Tennessee Vols got one of the biggest steals during 2022 recruiting cycle from SEC West program's backyard
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel and his staff may have got one of the biggest steals in the 2022 recruiting cycle by landing running back Dylan Sampson. The former three-star recruit was ranked as the No. 36 running back in the nation and the No. 21 player in the state of Louisiana. LSU seemingly […]
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel and his staff may have got one of the biggest steals in the 2022 recruiting cycle by landing running back Dylan Sampson.
The former three-star recruit was ranked as the No. 36 running back in the nation and the No. 21 player in the state of Louisiana.
LSU seemingly never showed much interest in the talented running back, despite the fact he grew up in the Baton Rouge area.
The Tigers' loss, however, is the Vols' gain.
Sampson made his debut against Ball State and rushed for 32 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. He also caught one pass for 19 yards.
While those aren't eye-popping numbers, it says a lot about Sampson and the belief the staff has in him that he saw significant action in his first career game. Instead of taking it all in on the sidelines, Sampson was thrust into the action.
And while he was stuffed for small gains a couple of times, he showed a lot of promise.
Specifically, I liked the vision Sampson showed on his touchdown run. Ball State did a good job of filling the running lanes, but Sampson, who has elite 4.3 speed, found a running lane so small that he barely fit through it for the score.
Heupel wasn't surprised by Sampson's great field vision — it's something the staff noticed about him during camp.
“For a guy that has a lot of speed, he is very patient," said Heupel this week during Vol Calls. "Maybe as patient of a runner as I’ve been around as a young guy, in particular for a guy that his type of speed. A lot of those guys just want to try and get out around the corner all the time and get to space. He understands that he can use his blockers inside to create that space. He’s got great vision and understanding of how things are unfolding. He’s got a bright future.”
Sampson has all the ingredients to be a superstar — he's fast, he's smart, he's a great student, and he has excellent vision.
I have a feeling LSU fans are going to be sick watching Sampson excel on Rocky Top for the next few seasons. They'll be especially sick if Sampson has a huge game against the Tigers in Baton Rouge on October 8.
Heupel and his staff deserve a lot of credit for going into Louisiana, identifying Sampson's talent, and bringing him to Knoxville. He could be a key part of Tennessee's success this season.
Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
