Cai Bates Would Be An Ideal Running Mate For Kaleb Beasley

Four-star corner Cai Bates (Orlando, Fla.) is one of the top man-cover defenders in America. His talents have attracted a major group of finalists: Alabama, Florida State, LSU, and Tennessee. He measures in at 6-1.5 and 175 pounds with the athleticism and technique to thrive in college.

Bates has flirted with the Vols for a long time, but his interest in potentially joining their 2024 class intensified after his official visit. Many were writing Bates off to LSU a few weeks ago, but a serious two-squad battle is erupting. The Tigers and Vols are neck and neck in his recruitment, and a possible decision is looming in the next few weeks. Tennessee has long sought after a running mate for four-star corner commit Kaleb Beasley (Nashville, Tenn.), another rangy defensive back with excellent ball skills. Beasley is a plug-and-play boundary corner, and with a few potential roster departures after the 2023 season, the coaching staff wants to land another boundary corner who can come in and compete.

The man they've focused their efforts on is Bates. He has some of the best feet in the class, chopping them in quick, concise movements that allow him to generate explosion in his backpedal. Bates has the ankle flexion to get out of his backpedal and make a play moving downhill, but he also flashes the ability to turn his hips and push vertically if a target makes a double move. The Vols want guys who can cover the full route tree in man coverage because their base packages include a bunch of man looks. With the amount of snaps defensive backs must play in this system, you must simplify their duties; go out on an island and shut down the man in front of you.

He shines at the catch point, flashing an innate leaping ability when he times the ball flight and reaches the highest point before snatching the ball out of the air. Bates could stand to be more physical against larger receivers when the ball comes out of the air, but he positions himself well. Few receivers locate and judge the ball as well as Bates does, and he gets to footballs with ample space to catch and run.

Getting two outside corners with the talents of Beasley and Bates would be an excellent haul for defensive backs coach Willie Martinez. He already has three safeties committed in the 2024 cycle, and rounding out the room with Bates would be an ideal run for a position group needing a talent influx.

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