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As you’re reading this, Darren Myles is preparing to break some recruiters’ hearts.
It’s a necessary evil. Managing 32 scholarship offers is nearly impossible for the 6-foot-2, 180-pounder. So Myles, one of the top defensive back prospects in the southeast, is whittling his list down to 10 to 15 schools.
Tennessee, LSU, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Alabama, West Virginia, Michigan, Rutgers and Purdue will almost certainly be on the preliminary list, according to his father, Darren Myles Sr.
Those are the schools, Myles Sr. said, that have been recruiting his son the hardest. It’s no surprise that there’s that much interest for Myles, especially after a junior season in which he registered 60 tackles, five for a loss, five forced fumbles, five sacks, 16 pass break ups and six interceptions.
UT leads the others in terms of ties to the Myles family. Two former Vols, cornerback Inky Johnson and tailback Jamal Lewis, played for Myles Sr., who is the now the coach at Carver High School in Atlanta.
“It’s definitely a big thought in my mind and big thought in his mind also,” Myles Sr. said of the insight into UT’s program. “He knows how the players get along together.”
The family has been especially impressed with how UT dealt with Johnson’s career-ending shoulder injury suffered in 2006. Johnson is still a significant part of UT’s team, often leading the team in prayer and pep talks. Johnson also receives the same academic and financial support of any active athlete.
“He’s had an opportunity to see how a program treats a player who no longer has any athletic eligibility, like Inky,” Myles Sr. said. “He’s still being taken care of from an academic standpoint.”
The younger Myles admits he gets more information about UT than any other school he’s interested in, seeing that he’s in close contact with Johnson. Myles also visited UT recently.
“I like the University of Tennessee,” said Myles who was selected to play in the Under Armour All-Star Game in Orlando, Fla., in January. “I have a lot of background. I know people that went there. I have a good relationship with the coaches.”
Myles jumped onto the recruiting scene when he was named the most valuable player among defensive backs at a Nike camp held in Tuscaloosa, Ala., this spring. Before, some wondered if Myles was a safety or a cornerback. When he showed the ability to cover some of the region’s top prospects at corner, his recruiting stature soared.
“I would say he’s probably as well rounded as they come in terms of football,” Myles Sr. said. “He’s cerebral. He’s aware. He knows what’s taking place scheme-wise.”
Myles was so knowledgeable that his father decided it was time to get his son on offense early in his high school career.
In addition to playing Myles at receiver, Carver also implemented the “D-Ro” package. The name is a play off of the “Tebow” package with Florida quarterback Tim Tebow attacking defenses on the ground in 2006 in relief of starter Chris Leak and Myles’ full name, Darren Roland.
Usually a more conventional passing offense, Carver goes spread option when Myles is playing quarterback.
Myles completed 28 passes last season for 190 yards and two touchdowns. As a receiver, he caught 25 passes for 200 yards and five touchdowns.
“We ask a lot of him,” Myles Sr. said.
The double duty doesn’t raise doubt as to what position Myles will play in college. Defense seems Myles’ certain, future, and permanent home.
“He loves contact,” his father said.
Myles is a bit behind other like prospects. Most have already whittled down their list of prospective suitors. He admits he grew frustrated with the recruiting process early. Now, he’s changed his attitude.
“Enjoy the moment,” Myles said. “A lot of people wish they were in my shoes.”
Camping For Prospects: UT will hold its football camps this week. The junior Vols camp for ages 7-12 and special teams camp for kickers, snappers and punters will be held Monday and Tuesday. The all position camp will be held Wednesday through Friday.
The camp is a good opportunity for prospects to inspect UT’s campus and for coaches to evaluate prospects first hand.
UT will get another opportunity to evaluate skill position players July 18-19 for its seven-on-seven passing camp.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Posted by mempuss on June 7, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Come join your volunteer family D-RO. A commitment from him would only further improve an already stellar looking secondary!
Posted by robvols on June 7, 2008 at 7:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Better get him while he's interested.
Posted by TommyJack on June 7, 2008 at 8:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, he can call a huge press conference. Maybe they will cancel school that day.
Posted by VolJoe on June 7, 2008 at 10:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Inky is the man
Posted by KingsportVol on June 7, 2008 at 11:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What VolJoe said
Posted by LadyVolsEighTimes on June 8, 2008 at 2:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Part of what makes me so proud to be a UT Graduate and fan is teh way folks like Inky get treated and taken care of after they are injured, even if it is a career ending injury.
