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The Elite 11 finals are underway in Nashville, kicking off on Monday morning. 20 of the nation’s best passers from the 2021 class are competing in the premier recruiting showcase for quarterbacks this week.
Tennessee’s Kaidon Salter is one of them. The four-star, top 100 prospect committed to the Volunteers back in May, giving Tennessee another high upside future prospect at the position. That upside is already on display in Nashville, according to coach Trent Dilfer.
“Way more organized as a passer than his tape showed,” Dilfer said. “He was really, really clean and there is some juice in that body, wow! It wouldn’t surprise me if he can take one step and 360 dunk. He has that kind of juice in his body. Super coachable, they threw these inside seam shots, right, left, one high, benders, stay skinny and they cross. First rep may not have been perfect and I watch the second rep and his correction rep was money time after time after time.” (Quote via 247Sports)
That last part of Dilfer’s statement on Salter might be the most important of all. Salter likely won’t be asked to play early on, assuming Harrison Bailey delivers on expectations. He’s going to have a chance to sit and learn, perhaps even taking a redshirt season to further learn Jim Chaney’s offense.
The upside with Salter comes with his live arm, which allows him to make big plays down the field. He’s athletic enough to create outside of the pocket, which is dangerous with the raw arm talent he seems to possess.
The Elite 11 finals run through July 1st. We’ll have further updates as the week goes on.