Dalton senior offensive lineman Dylan Cole became the first commitment for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's 2018 recruiting class Tuesday evening.
The 6-foot-4, 265-pounder chose the Mocs over offers from Morgan State, Stetson and NCAA Division II Tusculum. He was a first-team all-region performer in Georgia Class AAAAAA in 2016 as well as a second-team all-state selection.
He thanked those other programs for their interest on Twitter Tuesday, before adding that "UTC is the place for me." He said he felt at home when visiting the program, which aided in his decision.
"I've grown up around Chattanooga my whole life, and it has always been a great place for my family," Cole said Wednesday evening. "UTC's new coaching staff is a great one and every single coach made me feel at home from day one. Chattanooga also has a winning tradition when it comes to football, and all of that combined is an offer I just can't pass up."
He called himself "100-percent a Moc."
The Mocs are expected to lose two offensive linemen after the 2017 season – both centers, Josh Cardiello and Alex Hooper. Cole has played guard and is making the transition to tackle for his final season at Dalton.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.