'26 MS WR Tristen Keys (lsu commit)

I think the fact Georgia and Bama recruits sometimes receive better rankings due to their history with development and putting guys in the league is a fair explanation.

The problem comes when we don't get the same benefit from Heup's development of QB's which is as good as anyone not named Lincoln Riley. G-Mac dropped from a five star to the 16th ranked QB on On3 by the end of last year's cycle and we are already seeing Faizon drop this year.
Let's be honest, some of the kids that they recruit would make it to the league even if they went to UTC.
 
Hyatt was a nothing burger in college before this staff.

But Pope’s first WR class would’ve been the ‘23 class. He was hired in March ‘22.

So he’s recruited:

- Seldon who played RB here
- Leacock
- Nate Spillman who we prob took to be in good graces with Edward Spillman
- Thornton from portal (drafted)

He’s also recruited:

- Brazzell from portal

And that concludes the draft eligible WRs that have been recruited under Pope.

He’s also recruited:

- Mike Matthews
- Braylon Staley
- Travis Smith Jr
- Radarious Jackson
- Joakim Dodson
- Amari Jefferson from portal

Additionally can you name a QB that Heup recruited that has been drafted from UT? Joe from the portal. That’s it.

Do you know how many players Garner has recruited while @ UT that have been drafted? TWO. Pearce and Norman-Lott who was a transfer.

See how this argument falls apart pretty quickly?

Staff hasn’t been here long enough to make proclamations about their ability to recruit and develop NFL players.
RG has also landed Hobbs, West, and Moi. All of which have been impact players, and Joshua Josephs will be a day 2 draft pick at worst after this season. He’s also landed Jordan Ross who while he cost us the Arkansas game has shown flashes of why he was the number 1 edge rusher in the country. Rodney Garner also has a 15 year track record or recruiting and developing elite DL. It’s a massive contrast when comparing the two positon coaches
 
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Do you know how many players Garner has recruited while @ UT that have been drafted? TWO. Pearce and Norman-Lott who was a transfer.

See how this argument falls apart pretty quickly?

Staff hasn’t been here long enough to make proclamations about their ability to recruit and develop NFL players.
You're entitled to your own opinions, but at least don't lie to push an agenda. On the defensive line, this staff has put Byron Young in the league after he was at Dollar General and JUCO. Byron is one of the best young EDGE rushers in the league. Omarr Norman-Lott and him were both Day 2 picks. Matthew Butler was a draft pick. James Pearce Jr just went in the first round. Elijah Simmons has a prime chance to make the Cardinals. Omari Thomas has the opportunity of making the Saints. Simmons more likely to make a roster but I'd say last UDFA Tennessee DT the Saints signed worked out alright. This staff developed Tyler Baron who is now a pro.

Josh Josephs will be a mid round draft pick this year. Jaxson Moi is one of the best run stuffers in the SEC. Bryson Eason continues to keep developing after being a linebacker his whole life until a couple years ago.

Rodney Garner and his guys have done just fine lol
 
1. Only 2 classes have even been draft eligible yet, and 1 of those classes was Huepel's first year where we lost most of our signing class when we fired Pruitt.

2. We've had 4 WRs play well enough to get drafted under Huep. For the record, that is the same amount as UGA over the same period, despite UGA consistently bringing in better recruiting classes before and during Huep's tenure.
This just proves voldc has zero cognitive skills
 
You're entitled to your own opinions, but at least don't lie to push an agenda. On the defensive line, this staff has put Byron Young in the league after he was at Dollar General and JUCO. Byron is one of the best young EDGE rushers in the league. Omarr Norman-Lott and him were both Day 2 picks. Matthew Butler was a draft pick. James Pearce Jr just went in the first round. Elijah Simmons has a prime chance to make the Cardinals. Omari Thomas has the opportunity of making the Saints. Simmons more likely to make a roster but I'd say last UDFA Tennessee DT the Saints signed worked out alright. This staff developed Tyler Baron who is now a pro.

Josh Josephs will be a mid round draft pick this year. Jaxson Moi is one of the best run stuffers in the SEC. Bryson Eason continues to keep developing after being a linebacker his whole life until a couple years ago.

Rodney Garner and his guys have done just fine lol
He said recruited and drafted. Not all those guys listed fit that
 
He said recruited and drafted. Not all those guys listed fit that
Recruited Byron Young, James Pearce Jr, Josh Josephs. Not his fault he's turned and molded a group thought to be Omari Thomas and friends into long term highly productive players. How many players is one expecting to recruit from high school and see get drafted in 4 years, especially when nobody wanted to come here when the staff was hired?
 
Recruited Byron Young, James Pearce Jr, Josh Josephs. Not his fault he's turned and molded a group thought to be Omari Thomas and friends into long term highly productive players. How many players is one expecting to recruit from high school and see get drafted in 4 years, especially when nobody wanted to come here when the staff was hired?
I think that’s the point. People are complaining about WR recruiting and pointing to lack of recruits turning into draft picks. Now sure how many high school recruits they expect to get drafted in 4 years, especially when nobody wanted to come here when the staff was hired
 
Recruited Byron Young, James Pearce Jr, Josh Josephs. Not his fault he's turned and molded a group thought to be Omari Thomas and friends into long term highly productive players. How many players is one expecting to recruit from high school and see get drafted in 4 years, especially when nobody wanted to come here when the staff was hired?
Byron Young enrolled in January 2021. Garner was hired in January 2021. Unless my memory serves me badly. I wouldn’t count that as being recruited

Marco’s point was recruited and drafted. Which is why Hyatt didn’t fit the point. Not sure what’s confusing here?
 
