Tennessee’s weekend visit list was loaded, and 2028 offensive tackle Jakai Bickham left Knoxville with something big to remember: an offer from the Vols.
Bickham, a Columbia, Georgia native, was among the more than 40 visitors on Rocky Top for Tennessee’s matchup with Texas. It was his first trip to Knoxville, and he came away impressed by everything around the program.
"The overall visit was amazing," Bickham told Vols on SI." The atmosphere was amazing.
It was the loudest, biggest crowd I've ever seen. It was my first trip to Knoxville and it exceeded my expectations."
The visit also gave him a chance to spend time with Tennessee’s staff. Bickham said he spoke with head coach Josh Heupel and all of the Vols’ offensive line coaches, and he noticed the way the staff handled the recruiting process as a group.
"I spoke with all of the o-line coaches and talked to the head coach," Bickham said.Glen Elarbee and Kevin Pendleton do a fantastic job at recruiting guys as an entire staff versus letting one coach take the helm. Although it can many may be a divide and conquer type, but having the staff as a whole invest time in you can really make you feel like a priority.
He also came away with a strong impression of Tennessee’s offensive line on the field, pointing to the confidence and style of the group.
"What stood out to me about the offensive line was their swagger, especially number 70 (David Sanders Jr.) when he had his grills in. You know what they say, 'look good, play good.' When you feel good, you do good and he did just that."
Then came the offer, and for Bickham it landed exactly the way you’d expect when a dream school gets involved.
"When they (Tennessee) offered, my initial thought was, wow. I can't believe I made it this far in life to receive an offer from one of my dream schools," Bickham confided with Vols on SI.
Bickham said this won’t be his last trip to Knoxville. He plans to return for an official visit and a game day, and Tennessee will stay in the mix as he moves toward an October 3 decision between Florida State and Mississippi State.
At 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds, Bickham already holds double-digit offers, with Florida State, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, and others on his list.
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