Jonathan Kongbo Saga ends with Vols on top
By Seth Norris
After a crazy recruiting process with Jonathan Kongbo, Tennessee football finally closed the deal for the JuCo prospect, as he committed to the Volunteers.
Four-star juco defensive end Jonathan Kongbo signed with the Tennessee Volunteers.
Related Story: Vols Nail 5-Star JuCo DE Jonathan Kongbo
That simple opening sentence is the exact opposite of the kind of National Signing Day it was for Kongbo, it was weird and confusing. Tennessee seemed to have the lead going in to the day. From the pictures of Kongbo eating ice cream with the coaching staff, to Vol defensive end Derek Barnett tweeting he had a “great talk” with the incoming end.
However, today saw some excitement, and it did not look like it would be good excitement for the Vols. Recruiting is a tricky business, and these kids have a ton of pressure on this decision because it is one that will impact the rest of their lives. What any former college player will say, is that the recruit should make the decision for themselves, and not everyone else, not even your parents.
Earlier today, it seemed like Kongbo did not have a choice.
I think #OleMiss recovers from Simmons with Kongbo, hearing dad wants #HottyToddy and might not even sign if #Vols was pick. Drama.
— Mike Farrell (@mfarrellsports) February 3, 2016
With that news, it seemed like Kongbo would ultimately end up going elsewhere. With these rumors in the forefront, Vol players kept going after Kongo throughout the day.
Good talk this morning with @King_Kongbo , follow your heart and trust in God as he leads you on your journey
— Todd Kelly Jr. (TK) (@ToddKellyJr) February 3, 2016
More volunteers: Vols 2016 National Signing Day Primer
In the end, we see a rare occasion where a player who decomitted from a university come back and sign with that same university. Which means the Vols signed a top juco player, and coach Butch Jones and staff closed with another exceptional class.