College coaches beware. Barry Turner is not going to be an easy sell.

"He's not going to follow the lead sheep," Brentwood Academy coach Carlton Flatt said of his star prospect. "There's not going to be anybody to just talk him into it (committing). He's going to make his decision on a mature basis. He's an independent thinker.

"That can be good or bad," Flatt said teasingly. "Sometimes, as a coach, you tell him to do something and he stands there and thinks about it."

That analytical approach minimizes a potential advantage that Tennessee has as it vies for Turner's services. Turner's former teammate, David Holbert, is a UT freshman fullback.

"We're always going to be friends," Turner said. "But I'm going to go where I fit best."

Turner said Holbert hasn't started selling Tennessee just yet.

"Sometime soon, that should be coming," Holbert said.

Turner said it's "impossible" to list his top five collegiate options, much less a leader. For the 6-foot-3, 232-pounder, it's way too early in the process.

He said he has received more scholarship offers than he can remember. They include Miami, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, and Tennessee. Flatt said Turner has gotten as much attention as any player he has coached in Brentwood's storied history.

"He's very versatile," Flatt said. "He plays tight end and wide receiver for us on offense and defensive end on defense. He could even play linebacker.

"His first step is really quick. He can really close on the ball. He's a good pass rusher that should be able to get to 260-270 (pounds) easily."

Turner said he has been smitten with Nebraska since they beat the Vols 42-17 in the 1998 Orange Bowl. He said friends of the family swayed him to the Cornhuskers but fandom will not influence his decision.

Turner said his first athletic love was basketball. Then, as a freshman at Brentwood, he tried out for football. According to Flatt, Turner is only a "good" basketball player.

Dave Hooker covers recruiting. He may be reached at 865-342-6327.