]

Miami (Fla.) Gulliver Prep Linebacker Dominic Sheppard announced his top nine Tuesday night. Making the cut was Alabama, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Miami (FL), Notre Dame, Stanford, Clemson, and Vanderbilt.
The Hurricanes have all eight of the crystal ball predictions for Sheppard. The three-star linebacker has other notable offers from Clemson, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Pittsburgh, UCF, and West Virginia.

 

[BigVol80]

Keion Joyner, the nation's No. outside linebacker in the 2016 class, picked up an offer from Oklahoma early Tuesday evening. The Havelock (NC) standout lists a Top 3 in order of LSU, Auburn and Alabama. Tennessee, led by mega recruiter Tommy Thigpen, is making a push of late for the 5-star prospect as well and has made an impression on the No. 4 overall rising junior in the country. In July, Joyner plans to visit Florida and Florida State.

 

[BigVol80]

Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) four-star linebacker Tevon Coney gave 247Sports his top ten schools Tuesday afternoon in no order: Florida, Miami, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Ohio State, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, UCF and N.C. State.
247Sports currently ranks Coney as the nation's No. 12 inside linebacker and the No. 38 player in the state of Florida for the 2015 class.

 

[BigVol80]

"One last thing, Oklahoma offensive lineman Josh Wariboko has an interesting tie to Tennessee, his mother's side of the family is from Chattanooga and his mother was cousins with Reggie White. He said he grew up visiting Chattanooga in the summers and remembers visiting Lookout Mountain as a child. He said he hopes to visit Knoxville this summer as he's gotten to know the Vols' staff."

-Fortenberry

 

[BigVol80]

'15 GA WR Christian Owens

“The visit was good. … I just wanted to take a little closer look (at Tennessee),” said Owens, who’s ranked the nation’s No. 288 overall prospect and No. 36 wide receiver in the 247Sports Composite for the 2015 class.

“I participated in their little camp, catching a couple of balls with the UT receivers for the quarterback camp they had this weekend.”

The 6-foot-5, 207-pound Owens said he also “got a chance to hang out with an old buddy” — Tennessee freshman safety*Cortez McDowell, a former standout at Locust Grove (Ga.) High School. Owens said he enjoyed catching up with McDowell, who had good things to say about his first two weeks with the Vols.

 

[BigVol80]

'16 TN OL Ryan Johnson

"I really thought it was a great experience for me and I had a great time and I really enjoyed going up there and getting to experience the atmosphere up there at the Orange and White game in front of the 68,000 people," Johnson explained.

"We got to go down there and talk to the coaches and that was pretty cool. It was pretty surprising because we went down there and talked to the head coach and he offered me so I was kind of surprised," Johnson said.

"I was actually there two weeks ago and I was able to talk to all the coaches in depth and that was great," Johnson said. "I talked to the offensive line, too and that was great. I hadn't had a chance to sit down and really get to talk to them."

"The one thing I noticed at Tennessee was the atmosphere and how it really feels like at family at Tennessee," Johnson explained. "They all seem like a family and it feels like a family and that's something you don't always see. They care about each other. It's a rare thing in a football team."

-VQ

 

[BigVol80]

Frostproof (Fla.) three-star inside linebacker Cecil Cherry was the top LB at last weekends Sound Mind Sound Body camp in Boca Raton, Fla.

Cherry has a couple visits coming up. On June 9th he'll be at Michigan State and a few days later, on the the 13th, he'll visit Tennessee, the school he's committed to.

Here is video of Cecil Cherry from last weekends event:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysRN...layer_embedded
Josh Newburg 247

 

[BigVol80]

'15 GA DT Quentez Johnson

@Teezy_Grind: Top 8 as of right now.

 

[BigVol80]

15 FL LB Tevon Coney

Made his top 10

 

[BigVol80]

15 GA OLB Quarte Sapp

Tennessee has made Sapp a high priority for months, and he has continued to refer to the Vols as one of the teams recruiting him hardest. Miami appears to be Tennessee’s primary competition at this point, with North Carolina, Florida State and Ole Miss among the other teams still in the picture. He was impressed by his first visit to UT in early March for one of the Vols’ junior days, and they appear to be one of the teams to beat heading into the summer. Sapp has discussed perhaps making a decision by this summer, and Tennessee already has received four of the six early predictions on 247Sports’ Crystal Ball.

