2014 Ponte Vedra LB Dillon Bates (6’3, 220) is already one of the top linebackers in his class, with offers from top programs such as Miami, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, and Texas A&M.
“I’m a physical presence, I’m a leader to my teammates and I just try to get everybody focused and ready to make the defense work. I try to play as physically and violently as I can within the game.”
His high school team is coming off of a victory over a rival.
“It’s good, we’re 2-1 right now and we just came off of a big win against one of our rivals, Nease 35-0 and we were able to get some of our younger guys into the game and get them some reps. Personally, I feel like I’m playing pretty good. I had 15 tackles on Friday, but I still feel like I can sharpen the fundamental things in practice.”
As far as recruiting goes, Bates is still in the early stages of weighing his options.
“I’m not really sure right now, I’m trying to keep my mind open. I should have a top 5 or top 3 pretty soon, but right now I’m trying to go see some more schools so I can make those choices.”
He was in Tuscaloosa this past weekend to the Crimson Tide face FAU.
“We went there to visit and go to a game. I got a chance to meet the players and talk to the coaches, it was a great atmosphere and really enjoyed it.”
Dillon’s father, Bill, played 15 seasons in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys and played for the University of Tennessee. Bill has been an influence on Dillon’s recruitment.
“He definitely has an impact on me. He’s always giving me advice and he just tells me to go wherever I feel comfortable. He’s all for me exploring my options.”
While most believe the SEC is far and away the top conference in college football, Bates believes another conference is right there with it.
“There are 2 or 3 conferences that exceed everybody for me. The SEC and ACC are definitely the top 2 with the fastest players, the strongest players, the best players. I feel like some schools in the ACC can compete with any SEC school like Miami, Clemson, and FSU. Those two conferences are definitely up in the ranks for me.”
Miami is a school that has intrigued Bates early on.
“The tradition behind the ‘U’ is definitely very good. All that winning tradition is very cool. I talk to them pretty often over the phone and through Facebook. I talk to coach Carroll and coach Golden and message them back-and-forth.”
Coming from a football family, Bates knows he won’t e guaranteed anything when he steps on campus.
“My father and brother have told me there is no guarantee for a starting spot when I get there, it’s all about how I compete in practice and work so the biggest thing for me is how I can mesh into the defense, the players, and coaches as well as the overall atmosphere of the campus and academics.”
Bates will make his choice when he feels he is ready.
“I don’t really have a timetable, but if I find the right school for me then I’d definitely pull the trigger. It could be tomorrow, next summer, or signing day.”
The Bates family will be busy with visits for the rest of the season, as they plan to take a first-hand look at some of Dillon’s options.
“We definitely have a few visits planned out almost every weekend. Most of the schools that have offered are on that list and we’re just gonna go down and check out the campus, talk to the coaches, and watch a game. We will go down to Miami sometime this fall.”
“I’m a physical presence, I’m a leader to my teammates and I just try to get everybody focused and ready to make the defense work. I try to play as physically and violently as I can within the game.”
His high school team is coming off of a victory over a rival.
“It’s good, we’re 2-1 right now and we just came off of a big win against one of our rivals, Nease 35-0 and we were able to get some of our younger guys into the game and get them some reps. Personally, I feel like I’m playing pretty good. I had 15 tackles on Friday, but I still feel like I can sharpen the fundamental things in practice.”
As far as recruiting goes, Bates is still in the early stages of weighing his options.
“I’m not really sure right now, I’m trying to keep my mind open. I should have a top 5 or top 3 pretty soon, but right now I’m trying to go see some more schools so I can make those choices.”
He was in Tuscaloosa this past weekend to the Crimson Tide face FAU.
“We went there to visit and go to a game. I got a chance to meet the players and talk to the coaches, it was a great atmosphere and really enjoyed it.”
Dillon’s father, Bill, played 15 seasons in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys and played for the University of Tennessee. Bill has been an influence on Dillon’s recruitment.
“He definitely has an impact on me. He’s always giving me advice and he just tells me to go wherever I feel comfortable. He’s all for me exploring my options.”
While most believe the SEC is far and away the top conference in college football, Bates believes another conference is right there with it.
“There are 2 or 3 conferences that exceed everybody for me. The SEC and ACC are definitely the top 2 with the fastest players, the strongest players, the best players. I feel like some schools in the ACC can compete with any SEC school like Miami, Clemson, and FSU. Those two conferences are definitely up in the ranks for me.”
Miami is a school that has intrigued Bates early on.
“The tradition behind the ‘U’ is definitely very good. All that winning tradition is very cool. I talk to them pretty often over the phone and through Facebook. I talk to coach Carroll and coach Golden and message them back-and-forth.”
Coming from a football family, Bates knows he won’t e guaranteed anything when he steps on campus.
“My father and brother have told me there is no guarantee for a starting spot when I get there, it’s all about how I compete in practice and work so the biggest thing for me is how I can mesh into the defense, the players, and coaches as well as the overall atmosphere of the campus and academics.”
Bates will make his choice when he feels he is ready.
“I don’t really have a timetable, but if I find the right school for me then I’d definitely pull the trigger. It could be tomorrow, next summer, or signing day.”
The Bates family will be busy with visits for the rest of the season, as they plan to take a first-hand look at some of Dillon’s options.
“We definitely have a few visits planned out almost every weekend. Most of the schools that have offered are on that list and we’re just gonna go down and check out the campus, talk to the coaches, and watch a game. We will go down to Miami sometime this fall.”
