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Four-star Demarcus Riddick breaks down first Rocky Top experience

Another talented underclassman who attended Tennessee’s final prospect camp for the month of June was four-star Demarcus Riddick of Clanton, Ala.

A four-star in the class of 2024, Riddick is tabbed as the 134th-best prospect in the class and the seventh outside linebacker of the cycle. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder is considered the sixth-rated prospect in Alabama and already boasts nearly 30 offers.

That Sunday evening in late June was the first time the Chilton County standout was on Rocky Top. It’s likely safe to say it won’t be his last.

“It was amazing being here. For my first time, I loved it. I came out here and had a great camp,” the prospect told Volquest afterwards. “I’d love to come back here for a game day visit to see what it’s like. I had an amazing time here.

“I got to see a lot today. I loved the facilities and they have the nicest locker room I’ve seen so far. Everything was good – I loved it. I’ve been wanting to get up here for a long time.”

Riddick is a skilled athlete who can play either of the linebacker positions – inside or outside. In just being a rising junior, he probably has a few more inches to grow into, making him a longer option for the outside. He’s also good against the run to where he’d be a viable option on the inside with plnty of room to put on more weight.

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“I felt like I performed well. I had one coverage [rep] where I should have had a pick. But everything else, it was really good,” the prospect said of his camp performance. “Working with these coaches was good. I learned a lot from them. They were telling me to stay low and to keep my hips loose – stuff like that. I learned a lot from them.”

Tennessee coaches, though can’t contact first until later in the fall, have been keeping tabs on the highly-rated four-star. The camp day was the first time Riddick was able to meet several of them, furthering the relationship-building process.

“The relationship is going well. I’ve been talking to them, even before I came up here,” Riddick said of Tennessee coaches. “They’ll send me a flier and I’ll call them. They ask how I’m doing and ask about my family. I’m building a good relationship with Tennessee.

“I had a chance to catch up with coach Heupel too. He was just telling me to keep doing what I’ve been doing.”

The linebacker prospect has 26 offers to date and stopped by Georgia and Florida State, along with Tennessee, in the month of June. When things open back up in July at the end of the month, the 2024 recruit will try and visit with Arkansas and maybe Oklahoma.

Regardless, Tennessee is in on the ground floor, having offered earlier in the spring. It would be big for the Vols to get Riddick back on campus this fall for a game day visit.

“Tennessee, Georgia, Florida State and Oklahoma are schools I want to get back to,” the prospect concluded. “They are standing out and I want to learn more about them and about their academics.”

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