Gordon surveying competition, but will wait to decide : govolsxtra.com

Eric Gordon isn't waiting for his senior season to survey his collegiate suitors.

The 5-foot-10, 187-pound junior cornerback from Hillsboro High School in Nashville has visited three SEC schools: Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi State. All have offered Gordon a scholarship.

"It's been great," he said of the visits. "I got to see a couple of new places, meet some new people and talk to a couple of coaches. It's been going pretty good lately."

The traveling is far from done, especially with more suitors lining up. Arkansas is the most recent school to offer.

"I plan on going to a lot of other places," Gordon said.

That includes junior-day trips to Alabama and Kentucky. The rest of the itinerary hasn't been decided.

UT will need at least another visit to woo Gordon. When he visited Knoxville last fall, Gordon said he enjoyed the game-day atmosphere but didn't visit with the coaches. On the other hand, Gordon's Alabama trip seemed a more complete visit.

"I think Alabama is a great place," Gordon said. "I got to see the stadium and meet with the coaches."

The Vols are certainly in the mix. Gordon won't soon forget who offered the first scholarship.

"That was a big accomplishment for me," Gordon said, recalling UT's official invitation. "It was like 'Wow, it's finally here.' "

The competition for Gordon has just begun. Soon, other schools will be on his trail.

Don't expect a commitment soon. Gordon said he won't announce his decision until National Signing Day in February 2009.

"I don't want to rush anything," Gordon said. "I want it to be the best situation for my family."

Gordon caught 40 passes for 816 yards playing receiver last season, while registering 77 tackles and three interceptions as a cornerback. Gordon also returned four kickoff/punts for a touchdown.