Fant feeling plenty of in-state love
Having been to Knoxville twice in the last month, LaVergne, Tennessee wide receiver Princeton Fant is feeling and seeing the positives surrounding Tennessee football. Afterall, the Vols are expected to contend for an SEC Championship next season. But being a Vol for life is more then just pigskin.
"I learned a lot more about family," Fant said. "The players all love it down here and the fanbase is incredible. I learned more about UT and just how hype they are and how the coaches operate. I'm getting a lot of love from the coaches and UT is all about family and academics. Both of those are important to me."
Fant says the Vols are in his top 3 along with Ole Miss and LSU. The message on Saturday was clear to the countless in-state prospects in Knoxville. Butch Jones and company understand how talented the 2017 class of in-state prospects are and what they could mean to the future of Tennessee football.
"They really want me down there," Fant said. "They made that clear and they made it clear that they want to keep Tennessee players in Tennessee. They like how I go up for the ball and how I play. It's important because of my mom and her ability to watch me play. It would feel good to stay in state."
Fant is coming off a leg injury that forced him to miss the 2015 season. He currently stands 6-foot-3 and weights 203 pounds. Spring practice is just around the corner and he's amped to get back between the white lines.
"I can't wait," Fant said. "I'm very excited about it and having missed the season last year, I'm just ready to get back out there and make plays. I'm 100% and I've been out there running and jumping around off the hurt leg. I ran a 4.45 in the forty and I feel like I'm back."
The hard work to come back even better is something that LaVergne head coach Stanton Stevens watches and is impressed by every single day.
"It reminds me of how they show the NFL guys working to come back off injury," Stevens said. "His determination to show he will be better really impresses me. He is already back to 315 on squats with sets of 10 and it will be 450-500 before its all said and done. He does everything well. I think he has the opportunity to be a big time prospect at the next level."
Teammates with fellow in-state baller, Maleik Gray, Fant has big plans for this Fall. The work they are putting in now should reflect their on the field efforts come August.
"Maleik and I are the team leaders," Fant said. "With me out last year, it turned the season. We are both giving that teamwork and handwork and dedication. Just standing up to our team and showing them how things are done. We are going to get things turned around."
Rivals.com ranks Fant as a 4-star wide receiver in the class of 2017.