Highly Sought After WR Gatling Set to Return to Tennessee

Milton High School (Ga.) standout wide receiver Debron Gatling is set to return to Knoxville on Wednesday. Gatling, who holds over 40 Division 1 offers, was most recently at Tennessee in June for an unofficial visit.

I will be at Tennessee tomorrow🧡 @CoachKelseyPope @maxwellthurmond @CoachGolesh @coachjoshheupel
— Debron Gatling🥋 (@bigsgbron) July 26, 2022

"I loved the visit," Gatling told Volunteer Country after checking out Tennessee on June 1st. "What stood out to me was talking to coach Pope and Coach Heupel. That was really my best moments. They kept it real with me and told me they wanted me here at Tennessee. They are some genuinely good guys."

Tennessee offered Gatling in January, and he has kept in consistent communication since, which has allowed him to build a strong relationship with the Vols staff.

"I really love Coach Pope and Coach Max," Gatling said at the time of what has stood out the most about Tennessee during his recruitment. "I stay in touch with them a lot throughout the week. They make me feel like family when I am up here. That is what I enjoy the most about it."

Another appeal with Tennessee is how they throw the ball all over the field.

"I really like how they pass the ball," Gatling said of the appeal of Tennessee's offense. "They always have a 1,000-yard receiver. Coach Pope was showing me the numbers, and before Coach Pope got here versus now is crazy. It really shows how much their offense produces."

Another big reason that Gatling is high on the Vols at this point in his recruitment is that he believes Pope has the ability to develop him into a high-level receiver.

"I feel like Coach Pope can do that (develop)," Gatling said of his thoughts on Pope as a coach. "I want a coach that is going to push me to get after it each day. He is a real good dude and knows what he is talking about with the football stuff. I really like that."

Gatling's former teammate, Mo Clipper Jr., signed with the Vols in the 2022 class, and he has offered him plenty of insight about Josh Heupel's program as well.

"He tells me that he loves it," Gatling said of Clipper's message to him. "He tells me that what they tell you on the visit is really true. There is no faking. They are going to love you and get you better. I see all of that, too. I like the stadium, the facilities, and the people up here."

Gatling joins an impressive list of weekend visitors for the Vols.