Darrin Kirkland Jr.
Linebacker
6-1, 225 pounds
Indianapolis, Indiana (Lawrence Central)
Top Offers
Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Southern Cal, Texas
Status
Tennessee enrollee
Rivals.com: ★★★★
Scout.com: ★★★★
247Sports: ★★★★
ESPN.com: ★★★★
RTI Average: 4-stars
RTI’s Take:
Daniel: The Vols were in the right place at the right time with Michigan struggling enough this season that Kirkland decommitted and flipped to the Vols. He fills a huge position of need going forward as the Vols look to life after A.J. Johnson, who played inside linebacker for much of the past four years in Knoxville. The job won’t be handed to him, he’ll have to earn it over some other talented competition, but Kirkland has as good a chance to start as almost any other position player in the 2015 class.
Houston: We saw how far the dropoff was behind A.J. Johnson late in the year, and Kirkland Jr. will be given every opportunity to see the field early at the position. He is disciplined, smart and quick to react when he makes his read – the perfect style of player for the MLB spot in John Jancek’s defense. If he can pick up on the scheme, he could be looking at a lot of playing time in 2015.
Reed: A torn pectoral muscle might sideline him this spring and that would be a huge blow to this team. Tennessee has a noticeable gap at MLB and Kirkland has a shot to fill it. He’s a mature player on the field with plus athleticism. Even with his pec injury, he should see the field this season. How quickly he’s able to heal will likely determine how early he plays.
