Tennessee is looking to add some dynamic pass catchers in their 2020 class. New wide receivers coach Tee Martin has been forming relationships with receivers all across the country since joining the Vols, and his recruiting methods have helped land the Vols into the list of finalists for one of the most talented receivers in the 2020 cycle.
Ze’Vian Capers is a four-star wide receiver who plays for Denmark High School in Alpharetta, Georgia. He’s participating in Nike’s The Opening Finals this week, and he spoke with Keith Niebuhr of 247Sports about his recruitment on Sunday. According to Capers, his recruitment is now down to just three teams: Auburn, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
“I’ve narrowed it down to three schools,” Capers told Niebuhr. “Auburn, South Carolina and Tennessee. It’s just the relationship I have with all my position coaches and my head coaches and me just being comfortable with the environment and me having the opportunity to start my senior year.”
Not only does Capers have a final three in mind, but he’s planning on making his announcement soon as well.
According to Capers, he’ll be announcing his commitment on Monday, July 1st. He hasn’t settled on a time yet per Niebuhr, but it’s likely to take place sometime around 6:00 PM Eastern.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound wideout is rated as the No. 112 overall player and No. 25 wide receiver in the 2020 class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. Capers committed to Arkansas back in early February of this year when he was still just a three-star prospect. But he started receiving a lot of attention on the recruiting trail, and his rankings reflected that, vaulting him from outside the top-400 overall prospects to just outside the top-100 overall players.
After committing to Arkansas, Capers visited Georgia Tech, took a visit to see the Razorbacks, then picked up an offer from the Vols in late March. He visited Knoxville on April 6th, then he took an official visit to South Carolina. He picked up offers from Missouri and Auburn after that, and he decommitted from the Razorbacks a week after his unofficial visit to Auburn on June 1st. He also officially visited the Tigers on June 14th.
At the regional camp to qualify for Nike’s The Opening Finals, Capers was recorded running a 4.57-second 40-yard dash and a 4.44-second shuttle. He also recorded a nearly 35-inch vertical leap.
Capers has a rare blend of height and speed, and he uses both to his advantage. While he lacks quick twitch moves, Capers is tough and intelligent, and he can already run routes pretty well. He’s a real danger in the red zone, and he’s almost unstoppable on fades. Capers always seems to know when to jump to high point the ball at the perfect time. His play looks a lot like Justin Hunter’s high school highlights, though Hunter was faster at the time than Capers.
As a junior for Denmark, Capers caught 60 passes for 1,182 yards and 11 touchdowns, adding a score on the ground as well according to MaxPreps.
We will keep you updated on Twitter (@rockytopinsider) on Capers’ decision.
Our Take:
Right now, it looks like Capers is likely leaning towards Auburn. He’s taken an official visit both there and South Carolina, and he hasn’t yet to Knoxville. That doesn’t mean a ton since he’s visited Tennessee at least, but the Tigers seem to have the edge at the moment.
Capers has already decommitted once, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see him not stick with wherever he commits on Monday. But this commitment seems more likely to keep than his pledge to Arkansas did.
