From the Road: Tennessee
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Recruiting Wrap: Oliver is committed to Tennessee.
Performance: Oliver is in his first full season as a tight end but
you wouldn't know it with the way he played on Friday night. Most of the
night he was split out wide, but he also showed some skills as a blocker
when lined up in as a traditional tight end. He also made the overall play
of the night, going up and ripping a jump ball out of the air over a smaller
defender, then breaking three tackles en route to a 54-yard
touchdown reception. As the season as progressed Oliver has continued to
improve and Tennessee fans hope he will only get better when he arrives in
Knoxville.
3
OT
Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Oakland
Recruiting Wrap: Jones is committed to Tennessee.
Performance: There has been some talk about which position
on the offensive line Jones will play at the next level, but if he can play
with the intensity he showed on Friday night it might not matter where the
Vols put him. Whenever Oakland needed tough yards, the play was run off of
Jones and he didn't disappoint as he consistently opened holes all night. In
pass blocking situations Jones was also good at protecting his quarterback,
leading to a few big plays down the field. Further showing his versatility,
Jones also worked at defensive end when his team needed a big stop and was
more than adequate, showing violent hands and causing problems for the
Blackman offensive line whenever he was in the game.
4
QB
Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Blackman
Recruiting Wrap: Jennings is committed to Tennessee.
Performance: The four-star quarterback did a little bit of
everything for his team on Friday night, starting at cornerback, defensive
back and also at punt returner. After a first quarter drive that included a
couple of nice throws and a touchdown run, things were much harder to come
by for Jennings. As a quarterback he showed a strong arm on throws across
the middle of the field and an ability to extend plays with legs. Unlike
some dual-threat quarterbacks Jennings keeps his eyes downfield at all
times, preferring to throw rather than run. The one downfall of Jennings
night was trying too hard to make something happen, instead of tucking and
running or throwing the ball away. He made a few throws out of the pocket
and across his body that led to negative plays and ultimately cost his team.
On defense Jennings often worked in coverage against Oakland's top wide
receiver. If quarterback doesn't work out with the Vols, Jennings still has
the athleticism to be a high-level defensive player.
OTHER PROSPECTS
DB
Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Oakland
The two-star defensive back showed physicality at corner before leaving the
game with an injury early in the second half. Despite several FBS offers,
Black committed to Tennessee State earlier this fall.
RB
Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Blackman
Davidson is a hard-nosed runner who is used to pounding it out to earn tough
yards. On Friday there wasn't a lot of room for Davidson to run, limiting
his production. His biggest impact was in the return game, where he had one
big return and forced pooch kicks from Oakland for most the night. Davidson
has several FCS offers, and an FBS offer from Navy.
DB
Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Oakland
With the way he played on Friday night, if an MVP award was being handed out
for Oakland, Gbessee would have just as much of a claim as Smith, Jones and
Oliver. He was all over the field while playing defensive back and wide
receiver and made several key plays. Because of his size (5-foot-8, 163
pounds), Gbeese's FBS offers were limited, but he should make a good player
for Wofford, where he committed last month.
TE
Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Blackman
The two-star prospect plays receiver for his high school team and served as
a big target for Jennings on the outside. Unfortunately he had a costly
offensive pass interference and was inconsistent catching the ball. He did
have a few big plays as well and has an offer from Navy and could find a
home at the FBS level between now and National Signing Day.
DT
Ty Nix (2016)
Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Oakland
Nix played most of the game at defensive for tackle for Oakland and was key
part of his team's success controlling the line of scrimmage. The 6-foot,
270-pound junior doesn't exactly have ideal height, but is great at getting
the leverage advantage and winning battles at the line of scrimmage. Nix has
an early offer from Middle Tennessee.
LB
Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Oakland
The two-star linebacker has offers from MTSU, Western Kentucky and
others but was ejected in the first quarter after an unsportsmanlike conduct
penalty. With an Arkansas State assistant in attendance, the
infraction came at unfortunate time for the 6-foot, 228-pound prospect.
ATH
JaCoby Stevens (2017)
Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Oakland
The 6-foot-2 playmaker sees himself as a wide receiver at the next level,
but did most of his damage as a defensive back on Friday night. Despite
being just a sophomore, Stevens already has offers from most of the SEC,
coverage he didn't see many balls come his way, but when it was his turn
Stevens made his share of plays on Jennings, including several big hits.
Ultimately I think Stevens' future is on defensive, but with his potential
success on either side of the ball can't be ruled out.
Woody Womack
Southeast Recruiting Analyst
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