Vols 'Really Pushing Hard' for Michigan DB Jeremiah Caldwell
On August 1st, Jeremiah Caldwell announced his de-commitment from the University of Kentucky and officially went back on the market.
"First, I would like to thank the staff at the University of Kentucky for giving me the opportunity to come and play and be a part of their amazing program," Caldwell wrote on Twitter at the time. "When I had committed a few months ago, I felt like this was the right choice for me and my family. With a lot of time and thinking, I will be de-committing from the University of Kentucky and making my recruitment 100% open. Thank you BBN nation for all the support."
Before his de-commitment, Tennessee had become a serious factor for the Belleville (Mich.) standout after he camped and earned an offer from the Volunteers staff in June.
Behind a charge from Defensive Coordinator Tim Banks and Defensive Back Coach Willie Martinez, the Vols have surged up the ranks in Caldwell's recruitment.
"It is really Tennessee hitting me up the most," Caldwell told VR2 on Sports Illustrated earlier this week. "They are the main school that is really pushing hard for me right now."
"It is like a mixture of both," Caldwell said about the communication with Tennessee's defensive coaches. "I talk to Coach Martinez and Coach Banks. I talk to Coach Martinez the most probably. Coach Banks is the one that told me he sees me at safety a lot, and Coach Martinez tells me that he believes I can be a versatile high safety for them.
"They are telling me they like me at safety a lot," Caldwell added. "They like that I already know the game and that I can cover more of the field at safety. They like that I have good ball skills too."
Tennessee has been clear in what they like about the versatile athlete, so what does he like about them?
"I like the way they coach," Caldwell said. "I like how they coach hard. They are going to get after you and keep it real and tell you what you need to work on right then and there. That is what I really like about them."
When asked, Caldwell, a two-way star at Belleville, discussed what he likes about his own game.
"On the offensive side of the ball, I feel like I am just an all-around athletic receiver," he said. "I can run, so if it is a one-on-one matchup, I am bound to win that matchup. On the defensive side, I am long, so I can cover, tackle, I have good ball skills, and I have a strong football IQ."
Fresh off of a de-commitment, Caldwell is unsure of how soon he will decide on his future home.
"I think I am going to wait until December," he said of a timeline. "I think I am going to focus on the season more, then starting looking into finding a place to commit to. I want to put my team first because it is my senior. I feel like once the time is right, and I talk to my family about it, I will find the time to commit to a school."
Whenever the time comes, Caldwell knows what he is looking for in a school.
"The environment, the school, the coaches and their relationships with the players. That is all very important to me."
featured image via IMAGN/Detroit News