Friday marks the end of the recruiting dead period in the 2018 class, and recruiting all around the country is back into full swing. Jeremy Pruitt’s staff has been put together, minus a receivers coach, and they are ready to get recruiting.
We have already seen a flurry of action this week, with many players across several classes receiving offers. Thursday night, Tennessee extended another offer, this time to a cornerback in the 2020 class.
Keontae Jenkins of Virginia Beach, Va was the latest player to pick up a scholarship from the Vols. The Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School prospect tweeted out the news late Thursday evening.
https://twitter.com/iamkeontae/status/951647041595338754
Tennessee became the sixth school to get into the mix for the fast-rising prospect, and the Vols are the first SEC school to offer him. Cornerbacks coach Terry Fair is listed on 247sports as the lead recruiter for Jenkins. While he is not currently ranked, Jenkins is expected to be rated as one of the best players in Virginia.
Jenkins is a very athletic prospect, playing both corner and running back during his sophomore season. At a recent camp, he ran a 4.49 second 40-yard dash time and recorded a 32 inch vertical. He is undersized, however, at 5 feet 10 inches and just 160 pounds. He is still young, though, and he has plenty of time to get bigger before college.
While it is clear he is still a very raw prospect, he is still a very good corner. He is fast enough to keep up with any receiver but surprisingly physical enough to jam players at the line of scrimmage. Pruitt said in his first press conference that he wants corners that can play at the line of scrimmage and challenge opposing teams. Jenkins can do that. He also has above average ball skills.
While he may just have six offers now, I anticipate his recruitment to heat up in the next year. He is good football player, and it’s good for the Vols that they are getting in on him early.
