Fast-Rising Chattanooga WR Cameron Sparks Discusses Vols Offer, Recruitment
Cameron Sparks of Baylor School (Tenn.) is a name to know. The 2025 wide receiver has already begun camping and developing relationships with college coaches.
Many would ask, what? A rising freshman is gaining collegiate attention? The answer, yes. There are not many 6-foot-5 205-pound receivers that are just now heading into high school, especially in the Chattanooga, Tennessee, area.
Sparks caught up with VR2 on Sports Illustrated to detail how his process has been coming along so far.
"I feel like I'm off to a great start in this early recruiting process," says the young prospect.
Wide receivers usually come in many different combinations of size and skill. Sparks physically has the body of the long-rangy playmaker who can stretch the field vertically, but he can also come across the middle and create bad match-ups for the defense.
"I'd say that I use my body really well to put myself in good positions to make a play against any corner or safety," Sparks described his style of play.
Being a young ballplayer who knows there is a good chance things could fall into place to make it to the next level, usually model their games after past or present stars of the gridiron. For Sparks, it is no different. "I play like Calvin Johnson, and I would say Arik Gilbert."
Most athletes who think there is a good chance they will make it to college on an athletic scholarship usually take things to the next level when it comes to training on their own time away from team drills. Sparks has taken that approach and started working with a coach after meeting him at a camp.
"I met Coach Edwards at an FBU camp in Birmingham, and from there, we've just been in touch and working out."
Coach Edwards is none other than Terrence Edwards. Edwards is a former Georgia Bulldog, and fun fact, he is the only receiver in UGA history to have one-thousand yards in a single season. Edwards also signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2003 as a free agent. The former Bulldog would later spend nine years in the Canadian Football League as well, so needless to say, Edwards may know a few tricks of the trade. Fortunately, for younger players like Sparks, that comes with a lot of knowledge and experience to pass down as their relationship grows.
"My relationship with Coach Edwards has been great," Sparks said. "He's helped me in so many different ways with improving my route skills and flexibility in my hips."
Edwards also works with former LSU signee and now Georgia Bulldog Arik Gilbert. In addition, Tennessee's 2021 tight end signee Miles Campbell is a part of the Edwards tree as well.
While speaking of current and former Bulldogs, it is worth noting that Sparks was in Athens on June 1st for a camp at the University of Georgia. Sparks summarized the trip as "cool" and a "great experience."
"My biggest takeaway from camping there was just attack everything at full speed and never stop," he said about his time in Athens. "Their message for me was to keep getting stronger and faster and basically live in the weight room."
The 2025 talent made his way to Knoxville this past Sunday, June 6th.
The prospect went through the camp and, in the end, was extended an offer by the Tennessee Volunteers.
"Getting my 1st D1 offer from an SEC school was crazy for me," Sparks said. "But that means I only have to work harder now because I know I can get many more."
It does not seem like Sparks is going to be a guy that is satisfied. That is a great thing for his team but not so good for the opposition.
There was a good amount of feedback from Coach Josh Heupel and Coach Kodi Burns during the day and during the talk, as the offer was extended.
"Coach Heupel told me that even though he knows I'm still young, he can see the potential and my athletic ability, and what drew their attention was the way I could control my body and ru," Sparks said of the message from the Vols. "The main message I left with from Coach Burns and the staff was to realize that I have so much potential and to keep working and perfecting my craft."
Going to camps put on by the college staff is always a massive plus for the young athletes; not only does it put you directly in the eyes of the staff, but you get to works hands-on with your positional coach. Sparks seemed to bond with Coach Burns fairly well.
"It was really fun to work with Coach Burns," Sparks said. "Being able to learn from him was really fun. He's a really cool and funny guy, really nice to be around."
For Sparks and the rest of the campers that have been on campus the last few days, I'm sure they have seen some of the changes that the team is making in their own philosophies. The big-bodied playmaker definitely has taken notice.
"With their new offensive scheme, I feel like it helps guys like me with showing their ball skills and getting out and running," he said of the offense in Knoxville.
The recently named FBU All-American also ties to the Vols at his soon-to-be high school. Former Vol, Eric Westmoreland is a coach at Baylor School, where Sparks will attend high school.
Sparks admitted that Coach Westmoreland had some advice post-offer.
"Westmoreland was just telling me to not get satisfied with this offer, and to keep working on getting more."
So the Tennessee Camp ends with an offer; what is next for the freshman phenom?
"I have another camp on June 23rd at Alabama, and I think they're still getting my visit set up at UT."
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