MUST HAVE Recruits: '07

#1
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bearcub347

bearvol
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Dec 3, 2006
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#1
1. Berry - We need Berry in the worst way. To play an aggressive, Chavis defense, we need a solid secondary. Plus, we are thin in that position and loaded with upper-classmen. He is the most important target for the class.

2. Donald and H. Smith - According to most fans, H. Smith is not a huge deal. However, both of these players are necessary so we can control our state recruitment. We have missed out on Patrick Turner and Brandon Warren, the two top players in TN, in previous years. By landing Donald and Smith we can begin to reestablish ourselves with the top in-state talent. Landing Donald and Smith could have an impact of 5 years in improving in-state recruiting.

3. D-Line help - It doesn't matter who (Austin, Dunlap, Watkins), but we need top-tier help. Obviously, we struggled this year and there is no extremely promising talent coming up.
 
#2
#2
Losing in-state talent is a real sore spot for me. Its not like we have that much to begin with, we need to keep the best of what we've got.

To your point, keeping at least one of Donald/Smith would still be a good thing. I prefer Donald of the two, we're already getting some great athletes who should contribute at WR so I'm not quite as worried about losing Smith from a filling the need standpoint. We need some nasty headhunting defenders... to blow up florida's spread option which is going to become every bit the nemesis that the fun n' gun was, IMO.

Berry would be a tremendous asset to the same end. The way the game is evolving, the defense is going to have to dictate - and that means being aggressive. Solid physical corners is going to be a necessity.

As for the D-line... we need some guys coming up like the Darwin Walkers, Albert Haynesworths, John Hendersons, Justin Harrells that we've had. I didn't see anyone on the field with that kind of potential this year after Harrell was hurt.
 
#3
#3
I don't see H. Smith playing for UT. Knoxville is too familiar..."everybody" went to school over on the hill...there's nothing mysterious or new about it. I'm sure all kinds of family and friends have gone to UT...how many have gone to ND? I think that kind of mind set often happens when a kid grows up in a certain college town and there isn't an entrenched tradition (like a father) actually playing for that team. I think that his parents feel like they are doing him a favor by pushing ND .. when they're most likely not ... even academically speaking. I think that the chances are good that he would get just as good of an education (obviously depenedent some on his major) over on the hill ... and he wouldn't have to catch balls from a Clausen.
 
#5
#5
hvwarrior58 said:
Smith is not a must get. I would take Morgan Burnett any day over Smith.
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Have you heard anything lately on Morgan, HV? I have a good feeling about us landing Eric Berry, but could you imagine getting him AND Morgan both? That would be groovy!
 
#6
#6
bearcub347 said:
1. Berry - We need Berry in the worst way. To play an aggressive, Chavis defense, we need a solid secondary. Plus, we are thin in that position and loaded with upper-classmen. He is the most important target for the class.

2. Donald and H. Smith - According to most fans, H. Smith is not a huge deal. However, both of these players are necessary so we can control our state recruitment. We have missed out on Patrick Turner and Brandon Warren, the two top players in TN, in previous years. By landing Donald and Smith we can begin to reestablish ourselves with the top in-state talent. Landing Donald and Smith could have an impact of 5 years in improving in-state recruiting.

3. D-Line help - It doesn't matter who (Austin, Dunlap, Watkins), but we need top-tier help. Obviously, we struggled this year and there is no extremely promising talent coming up.
Click to expand...

I agree with that list 100%...except for Harrison Smith.
 
#7
#7
Here's the latest on Morgan Burnett:

Burnett obviously enjoyed his trip to Knoxville, but he cautions that he's not in any sort of rush to make a decision at this point. He's yet to make any official visits, and says he'll make at least three and possibly all five before he's ready to decide anything about his college future.

"I'm going to sit down next week and start planning all my visits out. I don't have any dates set up yet, but I know that I'm going to visit Florida, Tennessee and Georgia Tech," Burnett said. "I'll probably visit Georgia too, and I'm not sure about the fifth one. I'm going to try and start taking them in December and see if I can squeeze all five in."

Burnett is well-acquainted with another of Tennessee's top recruiting targets, fellow Georgia prospect Eric Berry. The two play in the same high school region and talk often. In fact, Burnett said they rode to the game together in Knoxville on Saturday.
 
#9
#9
H. Smith is not a must-have because of his talent alone.

H. Smith is a must-have player because he is top-tier talent AND because he projects to be a fast, physical safety (which UT needs), AND because he is our own backyard.

Too many times UT has lost the best talent in the state. Although it is not the production of Florida or California, Tennessee consistently produces a couple top players each year.

And if we can't keep a top prospect in Knoxville, we have in-state recruiting problems.
 
