Vols Transfer Wide Receiver Target Sets Commitment Date, Final Visit

Former UCF wide receiver Jaylon Robinson has been one of the most sought-after prospects in the nation since entering the transfer portal on April 21st.

Former UCF wide receiver Jaylon Robinson has been one of the most sought-after prospects in the nation since entering the transfer portal on April 21st. Robinson has taken official visits to Ole Miss, TCU, and Tennessee since entering.

Robinson informed Sports Illustrated on Monday afternoon that he plans to take an official visit to Miami on Wednesday and Thursday of this week and announce his commitment to the school of his choice on May 18th, however, he has decided the 18th is too long to wait. Robinson will take the visit to Miami and now commit on the 15th. 

This past weekend, Robinson used his third official visit of the process to head to Knoxville (Tenn.) and rekindle a relationship with his former head coach and others from his time at UCF.

"There were unanswered questions after Heup left, so I had to get those answered," Robinson said of re-connecting with the Tennessee staff. "But it's always good to rekindle, catch up on things, and just be around the people you started it off with, especially with the explosive season I had with them. It's good to be around those guys again and just catch up. In the beginning, we didn't really talk about football at first; that's something I liked about Tennessee. We got to re-connect and catch up on a few things and got to football aspects later on in the visit."

Heupel's staff held the benefit of having already efficiently used Robinson in their offense, but he saw even more from where the offense is now, as opposed to where it was when they were together at UCF.

"They showed me a lot," Robinson said of if Tennessee showed him anything different from what he knew about their offense from the time spent together at UCF. "At UCF, they ran a similar system, but they have expanded on it. They have evolved and added a lot more to it. I wouldn't say it looked better than what it was or anything, but they have just added more to it over time."

Tennessee recently added Bru McCoy to a receiving corps that features returning 1,000-yard receiver Cedric Tillman and speedster Jalin Hyatt, who had a breakout spring, but a crowded room is not something that will impact how Robinson looks at Tennessee or any other school for that matter.

"To be honest, I feel like anywhere you go, you have to prove yourself," Robinson said of potentially joining a somewhat crowded room at Tennessee. "You have to come in with a work-first attitude. You get the ball based on your relationship with the quarterback and if the quarterback can trust you. That is how it was at UCF. I gained Dillon's (Gabriel) trust, and that is how I was able to do what I did. I feel like wherever I go, I will gain the quarterback's trust and get the ball and prove myself again. I am not really worried about being the No.1 or No.2 guy because I know what I can do and am not afraid to compete."

During the multi-day visit, Robinson did have a chance to spend some time with Hooker.

"We talked and met up a few times and had good conversations," Robinson said about spending time with Hendon Hooker. "About the offense, what needs to be done, and just football talks. Good talks. And we expanded on some other things as well."

"I'm trying to take this as seriously as possible; this is hopefully my last six months," Robinson said of how he is working through the decision. "Trying to go to the league, so I'm trying to take the time to make the right decision. I'm not in a rush. I'm not trying to let anybody rush me. It's a lot of pressure, but it's a me decision, and I'm trying to make the right decision for me. I've been trying to take this process slower and make the right decision based on my values and what I need," he said. "Number one, my thing going in is, do we have two quarterbacks in case of injury or two quarterbacks who can give me the ball? One as a starter and, if an injury does occur, one as a backup. Two, how do I fit the system? Jet sweeps, return game, am I going to be on kickoff return? Just things like that. Three, how do I benefit from NIL? And NIL is not really a big factor for me — that's why it's last. It's just the new thing in football, but the big money is in the league. I have to grow and sit back and sometimes just learn. You have a lot thrown at you, and you can't let that faze you or get in your mind. You've just got to sit back and think about things."

Whenever the time comes for a decision, Robinson was clear on what a school is getting in him as a player.

"They're going to get a player that's hungry. I got hurt last year, and I've got a lot to prove. It's really nothing I can talk about; it's just something they're going to see. I just promise that the school that I choose, they're going to get the best me and a hard worker, and I'm going to perform at a high level at all times. We're going to win ballgames."