Marvin Burks has seen his recruitment take off since the calendar flipped to 2022 and Tennessee is the latest team to join the party.

The 2023 versatile defensive back was offered by the Volunteers and defensive coordinator Tim Banks on Wednesday as the four-star now sits just one offer shy of 30 now that the dead period is over.

“Coach Tim Banks has hit me up a few times though Twitter and today was the lucky day when he asked for my phone number. We chopped it up and he offered me,” Burks told Volquest following the offer. “He likes how I’m long and rangy – how I can run and be physical. That’s something he is looking for, especially in the SEC.”

The St. Louis, MO. native plays a little of everything for Cardinal Ritter on defense. He’s primarily a strong safety but also reps at the nickel spot and a little outside linebacker. Tennessee likes the potential at the STAR position with his ability to stop both the run and pass.

With last week’s conversation being the first real chat between Burks and Tennessee’s Banks, the talk wasn’t dominated by football.

“It was good. We talked for about 30 minutes before he eventually offered me,” the 2023 prospect said. “We talked ball for about 10-15 minutes and then after that it was just about school and family. I felt the genuine side of him and not just the coaching side of him. I look forward to visiting to see how he coaches.”

Burks was named a first-team All-State defensive back as a junior in 2021 and the two-way player racked up nearly 1,000 receiving yards on the offensive end. In the spring, the athlete takes part in sprints for the track and field team, running anything and everything from the 400-meter dash on down.

The Tennessee target has been invited to the Rivals Camp Series stop in Indianapolis in April and has reeled in 14 Power 5 offers since the turn of the new year. SEC foes Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Arkansas and Kentucky have joined Tennessee in the stretch.

“It has been picking up fast. Everyone talks about how it is stressful, but you’ve got to take the good days with the bad days,” Burks said of recruiting. “These people are taking a chance and an opportunity on you, so I love it.”

The defensive back is the ninth-rated safety in the class and considered the sixth-best prospect out of Missouri. Burks owns a national ranking of No. 200 and a Rivals Rating of 5.8.

With about 15 schools sticking out, Burks will work over the next few weeks to cut that list down and channel his focus moving towards the summer phase. Tennessee is new in the game - but with a spring visit likely on the horizon - the Vols should be in this one.

“The more I talk to them, I feel like Tennessee could be a great spot for me,” Burks concluded. “We were talking about all the players on the board right now that they have and the types of players they are trying to bring in.”

The Vols have one current defensive back commit for the 2023 class in three-star Jack Luttrell.