Cai Bates, nation's No. 9 cornerback, ready for Wednesday commitment; LSU, Tennessee battle brewing?

Edgewater (Florida) four-star cornerback Cai Bates is set to announce his commitment Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. ET in the Edgewater auditorium and is down to a final seven.

But the real battle seems to be a clash of presumed favorite LSU and the late-riser, Tennessee - even with Alabama, Colorado, Florida State, Ohio State and Texas A&M still in the fold. 

“It’s a tough decision, because you can’t go wrong with anyone,” Bates told On3. “You have to put feelings to the side and focus on the development and the facts. Is this somewhere I want to live? Is this somewhere I feel comfortable with other players around? All that. You really have to dig deeper.”

Bates, who is rated the nation;'s No. 92 overall prospect and No. 9 cornerback, has been a priority recruit for the Tigers for some time, and entering Wednesday's decision they do seem to hold a slight edge.

While the battle is clearly close between the Tigers and Vols, LSU fans are likely to enter his decision with a little more optimism. 

What would LSU  - or possibly someone else (Tennessee, maybe Alabama in a surprise) - be getting? 

Here's what 247Sports had to say about Bates as a prospect;

'A pass catcher turned pass defender with plenty of developmental upside given length and tentacle-like arms. Started prep career off playing wide receiver before being thrust into action at cornerback midway through junior season. Found success right away in coverage, totaling four interceptions and seven pass break ups in just two games. Still figuring things out from a technical standpoint, but has no issues tracking the football and putting himself in position to make a play at the catch point. Lack of verified speed markers is not ideal in an era where perimeter defenders are constantly challenged vertically, but does have a basketball background and natural bounce shows up on tape. Must keep evolving and take to coaching, but should be viewed as a potential multi-year starter at the Power Five level. Will need to get better as an open-field tackler if he’s going to make a real difference in run support or even get a look at safety, but has some of what's required to thrive in a defensive scheme that wants to press often. NFL scouts will likely be drawn to his size one day." 

Overall, LSU has the nation's No. 13 recruiting class, bolstered heavily by in-state talent.

The Tigers have already secured commitments from eight of the top 10 players in the home state, but are still locked in a tough battle for the No. 1 player, Acadiana five-star defensive lineman Dominick McKinley.

Tennessee's class is rated No. 10 nationally and is led by Parkview (Georgia) five-star wide receiver Mike Matthews.

Junior season highlights