#10
#10
TennTradition said:
I don't see H. Smith playing for UT. Knoxville is too familiar..."everybody" went to school over on the hill...there's nothing mysterious or new about it. I'm sure all kinds of family and friends have gone to UT...how many have gone to ND? I think that kind of mind set often happens when a kid grows up in a certain college town and there isn't an entrenched tradition (like a father) actually playing for that team. I think that his parents feel like they are doing him a favor by pushing ND .. when they're most likely not ... even academically speaking. I think that the chances are good that he would get just as good of an education (obviously depenedent some on his major) over on the hill ... and he wouldn't have to catch balls from a Clausen.
Click to expand...
If he grew up in East Tennessee and attended UT games and was a Vol fan since childhood and doen't want to sign with us then good riddance we don't want him IMO!!
 
#11
#11
Not saying I wouldnt want Smith, but my Christmas wish is Donald, Berry, and a top DT
 
#12
#12
amen, my dream is Donald, Berry, Austin, the Hawaiian, and Jones
 
#13
#13
If we add Berry, Donald, and Burnett to the class we already have and I will be a happy man. Jones, Austin, Paige, etc. would just be icing on the cake. At this point I am not to concerned about getting Harrison Smith because we are in the running for some much better players. I think the emphasis on recruiting in-state players in blown out of proportion by some of the fans.
 
#14
#14
I don't have a problem with recruiting Smith because I do like to see the in-state guys on the team. But, it wouldn't be a killer if we lose him because I never heard them say Patrick Turner, you know the guy from Tennessee that snubbed the Vols for USC.
 
#15
#15
Trust me, if Patrick Turner had committed to Tennessee, he would be starting right now alongside Meach
 
#16
#16
rexvol said:
Trust me, if Patrick Turner had committed to Tennessee, he would be starting right now alongside Meach
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I don't know about that. I think he would be the third receiver behind Swain and Meachem.
 
#17
#17
when would that be? the two games that Swain was healthy? and even when healthy, Turner starts over Swain imo
 
#18
#18
I like Swain a lot. But, being objective I would admit that Turner would have started over Swain and they would have been the best 1-2 punch at WR in the SEC and one of the best 1-2 duos in the entire country. Here is the biggest problem with most UT fans view of in-state recruiting. You place these kids in the same mindframe that you would have if you were the one getting the UT offer. In other words, you think man if these kids love UT like I do then UT must be doing something REALLY WRONG to not get a commitment from these kids. Well, these kids are not all in that situation. Patrick Turner had always wanted to get away to go to college. He did not have the same "UT mindframe" that fans on here have about the Hill. Watkins out of Brownsville this year is the same. We still have a shot at him, but he just wants to get out of town for his college experience. Some kids are like that. Some of these kids might not be a big fan of UT when they are growing up. I love UT athletics at this present time. But, if I would have been recruited out of high school by big time programs I am not sure where I would have went. I followed UT athletics in high school but I wasnt a big fan.
 
#19
#19
That is why losing Donald would be a blow. He has grown up in a similar "UT mindframe" as most of us. He is a UT fan and if we cant get him on campus that is not a good sign.
 
#20
#20
Todd Campbell is our biggest cheerleader right now. He is actively soliciting Donald hard.
 
#21
#21
That's true. Not every single player out of TN will have us as their #1 choice.

However, regardless of this so-called "UT mindframe," the more top athletes we get in-state, the more ties we will have.

For example, by landing Donald and Smith, we will have inroads to their high schools and hometowns just because they go to UT. For the next 5 years, we will have connections with more and more in-state talent.

Possibly then Golden Tate and Brandon Wright (Basketball) will not be completely shut off to UT.
 
#22
#22
Patrick Turner has less than 300 receiving yards this season. Swain got more than that last year, against better defenses, while injured, and with awful QB play. Turner wouldn't be above him on the depth chart.
 
#23
#23
kptvol said:
Patrick Turner has less than 300 receiving yards this season. Swain did more than that last year, when he was injured and our QBs sucked out loud. Turner wouldn't be above him on the depth chart.
Click to expand...

Turner is playing behind Steve Smith, Dewayne Jarrett, and Fred Davis (Possibly the best TE in the nation).

Swain has the #1 receiver last year.

Swain is game saavy and very good, but Turner has more talent. And as CPF always says, talent wins out.
 
#25
#25
rexvol said:
Swain, while very good, is not in the same league with Turner
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I think Swain was one of the top receiver prospects in the nation, just like Turner. Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith have both been hobbled by injuries this year, I believe. Turner apparently didn't capitalize. It's a bit early to say he is out of Swain's league.
 
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