Peyton Manning in Knoxville during huge recruiting weekend for Tennessee
Tennessee is getting a little extra juice leading up to its annual Orange Carpet Day recruiting event, set to take place this weekend, thanks to the attendance of Peyton Manning.
The all-time great Volunteer and NFL quarterback is actually in town for the Peyton Manning Scholars program, however, his presence can only help the school’s recruiting efforts considering the football program is expecting dozens of elite, nationally-rated high school prospects this weekend. The majority of Tennessee’s Top 10-ranked 2018 recruiting class will be on Rocky Top and is expected to be joined by several of the team’s biggest 2018, 2019 and 2020 targets.
Every time Manning returns to Rocky Top, he receives a hero’s welcome, and deservedly so. The social media department in Knoxville is working overtime to make sure Manning feels the love.
The official Tennessee football Twitter account made an emphasis to point out Manning’s presence Friday, as Peyton joined head coach Butch Jones, quarterback coach Mike Canales and quarterbacks Quinten Dormady, Jarrett Guarantano and Will McBride for a photo and apparently joined the QB room for a position meeting.
https://twitter.com/Vol_Football/status/875729750676959232
Jones also tweeted out his own photo op with Manning:
https://twitter.com/UTCoachJones/status/875747832510259200
Canales sent out one of the photos above on his personal account:
QB's Work! Honored to Have Peyton Manning Stop By and Spend Time With the QB's. #GBO #QBsWork ?????? pic.twitter.com/CTAXGAHsii
— Coach Mike Canales (@coachcanales) June 16, 2017
Even the school’s new athletic director John Currie gave a personal shout-out to Manning:
20 years and counting for the Peyton Manning Scholars program. Thank you, Peyton, and congrats to Emma Kate, Grace, Sydney and Blake. pic.twitter.com/QyY97jzxdd
— John Currie (@John_Currie) June 16, 2017
It will be interesting to see if Manning can help sway any elite prospect Tennessee’s way following the weekend visit. The outreach among nationally elite prospects in anticipation for their visits to Tennessee has been interesting, to say the least. The Vols are even hosting a few NFL legacies, as a few of their fathers played in the league during Manning’s time with either the Colts or Broncos.
Four-star Florida defensive back Al Blades Jr., son of NFL veteran Al Blades:
Tennessee the sauce on the way✈️
— ⚜Al Blades⚜ (@AlBlades_Jr) June 16, 2017
Four-star Georgia defensive back Jaycee Horn, son of NFL veteran Joe Horn:
https://twitter.com/jayceehorn_10/status/875730489230938112
Tennessee commits:
Four-star California quarterback Adrian Martinez:
https://twitter.com/MartinezTheQB/status/875480498457522177
Five-star in-state offensive lineman Cade Mays:
https://twitter.com/_mayc2/status/875490240101855233
Four-star in-state defensive lineman D’Andre Litaker:
https://twitter.com/dandrelitaker/status/875485818231676929
Three-star Georgia receiver Jatavious Harris:
I wonder how many commits we're going to get this weekend?? #DOM1N8
— Jatavious Harris (@screamtaaye) June 15, 2017