Deion Bonner and Derek Dooley

January 23, 2012 Mike Mozingo 7 comments

Over the weekend, one of the best corners in the Southeast, four-star corner Deion Bonner, of Columbus, GA made his verbal pledge to the University of Tennessee. From a purely football standpoint Bonner is a no-brainer addition to Derek Dooley’s class of 2012, he is a multi-talented, big, corner who could compete for playing time almost immediately.

However, as many people have noted, Bonner comes with skeletons in his closet. While on his official visit to UGA in the summer, Bonner and two others, were caught stealing ipods and iphones. The three were charged byAthens-Clarke county with misdemeanor theft. The subsequent fall out cost Bonner stars, and several college offers.

Bonner has by all accounts shown admirable contrition, and served his high-school penalty without complaint. So the question clearly is: Is this a kid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or a criminal? Derek Dooley is about to find out.

Reportedly before Dooley offered Bonner he had at least three sit-downs with the young man. Dooley apparently feels that the Vol-For-Life program, and the quality of people who surround Bonner will be good for him, and the University.

There are two ways of looking at this:. On the one hand Dooley believes in this kid, and it’s a reclamation project worth gambling. On the other hand, Dooley needs to win now, and figures this kid is worth the gamble. I am leaning towards the first, one freshman corner isn’t likely to make or break Dooley’s career.

Welcome to Big Orange Country Deion!

Tennessee football, Tennessee recruiting Deion Bonner, Tennessee Recruiting.

#1 | Written by NashvilleVol about 1 year ago. Reply

110% worth the gamble – no question. Ask Daniel Hood, 2nd chances can be huge blessings.
- #2 | Written by tidefan about 1 year ago. Reply
  
  @NashvilleVol Just to play devil’s advocate, I’ll see your Hood, and raise you Janzen Jackson.
  - #3 | Written by NashvilleVol about 1 year ago. Reply
    
    So due to Janzen and the decisions he chose to make, the University should quit giving kids second chances? One bad end result shouldn’t end the pursuit for other kids to have second chances. Janzen obviously didn’t help our team this season, but allowing him the opportunity to come back was a not a fault (in my opinion) of the University or coaching staff.
    - #4 | Written by tidefan about 1 year ago. Reply
      
      @NashvilleVol That’s not what I’m saying. I’m simply saying that Hood is no more proof that second chances are good than Jackson is that they aren’t. And while I agree that giving Jackson a second chance wasn’t a fault, it was a mistake. That year of college he wasted could have benefitted someone else. I’m not saying the kid shouldn’t go to college, but let’s not pretend Dooley’s intentions are noble. There are a finite number of college football scholarships available — far fewer than there are athletes who need one to be able to afford college. Bonner’s second chance means some other kid who would benefit just as much from a college education isn’t going to get his first chance because of the trickle down.
      
      I’m not saying Dooley is wrong for signing the kid, but i would stop short of saying that Dooley’s interest is in making sure the kid gets a second chance. Bonner wasn’t the only one convicted in that incident. Other recruits were involved as well. Where are their scholarship offers? Dooley’s interest in the kid is in his ability to help him win football games. The rest — the second-chance and VFL programs — are there to give him the best chance to help him win football games.
    - #5 | Written by NashvilleVol about 1 year ago. Reply
      
      I don’t recall stating anything about Dooley having “noble” intentions. I simply stated it was well worth the gamble. This could be Dooley’s last year and he will obviously take as much talent as he can get his hands on. Regardless of Dooley’s intent, in my opinion, this kid is worth the gamble. Also, some kids shine with second chances and some (like Janzen) do not. It’s too early to say how this will pan out, but for now, I’ll be thrilled if this kid signs on NSD and becomes a Vol.
    - #6 | Written by Barney about 1 year ago. Reply
      
      @NashvilleVol I don’t think Dooley going after this kid is as much a sign of him being more willing to take a gamble because 2012 could potentially be his last year. Dooley is more willing to go after high-risk players because he has a deeper and more talented football team right now then he has had at any point in his tenure at Tennessee. If this “gamble” does not pan out (and I believe it will) then Dooley should be able to manage the loss.
      
      Furthermore, I don’t believe that Bonner is anymore of a gamble then any other kid Tennessee signs. Prior to the incident at Georgia he had never had a run in with the law.
#7 | Written by pg7984 about 1 year ago. Reply

What if it’s not either/or but both…he’s a risk recruit that is not fundamentally bad like a Nukees but made a bad decision and also contributes to Dooley’s and UT fan base and UT player’s need to win now.

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