5-Star Challenge preview: Underclassmen
The annual Rivals 5-Star Challenge presented by Under Armour kicks off Friday and today we begin to take a look ahead at what we'll be watching this weekend in Baltimore. We begin with several underclassmen that Tennessee's involved with, including an instate prospect to watch.
Advertisement
There will be several underclassmen that Tennessee has already made a top priority in 2017 and we take a quick look at why they are participating in the challenge and a quick recruiting overview.
Like Gibbs, Gray has been a much talk-about prospect for much of the past two years. He looks like a college player already and plays like it as well. While he does several things for La Vergne, his ceiling looks highest at linebacker at the next level and that's where he'll compete at the 5-Star Challenge. Tennessee and Florida State continue to be the two teams Gray says stands out the most but there will be numerous challengers over the next few years.
DB
Lawrenceville (Ga.) Archer High School
Pryor has an extremely diverse skill set, he can play either corner or safety and has the ideal size for either position at 6-1, 200-pounds, and he continues to add offers at an astronomical rate because he has one of the highest ceilings in 2017. The good thing for the Vols is that they were one of Pryor's first offers and he's visited Knoxville nearly a half-dozen times over the last 18 months. With Auburn, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Georgia, Notre Dame and many others coming after the talented defensive back as well, Tennessee will be battling with a lot of heavy hitters.
CB
Atlanta (Ga.) Hapeville Charter
Poole's performance at the RCS-Atlanta camp was one of the most impressive of any defensive back during the RCS Series this spring. He was hard for any receiver to shake and it seemed as though he always had a hand on the ball. Poole has really started to blow up since his MVP-winning performance and the Vols were one of the teams to offer. Poole has already visited Tennessee and liked what he experienced, but expect him to be a Rivals100-type guy next year with plenty of contenders.
OL
Lawrenceville (Ga.) Central Gwinnett High School
Gray had an absolutely monster day at the Atlanta RCS camp in March. He arrived at the camp with zero offers but put on a fantastic performance against some of the best defensive linemen in the country and walked away with the OL MVP and the offers started coming quickly with Tennessee being the first. While the offer certainly made an impression, more and more have been coming in, including one from Georgia, who he admittedly grew up liking and is a fan of.
WR
Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech
Peoples-Jones has been on Tennessee's radar for some time because of Steve Stripling's deep ties to the Michigan recruiting scene and he visited the Vols twice last year and will likely see them again this summer. But, since his first visits to Tennessee Peoples-Jones has become a national recruit with Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State all becoming major players. He could end up being 2017's version of fellow Michigan product Donnie Corley.
Click Here to view this Link.
[rl]