Barker getting new SEC interest

It's been a busy last month for 2014 4-star Burlington (Ky.) Conner quarterback Drew Barker. Following the conclusion of his junior season, Barker hit the road for one last in-season visit to Ohio State, before turning his focus to exams and basketball season. But just because he was off the road, it didn't mean the visiting was done.

Barker saw several coaches stop school prior to the start of the dead period, including two that extended new offers.

"Tennessee and North Carolina both came by and offered," Barker said. "There were a lot of coaches who came by and that's always humbling to have them go out of there way to come see me."

For Barker, the attention from Tennessee is very welcomed. New Volunteers coach Butch Jones and his staff were one of the first staffs to offer Barker when they were at Cincinnati.

"They were my second offer so I have a pretty good relationship with them," Barker said. "They just told me that I'm still their guy and they really like me and they want me to come aboard and they think I can fit in their offense really well and they think I can excel."

The school Barker has grown up rooting for, Kentucky, has also re-entered the discussion for his services thanks to its new coaching staff.

"The last staff wasn't recruiting me at all and it kind of left a bad taste in my mouth and I was turned off," Barker said. "But Coach Stoops reached out to me right away when he got hired and told me I'm going to be the top priority for them in 2014 because they want to get all the top in-state guys to stay. I don't know much about them but I'm going down soon for a basketball game and to meet the rest of the staff."

Barker is also planning a visit to Georgia sometime in the near future but the team to beat for his services is still Ohio State. However, the Buckeyes have yet to offer.

Multiple coaches from the Buckeyes staff stopped in to see Barker this month and he recently spoke with head coach Urban Meyer.

"I talked to Urban yesterday on the phone and he told me pretty much that they're not going to offer right now," Barker said. "They just told me they're going to recruit me like I'm offered and that I'm a priority but I really don't know when they're going to offer."

With basketball in full swing, Barker isn't sure how his schedule will shake out or whether he'll be able to make it to either one of the major combines. However, he is starting to zero in on a timeline for a decision.

"My birthday is March 14 so I'm thinking somewhere around that date," Barker said. "Maybe a little later in April so I can go to a spring game or two. I'm not sure but I'm hoping to make it in that time frame."