Jelks gets SEC offer

To say the least, it was a big weekend for Paris (Tenn.) Henry County junior offensive lineman Andrew Jelks. Not only did he visit Vanderbilt, but he now has a Commodores offer.

"It's exciting," Jelks said. "I've always dreamed of playing in the SEC."

Vanderbilt is the fourth school to offer the 6-foot-6, 260-pound tackle, joining Arkansas State, Duke and Louisville.

"I'd put Duke and Vandy in front right now," Jelks said. "Vandy definitely has a shot. I've been waiting for that SEC offer. They will definitely be a factor. I'll definitely be thinking about them."

What did Jelks like about Vanderbilt?

Quite a bit, actually.

"I was out there yesterday," he said. "I like the school a lot, and the coaches are cool. They're all real. From a football standpoint, they've got a new coaching staff and they're trying to turn things around. And from the academic standpoint, it's a great school."

During his visit, Jelks, who said he has a 4.0 GPA, toured the facilities and spent a good deal of "one-on-one time" with the coaching staff.

"I met with Coach [Herb Hand], the offensive line coach," Jelks said. "I met with Coach [James Franklin], the head coach, and Coach [John Donovan], the offensive coordinator. They just talked about the plan they have for Vanderbilt in the next couple of years. They said they want a player like me that has their head on right and is a good football player. They said they can change the culture at Vanderbilt if they get players like me."