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The Volunteers put an emphasis on recruiting legacy recruits under Butch Jones and were thrilled when Neiko Creamer, the son of former defensive back Andre Creamer, committed to Tennessee's 2014 recruiting class.
Creamer was recruited as an athlete following Maryland All-State honors at wide receiver, which included a Rivals Mid-Atlantic Camp MVP honor, his senior season in high school.
The youngest Creamer to be a member of the Volunteer football team redshirted last season after bouncing back and forth between offense and defense in 2014. The talented Maryland prospect may have finally found his home at tight end in the Vols' offense heading into the 2015 season.
Tight end's coach Mark Elder recently spoke to Inside Tennessee about the progress and development of Creamer.
“You certainly see the potential and down-the-road upside that he brings to the position,” Elder said. “I’m encouraged with the promise there, but obviously it’s a long way as far as the growth process and where he needs to get to be game ready. That’s what spring’s all about, is getting ready and taking steps to get toward that.”
While Creamer may have found his role, that doesn't necessarily mean he will jump to a starter's role immediately, according to Elder:
“Not necessarily that he’s moving up above anybody else, but we’re rotating guys in, getting the right combination of people and so forth. We’re trying to have all those guys take reps with the ones at time and the twos at time.”
“It’s taking a guy that’s never lined up at the tight end position and asking him to be able to base block and run rip cutoffs against the defensive end,” Elder said. “That’s not an easy task for someone that’s been doing it a long time, let alone someone that this is their first time ever doing it.”
Even his head coach notices the ability Creamer has shown since arriving on campus:
“Neiko is a very, very good athlete. He’s a big body young man that can run,” Butch Jones said. “We knew when we recruited him we liked him so much because he was a multi-positional player.”
(h/t Inside Tennessee)
