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Tennessee football recruiting: Pruitt, Vols coaches visit 4-star WR Jacob Copeland

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 29: A general view of Neyland Stadium during the South Carolina Gamecocks game against the Tennessee Volunteers on October 29, 2011 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 29: A general view of Neyland Stadium during the South Carolina Gamecocks game against the Tennessee Volunteers on October 29, 2011 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt and Volunteers assistants visited four-star wide receiver Jacob Copeland Wednesday.

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They’ve been all over the country making last-minute pitches to top prospects this week. On Wednesday, Jeremy Pruitt and other Tennessee football coaches made their way to Pensacola, Fla. to visit with Jacob Copeland.

A four-star wide receiver on Rivals, the Vols have been pursuing the 6’1″ 188-pound prospect for a while. For a month, now, he’s been down to Tennessee, the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Florida Gators.

Pruitt visited Copeland with three assistants Wednesday. They included offensive coordinator Tyson Helton, wide receivers coach David Johnson and tight ends coach Brian Niedermeyer.

Not only did Pruitt visit Copeland in his home Wednesday night, though. He also took a visit to Copeland’s school Wednesday afternoon.

According to the Pensacola News Journal, Escambia High School football coaches were able to confirm that Pruitt was there. The article reported that Pruitt and Copeland have a relationship from when he was trying to recruit Copeland while serving as defensive coordinator for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

One of Tennessee football’s huge advantages with Copeland is that relationship. According to a report from Blake Morgan of SEC Country earlier this month, that was what put the Vols in the mix.

Morgan also noted that the Vols can offer him early playing time. Copeland decommitted from Florida back in November after Jim McElwain’s firing.

The Gators are still in play, but you have to think Tennessee football is the best place for him overall. Given the attrition, he has a much better chance to play early on Rocky Top than he does in Tuscaloosa.

And you never know how a receiver will work out in Dan Mullen’s system. Tyson Helton likely wants to air it out from a pro-style offense considering his background as a guy who runs the Jeff Brohm/Bobby Petrino offense and the fact that he was the passing game coordinator for the USC Trojans.

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As a result, Copeland has the relationship with Pruitt, the offensive system that fits him, and the chance to play early if he picks the Vols. That should give Tennessee football a great chance at the four-star wide receiver. Wednesday’s in-home visit shows that the coaches think so as well.

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