Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt has talked before about how he likes to add players to his team who have played on both sides of the ball. Those types of players have a well-rounded knowledge of the game of football, and Pruitt specifically likes to have defenders who are used to having the ball in their hands playing defense for him. On Monday, Tennessee sent out an offer to a versatile athlete who fits that mold.
JaQuari Wiggles is a two-way athlete in the 2020 class who plays for Mays High School in Atlanta, Georgia. On Monday, Tennessee became the first SEC school to extend a scholarship offer to him.
Blessed to receive an offer from The University of Tennessee !!!! #GBO? pic.twitter.com/WHjyFGvHLB
— ⁸ (@quay3k_) January 28, 2019
According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Wiggles is the No. 565 overall player and No. 28 strong-side defensive end in the 2020 class. He’s listed as a defensive end by recruiting services, but he plays a lot on offense for Mays as well.
Right now, Wiggles holds offers from North Carolina, Wake Forest, Tulane, Florida Atlantic, and Appalachian State among others. Hugh Freeze at Liberty recently extended an offer to him, too.
Wiggles has visited Tennessee’s campus a few different times already, but he hadn’t picked up an offer from the Vols. On Monday, however, Tennessee’s defensive line coach Tracy Rocker was at Wiggles’ school and gave him an offer.
When looking at his film, it’s clear why Tennessee is interested in Wiggles’ services.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound athlete plays with a lot of physicality off the edge on defense, and he has good speed for his size. He can shed blocks effectively, and he wraps up well on tackles. On offense, Wiggles uses that same physicality to separate himself from defenders and break through tackles. He has surprisingly soft hands, and his speed is deceiving. He’s a great blocker off the line on offense.
As a junior this past season, Wiggles totaled 30 tackles, four tackles for loss, nine sacks, and a fumble recovery in eight games according to MaxPreps. On offense, he brought down six receptions for 56 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught a two-point conversion.
Wiggles’ versatility and physicality caught Tennessee’s attention, and it’s very likely that his recruitment is about to take off as the spring and summer circuit approaches. The Vols have made a strong impression on the talented Atlanta prospect, and he’ll likely be on campus again soon.
