Last week, we brought you the entire list of prospects the Tennessee Vols have offered scholarships to so far in the 2015 recruiting class. The 270-some recruits span the entire country and offer a wide range of skills. For the next few weeks, we’ll bring you a positional breakdown of that list and look at the recruits position-by-position to see who the Vols top targets are, who they already have committed, and who they may land.
The first on our list is the position in the back of the defense: Safety.
The Vols have offered 9 safeties thus far in this class, and 2 of them have already committed to other schools. 5-star Kevin Toliver II (listed as a cornerback on 247Sports as well) is committed to LSU, and 4-star Jordan Colbert is committed to Auburn. The rest, however, are fair game.
While technically listed under the cornerback offers on 247Sports, Stephen Griffin projects as a safety and is the lone commitment for the Vols in the secondary thus far in the 2015 class. The 6-3, 188 lb. safety out of Charlotte, North Carolina is a 3-star recruit who plans on being an early enrollee for next season.
In four games as a junior, Griffin compiled 19 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, and intercepted two passes. He also blocked a kick.
Griffin committed to the Vols on March 20th and remains the only player in the secondary to give the Vols a pledge for next season.
Who else are the Vols targeting to join Griffin in the defensive backfield for 2015?
The top two most likely candidates for the Vols are 3-star Hunter Dale and 3-star Marcus Walker. While Dale and Walker may not be the highest rated safeties on the Vols offer sheet, they are intriguing athletes who would provide immediate depth and quickness to a position that needs more speed.
Walker, a Lake Wales, Florida native and a one-time Kentucky commit, decommitted from the Wildcats in April, three months after he verbally committed to them. Since he’s reopened his commitment, he’s seen a lot of attention. He’s received offers from the Vols, Michigan State, Illinois, Arkansas, and Virginia among others in that time, and he’s one of the hotter safety prospects right now.
Walker’s speed is one thing that makes him such an intriguing prospect. His 40-yard dash time was clocked in at 4.52 seconds, which is needed for the player responsible for ensuring plays don’t explode for huge gains. He’s rated in the top 25 for his position, and he is also a top 400 player overall according to the 247 composite ratings.
Right now, 247Sports’s crystal ball has him going back to the Wildcats, but the Vols are expected to be in contention for the highly-touted safety along with Arkansas, Michigan State, and Central Florida.
The other safety prospect seriously considering the Vols is New Orleans native Hunter Dale. Unlike many top prospects in the state of Louisiana, Dale doesn’t wish to play for LSU or another in-state school. “I’m getting out of Louisiana,” Hale responded in an interview with 247Sports’s Barton Simmons. “I’m just trying to experience the world, get out on my own and see how I do on my own.”
Hale plans to visit four schools this summer, saying he’ll go see Tennessee, Miami, UCLA, and Ole Miss.
“People tell me to visit Tennessee because it’s so traditional and very beautiful out there,” he replied when asked about his upcoming visits.
Hale is also high on Miami because of his love for former Hurricanes safety Ed Reed. “I grew up liking Miami because of Ed Reed. Ed Reed is my favorite player,” Hale stated to Simmons. “They’re a very dominant school, a winning school.”
It appears Hale is high on Tennessee’s list, and he certainly appears to be considering them as well. But Miami may be the school to beat for for the highly-acclaimed safety who made 41 tackles, 8 interceptions, and returned a fumble for a touchdown as a junior.
Will the Vols add another safety to their 2015 commitments? The chances are relatively slim compared to other positions in 2015, but if there’s one position the Vols can afford to miss out on, it’s safety. Tennessee had a great haul at safety in 2014 and appear well-stocked for the future. One commitment in 2015 may be all they need. But that won’t stop them from trying to get more.