On Saturday, the Tennessee Volunteers went into Pittsburgh and left with an overtime win against the number seventeen Pitt Panthers. The reason for Tennessee’s success is due to many factors, but one has been the way Coach Josh Heupel has recruited big time playmakers and developed talented prospects on the roster into explosive weapons for his offense. In order for the Vols to keep that momentum going, they will need to continue to bring in and develop exceptional athletes. The good news for the Tennessee staff is that the success they have already shown is making it easier to bring in the next wave of elite athletes into the offense. Perhaps the most explosive player in the 2023 class for Tennessee, and in fact one of the most explosive players in the country in the class, is current commit Cameron Seldon from Northumberland High School in Heathsville, Virginia.
Seldon is ranked by several recruiting services as one of the Top 100 players in the country in the 2023 cycle, and after seeing him in person, it is easy to see why. At 6’1” and 225 pounds, Seldon has good size and a thick build with obvious muscle mass. That size and strength is not something he was naturally gifted with, rather, it was due to his work in the weight room. One of his coaches stated that, “When Cam was a freshman, he was skinny as a tail, but he ran like a deer. He had some success as a freshman, then blew up as a sophomore. The best thing to happen to Cam was the COVID year. Cam never stopped working from fall camp. When the spring season rolled around [Virginia high schools played their Fall 2020 football season in Spring of 2021] Cam had totally changed his body. That’s just the way he is. I think he has been at the YMCA working out here every day this summer.” That is the kind of work ethic that helps to create a rare player, particularly one with the explosive athleticism of Cam Seldon.
Seldon is deadly fast, has outstanding agility, good hands, and is difficult to bring down with the ball in his hands. Watching his film and seeing him play against Charles City County High School, the immediate comparison that comes to mind is former Vol star and current Atlanta Falcons Cordarelle Patterson. Seldon has a very similar build to Patterson, possesses the same break away speed, the same ankle breaking quickness, and the toughness to be difficult to bring down. The combination that Seldon has of size and speed is rare at any level of football. He is a player that can run through or away from most ever defender he encounters. When asked about the comparison to Patterson, Seldon said, “The goal is just to work hard every day, to be better, and one day be better than him.” That kind of talk should excite Volunteer fans for just what they can expect from Seldon.
Tennessee wants to use Seldon much like Patterson when he arrives in Knoxville. While Seldon primarily plays at receiver for Northumberland, the Vols see him as a running back first, though they intend to use him at receiver as well. He has the ability to play both positions and be one of the most dangerous players on the field wherever he lines up. Seldon is simply a player that you want to get the ball to. He shows a knack for just finding holes, eluding defenders, and making big plays. Out of the backfield, he has the hands of a wide receiver, and lined up wide, he catches a ball and runs like a power back. Heupel wants to line Seldon up all over the field, to create mismatches and find the most ways to get the ball in his hands, which means he will likely have a role in the return game as well.
This is a young man that hurdled three players in one play on a spectacular touchdown that wound up being called back due to a block in the back. Seldon is a highlight reel athlete every time the ball touches his hands. He is absolutely electric, and his skill on the field wasn’t what was most impressive. The character that Seldon showed on the field and in his post game interview reflects the caliber of young man he is. During the game, there was unfortunately a fight that broke out between the teams that resulted in the game being canceled in the third quarter. On the play, Seldon was on the field, near the scrum as it started, and rather than dive in, he calmly stepped away and tried to keep his teammates out of the fray. After the game, he said that, “We have to keep our composure. That’s something we will talk about on Monday.” The tone with which Seldon made that statement carried the same gravity as a father telling a child. “We will talk about this when we get home.” Seldon is absolutely a leader for Northumberland, and he carries himself as such. It is reasonable to expect him to find a similar role at Tennessee thanks to that character, his work ethic, and his intelligence.
Tennessee is off to a 2-0 start on their young campaign, excited for what is coming this season. The Northumberland Indians are off to a 4-0 start, and their goal of a state title in Virginia is also clear. That said, watching both programs, it is hard not to be excited for what the future holds. Cam Seldon and this Josh Heupel offense at Tennessee are a match made in heaven, and Seldon is likely to be expected as one of the breakout freshman in the SEC next season.