Even Major WIngate was giventhe opportunity to finish college after Pearl tossed him for another drug offense.
I was at the game Inky was hurt in, didn't look like the ungodly hit it turned out to be. Service Acadamey players tend to smaller, but they are so damn disciplined, and physically well developed that they are misleading. Football is just a college activity for almost all of them, they are training to lead troops into Combat, to prosecute wars from the Air Land and Sea. Tough dudes that don't get over emotional.
Posted by givehim6 on June 8, 2008 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Let's keep him in our radar. If teams figure out the g-gun we will give them the D-RO. Let's make Inky a recruiter.
Posted by Coyoteuglyvol on June 8, 2008 at 12:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey Dave, It would be nice to hear more from the kid! We don't care what his dad thinks. Dad's are always going to exaggerate. Talking to the dad wouldn't be that bad but you talked to the kid too. Come on that's just lazy!
Posted by thesavageorange on June 8, 2008 at 4:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bama just landed another 4* DT.Take Quinton Dial off the board.Even I'm starting to get frustrated.I need some good news fast.
Posted by miamiVOL on June 8, 2008 at 10:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
TN should have alrdy hired Inky Johnson if they are sMart, just make a new position for him, hell, Student-Athlete Advisor of some sort, with his story and great number of players in the ATL area, it could be a huge asset for the school
Posted by ncvol on June 8, 2008 at 10:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hope he decides on the big orange.. Go Vols!
Posted by sjt18 on June 9, 2008 at 2 a.m. (Suggest removal)
savage, what kind of lies does a coach have to tell to get that many DT prospects to sign when they have to know that their PT will be limited?
Of course this all changes if Bama flops again... which they could easily do. But it is crazy that he signed like 10 DL prospects last year and is already getting commits like Dial.
Wonder if that might help UT with someone like Ming?
Posted by volfan5521 on June 9, 2008 at 8:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Tommyjack is a girl!!!!
Posted by ctownvol on June 9, 2008 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
TouchdownTennessee-It's here. Not hear. What does TJ's ability to hear have to do with anything?
Posted by thesavageorange on June 9, 2008 at 11:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
sjt18, Don't know.Somethings gotta give.It's still early and some of these guys said their still gonna take some visits, so let's hope their eyes get opened.
Posted by TommyJack on June 9, 2008 at 12:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
TDTN: I think he might want to see my package.
Posted by jdcvols on June 9, 2008 at 2:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey TDTN, keep up the good work and the pot stirred! Had lunch with Dupree this weekend. He lost another tooth, only 7 left. By the way, his cousin is HOT!
Posted by volboy81 on June 9, 2008 at 6:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It pays to have people who genuinely care about their players like Coach Fulmer and the assistants. I doubt anyone in the SEC or anywhere else could top what UT has.
Posted by AlabamaJack on June 9, 2008 at 9:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Volboy, you obviously haven't been to Tuscallosa in the last 20 years. Bama has way more to offer that UTK does. Anyone in their right mind would rather play for Saban than go to UTK and play for the Vols.
Posted by TommyJack on June 9, 2008 at 10:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
BamaJack: Apparently you weren't there long enough to learn how to spell it.
Posted by pdhuff on June 10, 2008 at 7:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Myles, I would suggest you familarize yourself with the Knoxville area. Two great hot-spots are-
4842 North Broadway
6201 Kingston Pike
Very important to our pigskin philosophy.
Posted by vol_in_lsu_land on June 10, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Alabama Jack...
"Volboy, you obviously haven't been to Tuscallosa in the last 20 years. Bama has way more to offer that UTK does. Anyone in their right mind would rather play for Saban than go to UTK and play for the Vols."
Funny comments, especially the last line. Indeed... kinda telling how you worded that. Anybody would rather play for Saban vs. playing for the Vols. Hmmm, so in other words most of Saban's recruits could give a s**t about playing at Alabama, they're just there to play for the great almighty Saban himself (who'll be gone in 5 years), while the players who wind up at Tennessee are there to play for the program and all it's traditions. Oh how the mighty Tide has fallen.
Posted by sjt18 on June 10, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If I'm not mistaken, Myles jumped into the Rivals 100.
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