By now, Jeremy Pruitt and his coaching staff have proven that star ratings are the least of their worries. They trust their ability to evaluate talent, and now the Vols have offered a potential sleeper in the 2019 class.
Kenney Soloman, a two-star cornerback from South Carolina, announced via Twitter that he received an offer from Tennessee. “Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Tennessee,” he tweeted Saturday evening.
Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Tennessee!! @CoachJPruitt #GoVols pic.twitter.com/oErLY1dW1v
— Kenney Solomon (@KenneySolomon3) January 13, 2019
Solomon hails from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and holds offers from five other FBS programs. UCF, Louisville, UMass, Appalachian State, and Charlotte have all extended a scholarship to him, and Tennessee was the first Power Five school to offer him. Louisville offered Solomon after the Vols had already given him their offer.
Per the 247Sports Composite rankings, the 6-foot, 170-pound defensive back is the No. 2,650 overall player in the country, 50th-ranked player in the state, and the 252nd-ranked corner in the 2019 class.
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The Vols landed three defensive backs in the early signing period, but they wouldn’t be opposed to adding another. Solomon also has plenty of offensive potential as well.
Solomon visited Knoxville this past weekend, and that’s where he officially received the offer. He also visited Tennessee back in November for UT’s game against Kentucky.
Thanks to @CoachJPruitt @UTCoachTFair @CoachStiff for a great weekend and the offer to Tennessee! #GoVols #GBO #T19 #PoweredbytheT #VolNation pic.twitter.com/OXtb0GhAuB
— Kenney Solomon (@KenneySolomon3) January 13, 2019
He may not stand out in the rankings, but a lot of that is due to exposure. Solomon never went to any of the camps that most prospects attend, which has a major effect on the ratings. He has potential to take a big jump when the next batch of ratings come out.
Solomon played both corner and receiver at Socastee High School. He also ran track, and he recorded a 10.7-second 100-meter.
Looking at his film, he is a real all-around athlete. Solomon is a physical and explosive player with elite speed. According to his Hudl profile, he runs a 4.36-second 40-yard dash. Solomon can play up at the line of scrimmage and match up with any receiver because of his unique combination of strength, size, and speed. He is an insticulal player with quick reactions and a fundamental tackler. He adds an extra element to his game as a return man. In his senior year alone, he returned a handful of punts and kicks for touchdowns. He has the capability to play on either side of the ball, and he flashes on film as a receiver as well.
In just seven recorded games this past season, Solomon had 16 tackles and two interceptions on defense a year after intercepting six passes as a junior. He also accumulated 359 rushing yards and 324 receiving yards according to MyHorryNews.com.
Solomon is a big time sleeper prospect. He is very underrated, but now that the Vols have offered him, it wouldn’t be surprising if some other big programs suddenly become interested. Regardless, he definitely isn’t a “back up plan.” Kenney Solomon would be a great addition to the Vols’ 2019 signing class.
