#CSS Confidential: Recruiting Notebook
– As we have started the recruiting process for the 2022 cycle, multiple high caliber Tennessee prospects have already narrowed down their options into a top list and that includes Summit 4-star (LB) Keaten Wade Keaten Wade 6'4" | 215…
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Continue Reading– As we have started the recruiting process for the 2022 cycle, multiple high caliber Tennessee prospects have already narrowed down their options into a top list and that includes Summit 4-star (LB) Keaten Wade Keaten Wade 6'4" | 215 lbs | LB Summit | 2022 State TN and his brother, 3-star (QB) Destin Wade Destin Wade 6'3" | 205 lbs | QB Summit | 2022 State TN .
The Wade brothers took to Twitter on Tuesday to announce their finalists and which schools they would be focused on going forward.
K. Wade: Top 9 – Arizona St., Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Michigan, Ole Miss, USC, Virginia, West Virginia
D. Wade: Top 9 – Arizona St., Kentucky, Louisville, Ole Miss, Penn St., Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia
What you need to notice and look for here is the common schools that both brothers have among the lists (ASU, UK, Cards, UVA, WVU) as they will be a package deal. Both Keaten and Destin have a few schools that are different, so you can’t automatically take them out of the mix but the five schools that the brothers have commonly involved, are the front runners.
Visits will take place soon for the Wade brothers with a college decision to be made hopefully sometime this summer. Watch out for Kentucky, Louisville and Virginia as three teams that might have a slight edge over the rest of the competition.
– One of the top defensive backs prospects we have in this state could be close to breaking out into double digit offers. Father Ryan (TN) CB/S Alex Ford Alex Ford 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Father Ryan | 2022 State TN is an excellent cover guy that can play a variety of roles within the secondary and very well could stay on the outside in college, playing on the island.
Up to this point in his recruitment, Ford has attained one offer from Tulane but that is sure to change very soon. According to the Nashville area defensive back, he has been actively talking with Coastal Carolina and MTSU with several other coaches beginning to increase their interest. Among the schools looking into Ford are Arkansas St.,Brown, Eastern Ky, Harvard, Miami Ohio, Navy, Southern Illinois and Vanderbilt.
More programs will soon get involved as well as Ford recently attended the #NCEC Nashville Combine where he ran in the 4’4s and dominated during position drills and 1 on 1’s (All was recorded/sent to coaches). The Fighting Irish star defender is also strong in the classroom, so he provides a lot of upside as a student and a football player.
– Yet to receive his 1st official offer, McCallie (TN) DL Thomas Pilon Thomas Pilon 6'3" | 280 lbs | DL McCallie | 2022 State TN is a name to watch going forward as he sports several physical traits to go along with his game play that screams college upside and potential. Standing 6’3 265 pounds, Pilon is a multi talented and versatile defensive lineman that can man several positions across the D-line and college coaches have noticed that.
Among the schools showing interest right now are Coastal Carolina, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, Eastern Ky, Elon, Memphis, Lehigh, Mercer, Troy, UAB, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Western Carolina and Yale.
Many coaches are still evaluating Pilon to see where exactly he fits across the defensive line. He still needs to add the needed weight to play inside on the high P5/D1 level but he has the frame to put it on along with the work ethic to get there. The native Canadian can be a force and someone that offensive lineman have a tough time handling, just go ask the state’s top offensive tackle who told me that Pilon was the toughest guy to block all season last year (This tackle signed recently with North Carolina).
I fully expect to see Pilon with 20 plus offers before long and end up having to make a tough decision among the high level schools that will eventually get involved.
– I knew it would come sooner than later but Baylor Sch (TN) linebacker Trey McDonald Trey McDonald 6'4" | 210 lbs | LB Baylor | 2022 State TN added his 1st college offer on Friday by way of the Virginia Cavaliers and now the floodgates will break wide open as other D1 programs will soon get involved.
McDonald is a big and athletic linebacker that looks the part and recently at the #NCEC Nashville Combine, displayed and proved his range and mobility against other D1 level competition. Now that Virginia has offered, watch out for schools like Coastal Carolina, Harvard, Illinois, Memphis, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Yale and others. I fully expect McDonald to become one of the most heavily recruited in-state linebackers from the 2022 class. No matter who offers going forward, expect Virginia to remain at the top of the list for McDonald.
– Peabody (DE/OLB) Jordan Shepherd Jordan Shepherd 6'4" | 235 lbs | DL Peabody | 2022 State TN is a name to watch going forward as he is a guy that sports the size (6’4 230) and athletic traits that college coaches look for in an edge defender. He has yet to receive his 1st offer but that should change very soon.
According to Shepherd, Miami Ohio, Austin Peay and Eastern Ky have been in contact the most with a few other schools sniffing around, looking into the West Tennessee pass rusher a bit more. It may take some time before Shepherd see’s an increase with his recruitment but in time that will change as the Golden Tide’s rising senior has the physical tools to play on the next level.
– Christian Brothers (TN) OL Ben Caviness Ben Caviness 6'4" | 285 lbs | OL Christian Brothers | 2022 State TN landed his 1st college offer this week from Eastern Ky and that offer just might be the key to opening up his recruitment and seeing more college programs get involved.
As of now, mainly Ivy League schools have been in contact with Caviness along with a few OVC and Southern Conference programs but the D1 avenue is where the West Tennessee product would like to end up. Caviness has the size and frame (6’4 275 lbs) along with the lower body mobility to reach into the D1 ranks. As the next few months go by and Caviness lands at multiple camps to be seen and put on video, the more interest will come his way. This is a breakout prospect that many scouts, recruiters and coaches should pay attention to as we go through the football offseason.
Next Man Up: These two guys will soon receive their 1st college offers ….
– Oakland (TN) RB Antonio Patterson Antonio Patterson 5'11" | 190 lbs | ATH Oakland | 2022 State TN & Baylor Sch. (TN) TE Carson Yates
Both have college traits athletically and physically along with the size and game breaking abilities that college coaches look for. They both have film that tells you that they should have offers but not just yet. Patterson is actually currently ranked 12th overall in the state by PrepRedZone Tennessee, so very soon his offers will come.