- Ryan Callahan

"Quarte Sapp will be back in Knoxville for the Orange Carpet Day on June 21 with his mother and is looking forward to seeing the Vols again. He said Miami and Tennessee continue to stick out to him and he hopes to see Miami again with his mother before making a decision at the end of the summer."

-Fortenberry

 

[BigVol80]

15 CA ATH Stanley Norman

Update from Rivals 5 Star Challenge:

"Stanley 'Scrappy' Norman said his 7-on-7 team, one that's coached by Keyshawn Johnson, is scheduled to visit Tennessee this summer. He really is interested in Tennessee and said they are showing him a lot of love. He will compete at corner here but he said Tennessee has told him he can play on either side of the ball. He said he will for sure take an official visit to Tennessee regardless of if he makes it in this summer."

-Fortenberry

"It was a connection with my coach, Keyshawn Johnson, and we linked up and they were telling me how they were in love with how I play and my film and everything about me so after that I was feeling a lot of love from them and how they want me to play both ways so that was big," Norman explained. "I'm getting a lot of interest from them about playing both ways and now I'm big on them. I'm big on Tennessee and they are big on me."

"Everything for me has been going good. I'm just taking it day-by-day," Norman said. "Whoever is the most consistent is going to be in my top list. Whoever has been there since day and doesn't stop recruiting me, that's who is going to be there. There were a couple teams that were up there but aren't anymore because they weren't consistent."

"I'm going to take all five of my official visits and Tennessee is for sure going to get one of those official visits. I have guaranteed I'm going there for one. I'm going to wait all the way until signing day," Norman said.

-VQ

 

[BigVol80]

15 TX OL Conner Dyer

Expected to be on campus Friday and Saturday per Fortenberry. (6/14 and 6/15)

 

[RockVol]

"Four-star receiver Jovon Durante, a West Virginia commitment from Florida, says he will be in Knoxville on Friday."

-Fortenberry

 

[BigVol80]

15 FL QB Deondre Francois


"It's a very strong relationship. I like that coaching staff. It's a very family-oriented coaching staff. I talk to coach Gillespie every day and we talk just not about football, but life in general," Francois said.

"That's something I've thought about. Going into my commitment, with whatever school I choose, the quarterback depth chart is a really big factor in my choice. Riley Ferguson transferring out really ups Tennessee in my top five," Francois explained.

Tennessee, Florida State, Oregon, Ohio State and Auburn make up Francois' top five and Notre Dame just jumped in the mix as well with an offer, but the Seminoles are believed to be the team to beat and Francois has a great admiration for the 'Noles and head coach Jimbo Fisher.

"They just have all the right pieces. They are close to home, the have a great atmosphere, they are coming off a national championship season, Jameis Winston and Jimbo Fisher does a great job with passing quarterbacks," Francois said. "I just love the history of Florida State and Jimbo Fisher."
-VQ

 

[BigVol80]

15 NC RB Bryce Love

"Bryce Love still has Tennessee in his top group, with Stanford, the instate group and a few others. Right now it seems the Vols and Stanford may be near the top of that list. Says he's comfortable at Tennessee."

-Fortenberry

 

[BigVol80]

15 JUCO CB Justin Martin

Martin, a former standout at Overton High School in Nashville, Tenn., who enrolled at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in January, was forced to cancel his scheduled visit to Tennessee on Tuesday because junior-college prospects aren’t allowed to take unofficial visits before completing their second semester at junior college. But the Vols remain the early favorite to land Martin after helping him get to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and putting together a plan that could allow him to transfer to a four-year school by next summer. Martin is hoping to make his decision sometime during the upcoming season, and seven of the eight early predictions on 247Sports’ Crystal Ball point to Tennessee as the team to beat.

 

[BigVol80]

16 NC QB Austin Kendall

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Kendall is sure that he’s a priority for the Wildcats, Wolfpack and Volunteers.

On top of the other visits listed, Kendall will also visit Kentucky next Wednesday. The Wildcats offered during a visit back in March, and they’re currently the 247Sports Crystal Ball leader.

“My brother is going there as a walk-on receiver,” Kendall said. “I went up there and got an offer and that’s when they really noticed my older brother. After we left we got back in touch and they said I didn’t know we had two athletes in the room and we’d like to have him walk-on. He’s a possession receiver and he can catch the ball. They think he can earn a scholarship. When I went on my visit there, the whole staff wasn’t there so when I get up there next week I’ll finally be able to meet them and establish a relationship with the whole staff instead of just Coach (Neal) Brown.”

