2021 ATH Christian Charles Remains High On Tennessee, Eyeing a Decision Ahead of Football Season

JOHNS CREEK, Ga.-- 2021 Chestatee (Ga.) Athlete Christian Charles is not an underclassman, but that did not stop him from coming out to the Elite Underclassmen Showcase in the metro-Atlanta area on June 27th. Charles is a dynamic athlete, who plays wildcat quarterback, and other various positions at his high school, but he knows he will likely end up at another skill position at the college level, so he decided to get work in with the defensive backs in a loaded grouping with one-on-one coaching.  

At the time of the event, Charles said on his decision to come out and compete, "as an athlete, I can play all types of positions, so just coming here today and specializing on DB, I am coming here to hone some skills and get some work in against some great athletes." 

He said on focusing on a college-specific position, "I take it with how I am feeling. I feel that anything I do, I can do it very well or to a high level. I am at the point in my process, to whatever I am going to do that day, I feel like I am going to do it very well."

Charles' recruitment has exploded in recent months, with offers coming from the likes of Oklahoma, Tennessee, Washington State, Virginia Tech, and Georgia Tech. He said on how the schools see him fitting in, "it is a mix. About half of them see me at quarterback, and the other half see me as an athlete, either as a receiver or defensive back, a safety or corner." 

Charles said on what he hopes to do at the college level, "I get that question all the time, and it is a simple answer for me. I want to go to a school where I get the best education, and then I want to go to a school where I am put in the right opportunity to play at the highest level." 

He said on the Vols specifically, " I talk to Coach (Jeremy) Pruitt and Coach (Derrick) Ansley all the time. They tell me that I have a pretty elite skillset with what I bring to the table." 

The relationship has been growing since the initial offer in April, and at the time, Charles told VR2, "That initial phone call was insane for me because the SEC is the pinnacle of college football right now and to get an offer from Tennessee is pretty big in my book. It was surreal."

Charles may be closer to a decision than expected, as he said, " I am looking to commit before my football season, so probably early August or late July, something like that." 

He said on the major deciding factors, "I am really looking for relationships with the coaches and if they have the education path that I want."