The Inside Scoop: Tennessee is a team to watch for On3 5-star DL Daevin Hobbs
The recruitment of Concord (N.C.) Jay M. Robinson five star defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs is starting to heat up. The 6-foot-4, 270 pound prospect has three upcoming official visits this fall, including one this weekend to Tennessee.
Hobbs’ trip to Knoxville will mark his third since the beginning of the summer. According to On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons, Tennessee could potentially be the school that lands Hobbs’ commitment.
“He’s in Knoxville again,” Simmons said on On3’s The Inside Scoop. “He’s been there multiples times already for unofficial visits. He’ll be there for the big Florida game this weekend as an official visitor. I know (head coach) Josh Heupel was at game one of Hobbs’ season, so he knows he is a top priority for Tennessee. Him and his family both have a good connection with Rodney Garner, the d-line coach and multiple staffers there on that Tennessee staff. They’re very much involved.
“He’s very engaged with them on communication, pretty much every day, not just him, but his family as well. So I think it’s a very big visit for Hobbs and his family and of course Tennessee as well because they’re going up against likely Georgia and Alabama in the end, obviously two national powers, played for the national championship game, top two teams in the country right now in college football. So Tennessee has to, I think, wow him and his family this weekend going up against the two SEC powers in Alabama and Georgia.”
Hobbs is the No. 130 overall prospect and No. 13 defensive lineman in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also a four-star recruit and the No. 2 player in North Carolina.
On3 rates Hobbs higher than other recruiting services, according to the Industry Comparison. Per the 2023 On300, he is the No. 23 overall prospect and No. 3 defensive lineman.
In addition to June official visits to Auburn and North Carolina, Hobbs will have two more following his Tennessee trip to Alabama and Georgia. The five-star was originally supposed to commit in July, but now Simmons believes he is flexible regarding the announcement of his college decision.
“Talking to Hobbs recently, he mentioned maybe Thanksgiving week,” Simmons said. “His mother’s birthday is late November. He mentioned that as a possibility. Again, nothing’s set, but what his plan is definitely is to take the OV to Tennessee this weekend. He’ll be at Alabama for the OV when they play Texas A&M next month and then when Georgia plays Auburn early in November, he’ll be there. Then, I think he takes a week or two, figures things out, thinks things over and makes that decision.”
Daevin Hobbs On3 Scouting Summary
The following is the On3 Scouting Summary for Daevin Hobbs:
“Nimble jumbo athlete who makes big plays as a tight end and defensive end, likely projecting along the defensive line long-term. Has good size, measuring at 6-foot-4.5 and in the 250-pound range with a wing-span close to 6-foot-10. Shows dominant tendencies as a two-way star at the high school level. Finished with 20 tackles for loss and 8 sacks as a junior. Moves well at his size. Shows the athleticism to run down plays in pursuit. Has the closing speed to finish plays behind the line with authority.
“A big threat down the seam at tight end and is talented enough to play on offense in college. Extends and elevates to come down with grabs over the middle of the field. A long-strider in the open field with speed to score on long receptions. A very good high school basketball player who was the MVP of a state title team as a junior. Throws down emphatic dunks in transition. Unrefined technically as a defensive lineman and should see improvement on that front once he focuses on the position at the next level. May need to adjust to the level of competition coming from a lower classification in high school.”