Prospects that have three stars or fewer in their recruiting profile don’t often illicit mass excitement when they commit to their chosen school.
John Slaughter should be viewed a bit different.
“When I looked at him on tape, I was surprised that he’s not ranked a little bit higher,” former NFL coach and college football scout Chris Landry said when asked about one of Tennessee’s latest commitments.
Landry should know. He’s coached with legends like Nick Saban and Bill Belichick. Slaughter committed to Tennessee on Saturday during his official visit to Knoxville. The 6-foot-1, 194-pound defensive back from Southaven (Miss.) High School doesn’t have the college interest that one would expect based on Landry’s evaluation.
Just a three-star prospect, Slaughter was only courted publicly by smaller schools. However, there was one SEC school that was keeping a close eye on Slaughter’s trip to Tennessee last weekend.
“Ole Miss is just devastated,” Landry said. “That was a priority get for them.”
For Tennessee, it never hurts to hamper former UT coach Lane Kiffin’s success at Ole Miss. Still, there’s more reason than just besting Kiffin to be excited about Slaughter.
Slaughter has the versatility to become a hybrid linebacker. However, his ability to drop into pass coverage is what stands out on his game tape. He has the natural ability to play in the middle of the field, can high-point a pass that is up for grabs and has good hand-eye coordination, per Landry.
“He’s just a jack of all trades,” said Landry, who said Slaughter looks more like a four-star prospect, to use mainstream grading terms.
“He’s a deep secondary defender that’s got some versatility,” Landry said. “What’s not to like about the guy? I’m pretty surprised that the evaluation by some of the bigger schools weren’t a bit higher.”
That means more schools could come calling. That means Ole Miss won’t quit trying. Committed or not, the Vols still have some work to do until Slaughter signs his letter or intent, likely in December during the early signing period. A commitment is non-binding – just like a recruiting ranking.
