The Tennessee Vols found a hidden gem in the 2025 recruiting class
The Tennessee Vols may have found a hidden gem in the 2025 recruiting class. Earlier this offseason, 2025 three-star wide receiver Joakim Dodson committed to Tennessee. Dodson, 6-foot/185 lbs from Collierville, TN, is rated in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 104 wide receiver in the nation and the No. 630 overall player in the […]
The Tennessee Vols may have found a hidden gem in the 2025 recruiting class.
Earlier this offseason, 2025 three-star wide receiver Joakim Dodson committed to Tennessee.
Dodson, 6-foot/185 lbs from Collierville, TN, is rated in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 104 wide receiver in the nation and the No. 630 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class.
Not exactly an impressive ranking for an SEC commit.
But that ranking might be changing soon.
Dodson was pointed out by On3's Charles Power as one of the top performers at the Under Armour Next Series camp stop in Nashville this past weekend.
Power noted that Dodson made the most "big plays" during the 1-on-1 portion of the camp.
From On3: We didn’t see a wide receiver make more big plays during the 1-on-1 period at Under Armour Nashville than Joakim Dodson. The Tennessee pledge won in a number of ways. We saw him get vertical for a long touchdown. He elevated to high-point the ball, out-leaping a defensive back. The Memphis area standout also showed the ability to get open with change of direction. Dodson’s vertical bounce and strong hands allow him to play bigger than his size, listed at 6-foot, 185 pounds. He’s able to finish through contact and come down with tough grabs. In all, it was a strong showing for the in-state product.
This is just another great example of the way Tennessee's coaching staff trusts their internal evaluations despite what the recruiting services may think (though it's worth noting that the recruiting services do a great job for the most part….evaluating high school talent can be tricky).
The Vols see Dodson as a talented player who can make an impact in the SEC, which is why they took his commitment in February. And now Dodson is starting to show why the Tennessee staff was right to believe in him.
Signing five-star talent is key to building a championship program, but so is finding a hidden gem that everyone else overlooks (just ask Georgia and Ladd McConkey).
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