Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Quarterbacks are committing to SEC schools left and right with three top recruits coming on Friday including, Tennessee target David Cornwell leaving the Vols scrambling to find a quarterback for the class of 2014. Cornwell was a long shot to come to Tennessee, but in the wake of his commitment to Alabama, another prospect has climbed to the top of Butch Jones’ board in Kendrick Doss (Florence, Al. Florence).
Doss is ranked as a three-star recruit and the No. 17 dual-threat quarterback prospect according to 247Sports composite rankings. The dynamic playmaker had been viewed as an Ole Miss or Auburn lean with Tennessee a darkhorse candidate rounding out his top five.
However, his visit today to Knoxville has shot the Vols to the top of his list and potentially could commit as soon as this weekend. According to John Talty of the Clarion-Ledger, the only thing holding up a commitment could be his desire to visit during the season to see game day environments at his other top suitors.
Rumblings out of Tennessee suggested that the Vols were interested in Cornwell or bust at quarterback considering they picked up two commitments from four-star recruits last year in Josh Dobbs and Riley Ferguson. However, a commitment from Doss would not push either of them for immediate playing time because he’s a raw prospect that would be best served redshirting as a true freshman and watching and learning before being thrown out there.
He has raw athletic ability, but his quarterback skills need refinement and some have suggested his future may come as a wide receiver. The talk of a position switch is premature, but Doss brings size at 6-foot-2 and 218 pounds, and a knack for making plays with the ball in his hands. He ran for 1,202 yards and 21 touchdowns on top of passing for 1,743 yards and 16 touchdowns to only five interceptions.
As one door closed for Tennessee at the quarterback position, another has opened in the form of Doss. Auburn and Ole Miss will make their pitch, so Tennessee will have to work to hold off their SEC competitors to keep their presumed top target.
Patrick’s a college football writer for Rant Sports and radio host on Sportstownchicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatrickASchmidt and add him to your Google network.
