There are ways to announce a flip in recruiting and then there's what Timothy Merritt did to the University of Miami. Merritt was previously a Hurricanes verbal, but he decided to change his mind, officially announcing for Tennessee on Wednesday morning.
However, it was the way Merritt did things that has people talking. At his Signing Day ceremony, Merritt grabbed a Miami hat and caught everyone off guard. Shortly after, though, he launched the hat, delivered an expletive and let the world know he'll be Knoxville-bound. This is pretty dang funny from the youngster:
CB Timothy Merritt trolled Miami while announcing his commitment to Tennessee
If you're laughing after watching that clip, you're not alone. This is an exciting get for Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel and his staff. In addition to having a bubbling personality, Merritt is also known for making head-turning plays on the field.
Throughout his recruitment, the 6-2, 180-pounder picked up offers from Tennessee, Miami, Arkansas, Alabama and many others. He's no stranger to campus, as he took his official visit to meet with the Vols coaches back in June.
While he was once Miami-bound, the staff didn't stop recruiting him and they got the news they wanted with Signing Day here. Merritt is ranked the No. 44 cornerback in the country for his class and the No. 22 player from Alabama per the 247Sports composite.
He's an exciting young playmaker and he'll look to help the Tennessee secondary in the future. It wasn't all great news for the Vols on Wednesday, though, as defensive lineman Darrion Smith flipped to Auburn, while safety Lagonza Hayward, who decommitted from the Vols not long ago, officially announced for the Gators. David Sanders Jr. delaying his signing also has plenty of people nervous out there. Will he end up with the Volunteers? That's unknown at this point.