I think that’s the point. People are complaining about WR recruiting and pointing to lack of recruits turning into draft picks. Now sure how many high school recruits they expect to get drafted in 4 years, especially when nobody wanted to come here when the staff was hired
Well yeah that's not fair. The problem with Pope's WR recruiting is the fact that none of the players in his first classes are in Knoxville
 
Byron Young enrolled in January 2021. Garner was hired in January 2021. Unless my memory serves me badly. I wouldn’t count that as being recruited

Marco’s point was recruited and drafted. Which is why Hyatt didn’t fit the point. Not sure what’s confusing here?
Looking back on it, that is correct. I guess I just merged it all together as the start in my head. He still recruited, landed, and developed a first round pick tho
 
Well yeah that's not fair. The problem with Pope's WR recruiting is the fact that none of the players in his first classes are in Knoxville
First class 2023

Leacock - high 4 stars idk why he didn’t work out
Spillman - to get his brother
Thornton - drafted

Can we see how the next few classes after that do before making a final decision?

Last 2 classes were high on quality
This class is high on quality and if we get Keys will be maybe best class in the country


Much like some other positions, the proof will be in the pudding in the next 2-3 years
 
First class 2023

Leacock - high 4 stars idk why he didn’t work out
Spillman - to get his brother
Thornton - drafted

Can we see how the next few classes after that do before making a final decision?

Last 2 classes were high on quality
This class is high on quality and if we get Keys will be maybe best class in the country


Much like some other positions, the proof will be in the pudding in the next 2-3 years
Thought we weren't counting transfers so I just meant high school. I also meant it as the consensus' problem, but I guess that would add in the fact they added absolutely nobody in the portal at receiver that played any last year. Young talent is def there like you said, hopefully he develops it
 
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Thought we weren't counting transfers so I just meant high school. I also meant it as the consensus' problem, but I guess that would add in the fact they added absolutely nobody in the portal at receiver that played any last year. Young talent is def there like you said, hopefully he develops it
Don’t necessarily disagree. I didn’t see anyone in the portal that I wanted us to overpay for.

I’m just not a knee jerk reaction kind of guy and I don’t pre-worry (not saying you are pre-worried, some definitely are). I think Heup is killing it overall so far, but some position coaches are questionable at this point. I’m just not gonna waste time worrying about it or calling them out repeatedly until there is sufficient information to make a reasonable, informed, intelligent decision.

Will be obvious in a couple years. If these highly ranked HS recruits don’t make some noise in the next year or 2 there won’t be much defense for that
 
You're entitled to your own opinions, but at least don't lie to push an agenda. On the defensive line, this staff has put Byron Young in the league after he was at Dollar General and JUCO. Byron is one of the best young EDGE rushers in the league. Omarr Norman-Lott and him were both Day 2 picks. Matthew Butler was a draft pick. James Pearce Jr just went in the first round. Elijah Simmons has a prime chance to make the Cardinals. Omari Thomas has the opportunity of making the Saints. Simmons more likely to make a roster but I'd say last UDFA Tennessee DT the Saints signed worked out alright. This staff developed Tyler Baron who is now a pro.

Josh Josephs will be a mid round draft pick this year. Jaxson Moi is one of the best run stuffers in the SEC. Bryson Eason continues to keep developing after being a linebacker his whole life until a couple years ago.

Rodney Garner and his guys have done just fine lol

You’re misinterpreting the convo. I think RG has done awesome. I think Heup has done awesome. I’m just pointing out we’ve had WRs drafted from this staff as well.

That’s right forgot Byron Young and Butler bc they were recruited by previous staff.

But that means we can count Tillman, Velus, and Hyatt as WRs this staff has put in the league. That was the convo.
 
Recruited Byron Young, James Pearce Jr, Josh Josephs. Not his fault he's turned and molded a group thought to be Omari Thomas and friends into long term highly productive players. How many players is one expecting to recruit from high school and see get drafted in 4 years, especially when nobody wanted to come here when the staff was hired?
I think Byron was actually discovered, recruited and committed to Cornbread. This staff did hold on to him though, as he was hung up on coming after the firing.
 
What’s the feeling here? I haven’t been following.
50/50 with Michigan.

AP actually called Hiter to Tennessee just before making the comment above. Which is why the poster I’m referring to is a liar. The context was a question to AP to “call his shot” regarding some recruiting targets. He followed that bold prediction by saying that he thought there was a better chance to get Hiter than to get Keys. Also said he thinks we get one of the Edge flip targets…Givens or Harris.
 
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yeah but he also added we were running behind on HIter. If he think Hiter is a better chance he must not be optimistic at all about Keys
“I will go, Tennessee lands Savion Hiter. I mean to me, it’s still very close. I wouldn’t say Tennessee is some big favorite to land him, I’m just calling my shot. I feel like they’ve got a better chance there than the do with Keys.”

This is the exact quote after poster asked AP to call some shots on recruiting. Full context.

You’re a troll and a liar. You’ve been exposed. You can leave now.
 

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