Right now, Tennessee may not be beating Alabama and Georgia on the field or when it comes to comparing commitments. But star units aren’t necessarily made on the recruiting trail; they’re made in development.
Jeremy Pruitt is recruiting the type of players he wants to run his scheme, and he isn’t doing too badly in plucking star recruits, either. Friday continued to prove that. Before long, he may just have the type of secondary that he was used to having when he was the defensive coordinator with the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs.
The Vols continued their surge up the recruiting rankings on Friday when the commitment of 4-star defensive back Jaylen McCollough, a Power Springs, Georgia, prospect pledged to Tennessee over South Carolina, Alabama and others. He is a player I was very much hoping UT could secure and would be able to fit into the class numbers-wise.
You can’t turn away players of McCollough’s caliber.
New Vols 4-star safety @Jay_Mccollough2 is nicknamed ‘Tank’ for a reason. Tennessee is getting a thumper for its defensive backfield.
More analysis with @ChadSimmons_: https://t.co/dgYo2GZ6rV pic.twitter.com/gNsSU1xYuX— Jesse Simonton (@JesseReSimonton) August 17, 2018
Even more interesting is 4-star defensive back prospect Devin Bush, who was considered a Tennessee lean, tweeted that he was re-opening his recruitment on Friday, which is odd for an uncommitted player to do. Was he a silent pledge to the Vols? Was he afraid he was so much of a lock to UT that other teams [like Auburn, for instance] weren’t recruiting him as heavily?
If this is the case, it’s possible that means the Vols have more good news from a target higher on the board. That could be Madison, Alabama, defensive back Jaydon Hill, a long, lanky cornerback who was higher than anybody on UT’s radar and want-list than any cornerback named Elijah Blades [JUCO Oregon commit who chose the Ducks over the Vols] and Warren Burrell [already in the fold for the Vols].
With the noted caveat that it’s only August — Tennessee is coming off its worst season in program history and currently has 10 blue-chip commits and the nation’s No. 8 class.
— Jesse Simonton (@JesseReSimonton) August 17, 2018
All of a sudden, an area that looked like it could be a position of concern in the last recruiting cycle appears to be shaping up nicely for the future. The Vols love what they’re seeing in the early-going from cornerbacks Alontae Taylor and Bryce Thompson, two true freshman electric athletes who will have to get fire-baptized this year, but that will help them in the future. When you factor in safety Trevon Flowers, who excites UT with his athleticism, and even JUCO cornerback Kenneth George Jr. and freshman Brandon Davis, and it looks like Tennessee had a sneaky-good class of DB in the 2018 cycle.
Now, you throw in Burrell and big-hitting, physical corner Tyus Fields — two 4-star cornerbacks — to go along with North Carolina athlete Anthony Harris, who could play safety or wide receiver, and that’s a great start. The Vols added McCollough today, who could wind up being the biggest piece of the puzzle. Why? Because he’s a physical, in-the-box safety who could play the all-important Star position.
That spot is designed for players physical enough to step up in the run game but athletic enough to hold his own in coverage, too. Think of a nickelback with extra responsibilities. It’s what Minkah Fitzpatrick was so brilliant doing for Alabama and a bit like the role Eric Berry played in Monte Kiffin’s Tampa-2 defense in 2009.
If the Vols can add Hill to close the class, that’s stout. You’ve got your fast, athletic corners in this year’s freshman class [and Fields], you’ve got the big, physical corners in Burrell and Hill, then you’ve got some versatile players like McCullough.
That’s exactly the kind of mix you want. Pruitt is a known develop of defensive backs, and he wants a lot of different, moldable players. McCullough gives Tennessee an exciting player and also keep the Vols beating divisional foes for recruits. McCullough chose UT over other finalist South Carolina. Burrell was down to the Gamecocks, Florida, and N.C. State. Hill is down to the Vols, Gamecocks and Gators. Fields chose UT over N.C. State and Clemson.
The Vols know what they want in the secondary, and they’re getting some guys high on Pruitt’s list. That’s got to be music to Vols fans’ ears.
McCullough reminds me of former Georgia defensive back Bacarri Rambo, who is now with the Buffalo Bills. He’s a big, physical safety who plays with a chip on his shoulder, arrives in a hurry and packs a punch when he gets there. He doesn’t grade out really fast, but he plays much quicker than his 40 time and is seemingly always around the ball.
He continues Tennessee’s surge, and the Vols needed a guy like him in the class. He’s an important piece of the puzzle who could step in and play immediately once he gets on campus.