Tennessee’s Saturday atmosphere did its job on one of North Carolina’s top defensive backs.
2028 four-star East Forsyth (NC) DB Zion “Ziggy” Dobson was in Knoxville last weekend for Texas’ 20-17 win over the Volunteers, and the visit left a strong impression. After the game, Dobson said the trip gave him a closer look at what Tennessee is selling on Rocky Top.
"It was a great visit," Dobson told Vols on SI." I really enjoyed getting around the coaches, players, and seeing everything Tennessee has to offer.
The atmosphere was crazy. Rocky Top has one of the best atmospheres I've ever experienced.
The fans were hype."
Dobson spent time around multiple members of Tennessee’s staff, including Coach Pointdexter, Coach Zdebski, Coach Robinson and others. He also had interaction with Josh Heupel. The message he heard was simple: the Volunteers were glad he made the trip and want to keep the relationship moving forward.
"I got to talk with Coach Pointdexter, Coach Zdebski, Coach Robinson and others. The main message was just that they were glad I was able to make the visit, and that they want to continue building this relationship," Dobson said.
From the stands, Dobson had a clear eye on Tennessee’s defensive backs, and Kayin Lee gave him a moment that stood out. Lee jumped a pass while covering Texas receiver Cam Coleman, and the play lit up the stadium.
"Just how physical and competitive they were. They play with a lot of confidence, and you can tell they really enjoy playing together.
It (the pick) was crazy. The whole place was going wild.
Seeing a DB make a play like that in that environment was definitely one of the highlights of the visit," Dobson explained.
He also noticed how Tennessee uses a rotation in the secondary, mixing in younger players and veterans alike. That mattered to him.
"Definitely. As a young player, you want to go somewhere where you know you’ll have an opportunity to compete and earn your reps. That definitely stands out to me."
The visit clearly helped Tennessee in Dobson’s eyes, even though the process is still early. He said the Vols have positioned themselves as a school he wants to keep building with, and while a return to Rocky Top this year might not happen, he didn’t rule out coming back later.
"I could definitely see myself back in the future."
Dobson’s fall calendar is already filling up, with visits scheduled for South Carolina on October 3, Virginia Tech on October 17, Florida State on October 31, LSU on November 7, Georgia on November 14 and Notre Dame on November 21.
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