Tennessee TE poised for offers

Junior to Watch: Tom Santi

School: Montgomery Bell Academy

Position: Tight End

Size and speed: Santi is 6-foot-5, weighs 219 pounds, and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds.

Statistics: As a junior, he caught 46 passes and scored 12 touchdowns.

Honors: Earned Super 7 All-State honors as a junior.

Favorite Schools: Tennessee, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, Colorado, Iowa.

Skinny: A key figure in Montgomery Bell Academy’s drive to the 2002 state championship appears to be on the verge of some major scholarship offers.

“Tom Santi is special. He’s going to be a big-time recruit,” said MBA coach Jeff Rutledge, the former NFL quarterback and Vanderbilt assistant. “He’s getting ready to get an offer from Georgia Tech, and Colorado, Iowa and Vanderbilt are very interested as well. I’ve had all kinds of calls about him this spring and a few people have come by the school. When they see his film, they get really excited about him.”

Santi (6-5, 219, 4.52) caught a team-high 46 passes as a junior, scoring on 12 of them.

“He’s just a big boy who can really run,” Rutledge said. “He plays every sport. He’s an all-around athlete. One of Vandy’s coaches was at his baseball game recently, and he was shocked at how fast he was from home to first.

“Once he gets into a college strength program, he’s going to add 25-30 pounds and be a really special tight end. He’s got all the tools – the size, the speed, the soft hands. You can create all kinds of mismatches with him.”

Santi has also received interest from Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State and LSU, among others.

“I don’t think he’s got a favorite right now,” Rutledge said. “His family is pro-Tennessee, but he’s got a sister at Alabama. He’s pretty open at this point.”

Academically, Santi carries a 3.9 GPA and will be a full-qualifier, Rutledge said.