Kaidon Salter
Breaking: Elite QB Salter Details His Decision to Commit to Tennessee
From the end of a quarterback's junior season to the start of his senior is crucial in the development and the recruiting process. For Kaidon Salter, it became the time to narrow down his college choices and make a decision where he would play college football. Salter announced his decision to choose Tennessee today, and he broke down the decision with Sports Illustrated's Director of Recruiting John Garcia before the public announcement. More on that here.
Salter said on the lead up to the moment and narrowing down his choice, "it has been rough not being able to visit the colleges. Luckily, I was able to visit Tennessee and a few more SEC schools and a few more colleges."
Salter would add, "Tennessee stood out a lot to me. Being able to see their practice and have one-on-one time talking to the coaching staff; coach Weinke, Coach Pruitt, and Coach Chaney. That was really great sitting down to talk to those three coaches. Just the relationship we have, the day to day was real strong. The love from Tennessee was really great."
Salter said when the decision clicked for him, " probably a few weeks after I visited the campus. I realized Tennessee felt like home when I was there. My family and I loved it. Tennessee, everything was great. I really had to sit down and think about it. I was deciding between Tennessee and Auburn. It was just the love with Tennessee I had was real strong. I communicated with the coaches every day. The coaches even sent my mom and dad good morning texts. They even made a post for my little sister on her birthday. That was really special, and it blew up on Twitter."
He would add on what helped Tenessee reach the top, "Tennessee is turning it around. This 2021 class is definitely bringing in some fire for Tennessee. The program that they have, and just being coached by those coaches would be a great experience. The coaching staff they have will be able to work you and get you ready the next level, which is the NFL. Those coaches know what it takes to get there. It all just came together."
Salter said on Tennessee putting forth more effort than others during his decision-making process, " Tennessee, Coach Weinke and Coach Chaney told me I was the only quarterback they wanted in the 2021 class. People were trying to commit, but they were waiting on me to see where I was going. That is just real love. It shows that they really wanted me."
Salter said on the feeling of being the top priority for the Vols, "it was great. Big-time players go to the SEC and play. Of course, going out and compete and winning a spot, so you can get out on an SEC field and play against those teams and win championship games."
Salter added his thoughts about the sweltering hot recruiting wave Tennessee is riding, "I think the coaching staff just turned it up a lot. Showing a lot of love to these players, and telling us what it is and what it's not, just being straight forward with us. The love that the Tennessee coaching staff has for their players is just great. You cannot beat that."
Salter said on how Tennessee did that for him specifically, "just talking to me every day. The fan base is lit. The coaching staff is lit. The campus is beautiful. You really can't beat that."
Salter said on jumping in and being a leader in this class, "we have already been talking. There is already a group chat going. Me and Kamar Wilcoxson have been talking, and I am going to get added to that group chat once I post my commitment. Get to know all of the recruits that are going to Tennessee, build a relationship with those guys. Eventually plans some OV's with a few of them whenever we get the time to do that."
Salter said on his fit with Tennessee, "they told me I am a pro-style quarterback, who can use my legs whenever I need them. I feel I can fit in their offense, understand their offense, pistol, or whatever they need to run. Coach Weinke can develop me to be that type of player and just follow his steps."
Weinke was a big factor for the decision of Salter, but he said, " not just coach Weinke. Coach Pruitt and Chaney too. I talk to all three of those coaches the same amount each day. The main three coaches I need to talk to were reaching out to me every day. The bond we have is just all connected."
Salter said on telling the Tennessee coaching staff, " I told them on my little sisters birthday (April 30th) that I would like to commit after a great time talking to my family. I felt like that was the best time for me to commit to the University of Tennessee. The coaches were real excited. They said they wouldn't even be able to sleep that night. They had their wives and kids jumping around. It was a real big moment."
He said on that reaction, "that is really big. It just shows the love the coaches have for their players and the players that are recruiting."
He said on being done with the process, "it was a big blessing. Going from Bishop Lynch (TX) having no offers to Cedar Hill and starting my Junior Season with only four offers from a few small D1 schools, I knew I had to make a big season to shock the world. The season I had my junior year was really big, putting me as the number one QB in Texas was a big accomplishment for me. I think playing at Cedar Hill opened a lot of eyes. Just being at Cedar Hill playing 6A public school ball trying to get these big schools. It was stressful at the beginning, getting a handful of offers, and reaching out to these coaches. I knew that I was going to have to shorten this list down. Put out a top 11, and connected with those schools, and then came down to probably a top 4, and schools were still coming in, so my head was confused. Tennessee was the one school that I was connecting to. It felt like home. I visited the place. My family loved it, and I loved it."
Salter's message to Tennessee fans is, "I am coming!"
Salter is rated as the nation's 88th overall prospect and 4th best dual-threat quarterback in the country.
