Signing day: Cade Mays, top prospect in Tennessee, will play for Georgia
Cade Mays had a Clark Kent moment. He stood up and opened his button-up shirt to expose the Georgia T-shirt underneath.
The top recruit in the state, and No. 2 offensive tackle in the country per 247Sports, announced that he will be a Bulldog live on ESPN on Wednesday, the start of the football early signing period.
More:A look at other Vols signees
Mays was a little nervous before going live from the Knoxville Catholic gym – “I mean, there’s no telling how many people just saw that.” His 2-year-old brother Camp diffused a little tension as he played with the pompoms and megaphone on display while those assembled waited for ESPN to cue to Knoxville.
The 5A Mr. Football winner talked about something elaborate like a duck hunting video but ended up going simple. Mays didn’t want to pick a hat because “everyone does hats.”
Someone from the UnderArmor All-American Game reached out to Mays about being on ESPN’s signing day show.
More: Tennessee scrambling, Vanderbilt climbing as football early signing period hits
“I believe I’m the first person in Knoxville to ever do this,” Mays said of being on ESPN. “It’s an unbelievable feeling.”
Mays went on an official visit to Georgia last weekend, and that did a lot to sway him. He felt he fit in well with the team and the school, and Athens is only four hours away.
“I fit that offensive scheme,” he said. “They’re a smashmouth running team, and that’s what I like to do. I feel like with four years with (offensive line coach Sam Pittman).”
He sat down with his family after that visit to make a final decision. On Tuesday morning he had made up his mind, and he called all the coaches involved to let them know his choice.
More:Why some Vols' in-state commitments never wavered on loyalty to Tennessee amid chaos
Mays narrowed down his top three to Clemson, Georgia and Ohio State after Catholic won the 5A BlueCross Bowl. Tennessee made a late push, when athletic director Phillip Fulmer and coach Jeremy Pruitt brought their offensive coordinator and offensive line coach to Catholic to make a pitch. But it wasn’t enough to sway Mays, who decommitted from the Volunteers on Nov. 7.
Devin Driscoll, general manager of D1 Sports Training, offered Mays the day off. But the 6-foot-6, 320-pound lineman said no, he was hitting the gym, exactly the answer Driscoll was hoping for.
Mays feels good about Georgia’s chances.
“We just signed the greatest class in the history of football,” Mays said. “We’re going to do something special. I can promise y'all that.”