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Derek Mason got the 17th commitment of his class of 2015 on Tuesday night - and his first wide receiver - when Georgia's Jared Pinkney decided to anchor down. Pinkney is a 6'4" (or 6'5", depending on where you look), 220+ lb wideout who should be able to give the Commodores the big red zone target they lacked in 2014. Rivals, ESPN, and 247Sports all have him rated as a solid three-star prospect.
Pinkney played his high school football at Norcross High in Norcross, GA. He turned down offers from Nebraska, Miami, Florida, and Missouri to ride with Mason and new offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig. He'll join a Vandy receiving corps that is loaded with young but unproven talent for 2015.
Here's Pinkney's sizzle reel, courtesy of Hudl. It's clear that the big wideout is comfortable in the slot and catching passes over the middle. He also seems to be able to identify holes in coverage to find openings for drive-extending plays. With Kris Kentera-ish size, it will be interesting to see if Ludwig and the Commodores decide to deploy him as an H-Back or another type of hybrid possession receiver.
The big question mark about Pinkney is whether or not his speed will hold up in the SEC. His 40-yard dash times have clocked in anywhere from 4.59 seconds to 5.02, and his highlight reel suggests that he can be caught from behind by faster defensive backs. However, tackling him at 220+ pounds will be a different story.
The high school senior will add some big play potential to a recruiting class that is currently light on offensive skill players. Nine of Vandy's 17 current recruits will play along the offensive or defensive line in college.