In-state OLB clocks blazing 40 time, says Vols love his speed
NASHVILLE — Shivering from hours competing in a cold deluge, the last thing 2020 outside linebacker Reggie Grimes Jr. wanted to do was stop and chat with a reporter following Sunday’s Nike Opening Regional.
Still, the always affable 4-star prospect from Mount Juliet (Tenn.) gave VolQuest.com a few minutes, recapping his impressive performance and his recent visit to Tennessee.
“It was very tough with the weather. I just tried not to think about it,” Grimes said.
“Felt like I did pretty good. I lost just one rep. Won the rest. It was straight. It was cold. I wasn’t as fast, as I’d like to be but it was still fast enough, so I can’t worry about it. ”
Fast enough is all relative.
In putrid conditions, Grimes, at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, clocked a 4.5-second 40-yard dash. His speed and explosiveness are why so many schools are tantalized by the raw potential of the 4-star recruit. Grimes is already one of Tennessee's top targets for the 2020 class.
Grimes, who is the son of former Alabama defensive lineman Reggie Grimes, hears from Vols' head coach Jeremy Pruitt daily. Pruitt and Grimes’ father actually played together at Alabama, but the younger Grimes got his first opportunity to really spend time with Tennessee’s head coach two weeks ago. He attended the 2020 day, watching the Vols scrimmage in Neyland Stadium and meeting most of the staff.
“He was just a normal person. Real talk, he was just a simple friendly guy,” Grimes said of Pruitt.
“If you didn’t know who he was you would’ve just assumed he was a regular guy.”
Grimes toured the facilities and took pictures in jerseys and helmets, but it was his chat with defensive coordinator Kevin Sherrer that left the biggest impression.
The former UGA outside linebackers coach has recruited and coached players that have similar skill-sets as Grimes — Leonard Floyd, Lorenzo Carter and Adam Anderson — with Sherrer telling Grimes, “We could really use a guy like you just because of your speed off the edge. He told me that, ‘Right now, you’re one of the fastest guys I’ve seen at that position.’”
Grimes is just seeing his recruitment get started. He has six offers, with Tennessee and South Carolina currently standing out. He’s not even thinking about a decision right now, hoping to see more schools while continuing to improve on the field.
“Hopefully, I’ll keep getting faster, keep getting better,” he said.
“That’s the goal.”