I haven’t counted, but I think I’ve covered about a bazillion Tennessee prospects in my career. From a maturity standpoint, Amari Jefferson is right up at the top. That doesn’t mean the Alabama transfer will be the next Volunteer superstar, but it certainly wouldn’t surprise me.
Jefferson, who transferred from the Crimson Tide to be a Vol, has an astute sense of purpose as he begins a new chapter in Knoxville, both in what he plans to do as a Vol and in what school he selected when he realized that Bama wasn’t the place for him.
“It feels great,” the former prospect from Baylor School in Chattanooga told Off The Hook Sports. “I’m excited to be a Vol. Just being from Tennessee, growing up in Chattanooga my whole life, I just see all the orange around and just see how much pride and love people have for the Vols. Man, I can’t wait to experience it.”
Jefferson may experience Vol fandom in more ways than one. The 6-foot, 200-pound receiver is also quite adept at playing baseball, where he could certainly make a living playing centerfield. However, double dipping isn’t what it once was.
It wasn’t that long ago that Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Todd Helton split time between football and baseball, even though it was clear his future success would be on the diamond. Helton loved Tennessee football, wanted to be a part of the team and was certainly good enough to warrant significant playing time on the football field. In fact, he excelled at both sports. That’s more the exception than the rule.
Former Tennessee receiver Leonard Scott split time between track and football. In retrospect, it’s hard not to wonder if playing both sports kept him from being great in either. Jefferson doesn’t want that to happen to his college athletic career but still can’t help but think he could be a two-sport athlete.
Jefferson, who is recovering from a hip procedure, said it has been his lifelong dream to play baseball in college and beyond, but he certainly realizes that his future probably will consist of catching oblong balls and not round ones.
“I’ve already had contact with the baseball coaches so I think it’ll be something that when I get up there, we’ll kind of figure out the scheduling and if we can make it work,” the former four-star high school prospect said. “I definitely would love to (play baseball). Baseball is my first love. It’s the first sport I ever played. I’ve been playing it since I was four. I want to play both. It’s really just about if we can make it work.”
Making it work could be tough. If Jefferson played baseball, he would certainly miss more than his fair share of spring football practices. That would hamper his progress in football. It’s refreshing that he seems to understand that and sees baseball as a possibility and not an absolute must while he’s dressed in orange.
Jefferson, who excelled in center field while playing baseball, said his second recruitment was much less eventful than his first time being wooed by college recruiters. Simply put, he knew he wanted to be a Vol.
“There wasn’t really too much thought about going anywhere else,” Jefferson said. “I kind of knew where I wanted to be and I definitely wanted to be a Vol from from the jump, getting into the portal.
“It was just if we can make things work. I’m super blessed that I’m going to be able to get back up there in Knoxville and be a Volunteer. There’s definitely some other schools that kind of reached out and stuff like that, but I kind of already told them I want to be in Knoxville.”
Jefferson is now in Knoxville. The question is will he venture into center field at some point during his Tennessee career. While I wouldn’t suggest doing as much, I’d be very surprised if Jefferson doesn’t make the correct decision, whatever that might be.
