KNOXVILLE – Until very recently, Trevarris Saulsberry never once considered playing football at the University of Tennessee.
That’s not at all surprising. Saulsberry was born and raised in Gainesville, Fla.
Here’s the surprise: Saulsberry has committed to play for the Volunteers.
The 6-foot-4, 255-pound defensive lineman committed to UT over offers from Oregon, Michigan State, South Florida, Syracuse and others – but not Florida.
Saulsberry was initially so disinterested in the Vols that he nearly canceled a trip to visit Knoxville earlier this summer. He came to campus with a closed mind and left wanting to play for UT.
“It’s pretty funny,” Saulsberry said. “I just never, ever thought I’d play for Tennessee … but I’m so excited.”
Saulsberry, as other UT recruits have done in the past, praised the scenery of “beautiful” East Tennessee. He also loved first-year Vols coach Derek Dooley and his staff, and their plans to play him all over the defensive front. He recently started telling opposing coaches he was leaning toward UT, and he pledged on a Sunday night call to tight ends and special teams coach Eric Russell. A Monday morning conversation with Dooley made the commitment “official,” though nothing is final until a recruit signs his national letter of intent or enrolls in classes.
That’s a pretty stunning turn for a player who admittedly thought his Knoxville visit would be “a waste of time.”
“Tennessee is a great place, and it’s a program on the rise, and I can’t wait to be a part of it,” Saulsberry said. “Coach Dooley is excited, too. He said he couldn’t wait for me to join the family.”
Saulsberry, who could bulk up and become a defensive tackle, is considered a three-star prospect by Scout.com. Rivals.com and ESPN have him in their databases but haven’t ranked him.
The Vols have 11 public commitments for the 2011 signing class, and none have been ranked with four or five stars by the three major recruiting services. Rankings are fluid, though, so that could change.
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