Tennessee was cruising along in recruiting until the Vols hit a pothole on Monday. Take note, I said a pothole, not a brick wall
The Vols certainly weren’t pleased when they lost out on five-star receiver Carnell Tate from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., who chose Ohio State over Tennessee. However, the decision shouldn’t have been much of a surprise considering the recent trends in Tate’s recruitment.
No matter. The Vols have plenty of options and time to fill the spot that was held open for Tate – and Tennessee isn’t likely to give up the chase just because Tate seems Buckeye bound.
Moving on, here are some of the things I’m hearing about a trio of prospects that visited Knoxville last weekend and that the Vols are pursuing heavily.
Cameron Seldon would be a great fit for the Vols
Most think Seldon, a four-star receiver from Northumberland High School in Heathsville, Va., will end up at Penn State. That might be the case. However, the Vols have a strong argument to sway the 6-foot-1, 220-pound prospect.
Tennessee’s offense is simply a better fit for Seldon than what Penn State can offer. Seldon is a dynamic playmaker that could play multiple positions in Tennessee coach Josh Heupel’s offense. Seldon also runs track so you know he’s fast.
“The run-after-catch ability is really good…a good football player instinctively,” former college scout Chris Landry of Landry Football said. “I think it would be a really good ‘get’ for them…Tennessee would be a great fit for him. I like his skill set fitting into this offense a little more than I would Penn State.”
This recruiting battle seems like Penn State’s to lose as the Vols battle hard. Virginia is trying to land Seldon as well, but that doesn’t seem likely.
Don’t rule out Clemson
The reviews on T.J. Searcy are mixed. That’s good and bad news for the Vols.
Tennessee’s coaches definitely like the 6-5, 250-pound defensive lineman from Upton-Lee High School in Thomaston, Ga. The Vols are recruiting the four-star prospect as hard as anyone other than Florida, according to a source. Auburn is also recruiting Searcy, but the Tigers don’t seem to be a threat to the Vols or Gators.
Things could change, however, if Clemson gets involved. South Carolina has made a priority of recruiting Searcy, but more attention and an eventual scholarship offer from Clemson could reset Searcy’s recruitment.
Searcy could end up being a late bloomer. He’s being recruited by several significant schools now. However, if he adds 25 pounds of muscle, as one would expect in college, Searcy could be a very good player. He’s not the most explosive defensive linemen in the 2023 class, but he’s solid with a good first step off of the line and a rangy frame.
Watch out for Alabama
It must be heart-breaking and gut-wrenching to be a recruiter. Imagine putting in all the work to land a prospect for him to change his mind at the last second and end up at another school. That could be the case with Stanton Ramil.
The Vols are currently in good shape with Ramil, a 6-7, 310-pound offensive lineman from Thompson High School in Alabaster, Ala. Michigan State and Arkansas are thought to be the other schools he’s primarily considering, per a source.
Arkansas has a good foothold considering Razorback head coach Sam Pittman is a former offensive line coach who likes to run the football a lot. The Vols are also in good shape as a program seemingly on the rise.
All of that hard working by those three schools could quickly unravel if Alabama comes calling. The Crimson Tide haven’t shown much interest yet, but Bama is worth keeping an eye on since Ramil’s father, Michael Ramil was a defensive lineman for the Crimson Tide.
Alabama has a habit of swooping in and banging a dent in a recruiting class if other prospects’ decisions don’t go the Tide’s way. For now, Ramil appears to be headed out of Alabama to play college football. That, however, isn’t a certainty.