N.C. State and Tennessee have been recruiting Kendall since his freshman year. A couple of his teammates will be freshmen for the Wolfpack this fall.

“I’ve always had a good connection with them,” Kendall said. “Coach (Matt) Canada and Coach (Eddie) Faulkner, they came and watched me throw my freshman year of spring ball, and I went to a camp and in the middle of my season they made the offer. Their staff comes in a whole lot and I’m comfortable with them.”

Kendall is also comfortable in Knoxville.

“They were one of the first few schools to get in contact with me,” Kendall said. “I’ve always had a good connection Coach (Mike) Bajakian and Coach (Butch) Jones. I have a real good relationship with both of them. They call my coach every week and they always want to stay in touch. I went to two games last year. I went to the Georgia game and the Auburn game. I went to one of their spring practices I went to their junior day and they brought me up to Coach Jones’s office and made me feel like I was a top priority and recruit they were looking at.”

As a sophomore in a run to a state championship, Kendall threw for 1,668 yards and 20 touchdowns.



@rivalsmike: QB Austin Kendall 2016 has #vols and #kentucky in front but #uga is looming? #rivalschallenge



"Just visited with 2016 QB Austin Kendall here in Baltimore. He had a LOT of positives to say about the Vols as well as Jones and Bajakian. He's not ready to name any leaders but seems like it's safe to say that the Vols are going to be deeply involved there to say the least. He added that he'll be back on campus in a couple of weeks for another visit."

-Rob Lewis

 

[supersmo18]

Since the weekly recruiting update is falling off and a lot of threads are turning into dumpster fires or discussions about numbers or discussions about Torrance Gibson.....I would like to just post relevant updates on this thread with no discussion.

Instead of updating an OP, the thread can just get added to and people can scroll through for good information without all of the junk.

Thanks in Advance!

I appreciate your hard work, OP, but there's already a sticky for this in the Recruiting Forum.

http://www.volnation.com/forum/tenn...126071-hot-recruiting-news-no-discussion.html

There's also a recruiting tweet forum as well.

k:

 

[BigVol80]

16 NJ QB Jarrett Quarantano

The communication already occurs with enough frequency that Jarrett Guarantano had a good idea of what he was going to see this weekend at the University of Tennessee.
But the standout class of 2016 quarterback from Bergen Catholic in Oradell, N.J., nonetheless saw those relationships strengthened and was leaving Rocky Top as a place he could see himself playing college football.


Full article on Rivals.
https://tennessee.rivals.com/barrier_noentry.asp?sid=879&script=%2Fcontent%2Easp&cid=1648406




A top-100 rising junior quarterback from Oradell, N.J., visited Tennessee for the second time Saturday to attend the Vols' quarterback camp and once again came away impressed.

Top-100 QB Jarrett Guarantano high on Tennessee Vols after camp

-247

 

[BigVol80]

15 FL DT Kendrick Norton


It was the second visit to Tennessee for Norton, who visited with his Trinity Christian School teammates as well last summer. "It was great. They actually upgraded their facilities, which I didn't think they could get better much better, but we saw those upgrades and just hung out up there. It was fun," Norton explained.

"I talked to coach Gillespie and coach Jancek. I wasn't able to talk to coach Strip because he was out visiting with the defensive line coach with the Raiders," Norton said. "They were just talking about the facilities and the chance I would have at Tennessee and about how much they wanted me."

"Everybody has been trying to get back in contact with me because I'm starting the recruiting process over again, basically," Norton said. "I want to take my time in the recruiting process and take my time and just see everything other schools have to offer."

With two Tennessee visits under his belt, Norton said the Vols will be an option to consider moving forward. "It is a realistic option," Norton said. "I like coach Strip and I think I have a great chance to play early and get a great education."
-VQ




Early on Florida seems the team to beat. But, a number of guys will be holding off on the Gators to see how well they do this season.
-Fortenberry

 

[kmkemp11]

This is the 3rd time I'll suggest just adding a button (beside the like button) to every post that lets members tag a post as recruiting information, and then just building a report that lists them chronologically that can be viewed. Everyone can contribute. Then, if people want to put that information into a nice pretty format, great, but at least it doesn't cost them tons of time, so they are more likely to keep at it.