'20 TN CB Keshawn Lawrence (UT SIGNEE)

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Here are the players with the best chance to be key contributors and make an immediate impact as true freshmen.

4. Key Lawrence, safety
Lawrence’s former and future teammate Baron called him a “generational athlete.” Jaylen McCollough had a decent freshman season, but if Lawrence can prove himself as a future impact player like McCollough did when he enrolled early last year, there won’t be a way to keep him off the field as the Vols try to replace Nigel Warrior. Lawrence, a 6-foot-2, 202-pound defensive back, is the Vols’ highest-rated signee, and coach Jeremy Pruitt leans heavily toward players who can make plays and play mistake-free football.

If Lawrence can prove that after he arrives this summer, considering his physical attributes, he’ll find a spot in the rotation alongside Theo Jackson and Tre Flowers and move ahead of 2019 signee Tyus Fields. He could play some money linebacker, too, in passing situations. Tennessee has decent returning talent at safety, but beyond McCollough and Flowers at times when he’s been healthy, they don’t have many players who look like future All-SEC talents or true impact players. Is Lawrence that kind of talent?
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-Ubben
 
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SmilezDavis said:
I have a hard time believing that Lawrence isn't immediately one of our best DBs. Pruitt and Ansley showed no fear when blitzing from the secondary, and I think Lawrence will allow them to be even more creative.
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Agreed.
6'2 202 lbs 4.45 speed with the hands of a WR and hits like a strong safety.
I expect him to start and Flowers will focus on Baseball
 
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LittleVol said:
Agreed.
6'2 202 lbs 4.45 speed with the hands of a WR and hits like a strong safety.
I expect him to start and Flowers will focus on Baseball
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Do you know if Flowers will be ready for spring camp or will he not participate? O saw articles where Flowers redshirted in baseball to focus on football last year and this year he isn't on the baseball roster on UT website.
I think Tyus Fields will be a player to watch in the secondary also.
Lawrence will get plenty of chances but I would be impressed if he is starting day 1.
 
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VolInDayton said:
Do you know if Flowers will be ready for spring camp or will he not participate? O saw articles where Flowers redshirted in baseball to focus on football last year and this year he isn't on the baseball roster on UT website.
I think Tyus Fields will be a player to watch in the secondary also.
Lawrence will get plenty of chances but I would be impressed if he is starting day 1.
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Don't know until we know. But I'd put my money on Lawrence.
 
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901LookAlive said:
IMO they move Alontae to FS and Lawrence starts opposite Bryce. The kid has Stingley Jr/Surtain Jr potential year 1. No way he's on the bench, we aren't that talented yet to keep kids like this on the bench.
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I think they should at least experiment with Alontae at FS this Spring. I think he could be a star there. And of course it makes room for Lawrence at CB. Or Lawrence at FS beside Tank. A lot of options we hadn't had in a while.

A healthy Trey Flowers and Theo Jackson is a decent combo.
 
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Taylor is a good tackler who has had some coverage lapses. Safety makes sense, but I don't know if it will happen. He was benched but eventually became a starter again. It seems that Pruitt and Ansley think that he's our best option opposite Thompson. Pruitt has often talked about training linebackers to play each position. I think they should do the same with at least some members of secondary. With the addition of Lawrence, there are probably four or five guys who can do a little of everything. We know that we'll likely have five DBs on the field most of the time. If they're moving around and giving different looks then offenses won't know what hit them.
 
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SmilezDavis said:
I have a hard time believing that Lawrence isn't immediately one of our best DBs. Pruitt and Ansley showed no fear when blitzing from the secondary, and I think Lawrence will allow them to be even more creative.
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Agreed. If not a day 1 starter, I think he is by game 3 or 4. I wish he had been an EE, that would have increased his shot to start game 1. I really love the potential at safety with lineup of Lawrence and McCullough in it. Our secondary has potential to be great in a couple years, with a great chance of having some be NFL First Rounders. We're slowly overhauling our Roster with type players we saw under Fulmer in the 90's and early 2K. Hard not to get excited..Now we gotta start getting those big, fast RB's we once had.
 
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CDA was saying that Slaughter was like an inside guy and Lawrence was an outside kind of guy. Not sure if that’s still how they are being looked at. But I do think both of them will get on the field early and often. And hopefully we’ll see more of Fields and Burrell this year.
 
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901LookAlive said:
IMO they move Alontae to FS and Lawrence starts opposite Bryce. The kid has Stingley Jr/Surtain Jr potential year 1. No way he's on the bench, we aren't that talented yet to keep kids like this on the bench.
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My goodness. how many more seasons of recruiting till we're talented enough? Not picking on you in particular, but, top ten class is solid.
 
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jackcrevol said:
My goodness. how many more seasons of recruiting till we're talented enough? Not picking on you in particular, but, top ten class is solid.
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Once we can start annually landing the 17 year old kids who are already 6'2 and 200lbs. With 42 inch verts and sub 4.4 forties. Get a few of those in here and then kids like Lawrence can wait their turn.
 
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jackcrevol said:
My goodness. how many more seasons of recruiting till we're talented enough? Not picking on you in particular, but, top ten class is solid.
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Well Surtain and Stingley both played as true Frosh so if Lawrence is in their league, there will probably never be a time that we would be talented enough to redshirt him.
 
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901LookAlive said:
IMO they move Alontae to FS and Lawrence starts opposite Bryce. The kid has Stingley Jr/Surtain Jr potential year 1. No way he's on the bench, we aren't that talented yet to keep kids like this on the bench.
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Alontae is a heck of a corner. He’d be tough to move. Safety is Lawrence’s path IMO
 
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Vol_from_86 said:
Alontae is a heck of a corner. He’d be tough to move. Safety is Lawrence’s path IMO
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Alontae is a perfect FS candidate. 4.5 forty type guy, plays aggressive and is great in coverage. IMO his hips aren't fluid enough to be a corner at the next level. Nor does he has those great corner instincts like breaking on the ball or baiting QBs to throw passes that appear to be there.
 
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901LookAlive said:
Alontae is a perfect FS candidate. 4.5 forty type guy, plays aggressive and is great in coverage. IMO his hips aren't fluid enough to be a corner at the next level. Nor does he has those great corner instincts like breaking on the ball or baiting QBs to throw passes that appear to be there.
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I really thought I was the only one that thought that about Taylor. He’s a great player with good instincts but I could definitely see him in the FS slot. He’s quick and a pretty dang good hitter when he draws a bead on somebody.
 
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901LookAlive said:
Alontae is a perfect FS candidate. 4.5 forty type guy, plays aggressive and is great in coverage. IMO his hips aren't fluid enough to be a corner at the next level. Nor does he has those great corner instincts like breaking on the ball or baiting QBs to throw passes that appear to be there.
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All of that may be true but he’s usually in good position regardless, so I’d like to see him stay there. However, if you are right and Lawrence can give us an upgrade there then that’s great. If anyone can make the right decision, it’s Pruitt and Ansley.
 
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