NSD Special: The Skinny on the Vols' Final 4 Prospects

 

 

With only a few hours remaining until NSD, things have certainly changed since my last post. Dalton Santos is a Longhorn, Otha Peters is a Razorback, new prospects have been offered, and every Vol fan is awaiting the decisions of four specific targets: WR Cordarrelle Patterson, DT Korren Kirven, WR Quinshad Davis, and CB Amos Leggett. First off, let me say that regardless of what happens with these four prospects, if we don’t lose anymore current commitments, this will still be a solid class that addressed a lot of needs. No, I’m not just saying that to try and stop the bleeding Vols fans are feeling after today, it’s the truth. Having said that, let’s take a look at each target and what to expect tomorrow.

 

WR, Cordarrelle Patterson

Announcement Time: 10:30 AM (Eastern)

Schools Considered: Tennessee, Georgia, Ole Miss, Auburn

The Skinny:

After a rollercoaster of a recruitment, CP’s destination is still unclear. While most believe this to be a battle between the Dawgs and Vols, don’t count out the Rebels either. The word in Oxford is that CP has told Coach Freeze that he would indeed be a Rebel. Only thing is, take that with a grain of salt, because he has told the same thing to Georgia and Tennessee. The rumor going around right now is that Freeze has talked about bringing CP’s JUCO Coach to be an assistant at Ole Miss if he can egt CP to come with him. Dirty? Sure. Illegal? Unfortunately, no. No one is sure what this kid will do tomorrow, but I’m not holding my breath one way or the other until his papers are signed.

My Two Cents:

While Tennessee has been recruiting CP the longest, unfortunately I see him ending up a Dawg.

 

DT, Korren Kirven

Announcement Time: 8:00 AM (Eastern)

Schools Considered: Tennessee and Virginia Tech

The Skinny:

Kirven’s recruitment is an intriguing one. While VT has been the known leader throughout most of his recruitment, the Vols have made a late push. The hiring of Sal Sunseri to Tennessee really got his attention, seeing as how that was his primary reason for considering Alabama. Two weekends ago, Kirven’s parents were said to be making a trip to Knoxville without their son. This looked to be good news for the Vols because no parents are going to travel from Virginia just to take a tour. However, his parents did not end up making the trip but have kept in constant contact with the coaching staff. The following weekend, Kirven visited the Hokies, and Beamer and gang knew they had a lot of work to do. Apparently they left no stone unturned and showed him a great time. However, will it be enough to keep him at home?

My Two Cents:

While I want to believe that Tennessee will land this 4-star prospect, VT has a storied history of keeping it’s instate talent at home. In the end, I think the comfort and convenience of home proves too much and Kirven signs with the Hokies.

 

WR, Quinshad Davis

Announcement Time: 12:00 PM (Eastern)

Schools Considered: Tennessee, Wake Forest, North Carolina

The Skinny:

There has not been near as much drama surrounding Davis and his recruiting process, but that’s not to say there won’t be tomorrow around lunch. Most believe the Vols to be the clear leader with Davis, and I think their main threat is Wake Forest. It’s no secret he loves their academics and has a fantastic relationship with their coaching staff.

My Two Cents:

I think Davis ends up a Vol.

 

CB, Amos Leggett

Announcement Time: 9:00 AM (Eastern)

Schools Considered: Marshall and Tennessee

The Skinny:

While Leggett is currently committed to Marshall, everyone knows it’s only because it is the only place he is academically eligible. However, the Vols contacted him a few days ago in hopes to be able to sway him to Tennessee and see if they can get him enrolled. Before his academic issues became apparent, he was receiving a lot of interest from Florida St. and Miami.

My Two Cents:

I really cannot say with this kid, only because I don’t know if he will be eligible. If the Vols can get him enrolled I fully expect him to be a Vol tomorrow. If not, that is the only reason to think he would stay with the Thundering Herd.

 

In summation, while losing Santos and especially Peters hurts this class, it is still an excellent haul of talent considering the Vols just came off of a 5-7 season. While talented, those are two kids that have yet to play one collegiate game yet. They do not define this class and they sure as heck do not define the University of Tennessee. This staff has addressed the needs that needed to be addressed heading into the offseason, and they are to be commended for that. Looking back they probably shouldn’t have told LB Khalid Henderson to look around, but then again, hindsight is 20/20. Consequently, they have offered LB Kenneth Bynum at the last second in hopes of swaying the Cincinnati commit to fill the void left by the aforementioned prospects. Who knows, maybe the 23 point beat down the Vols put on the Bearcats last season will help. Either way, barring a stampede of decommitments from current verbals, this will be a good looking class. The only two current commitments to keep an eye on is McNeil (Oklahoma St.) and Pig Howard (UCF). One thing to note is that if by chance we miss on our targets tomorrow and lose a couple of commitments, we will more than likely hold on to them for 2013. This is the year that you can expect the Vols to be recruiting with the big dogs once again. So strap in, try to enjoy the ride, and let’s see how it all unfolds. For better or worse, IT’S GREAT TO BE A TENNESSEE VOL.