Just before Jeremy Pruitt’s National Signing Day press conference, 4-star JUCO defensive lineman Emmit Gooden signed with Tennessee to play for the Vols.
#TheNextVolunteer 🍊🏈⬇️
Emmit Gooden / @What_A_Star5
➡️ Defensive Lineman
📍 Brownsville, TN (Independence CC)
📈 6-4 / 305
🔢 79 solo tackles in two seasons pic.twitter.com/CjZbTkNBtQ— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) February 7, 2018
Gooden is, according to the 247Sports Composite, the nation’s No. 17 JUCO prospect overall, the No. 7 JUCO defensive tackle, and the No. 4 JUCO player in the state of Tennessee.
Gooden was highly-coveted by a number of notable schools and held offers from the following:
- Alabama
- Georgia
- USC
- Florida
- Arkansas
- Mississippi State
- Missouri
- West Virginia
- Arizona State
- Louisville
- Oklahoma
- TCU
- UAB
- Texas-San Antonio
It appeared to come down to Tennessee and West Virginia, and at Gooden’s announcement ceremony, everybody with him had only one hat and chose the school represented by their hat. Gooden had only a West Virginia hat on his table, but when his turn arrived, he pulled a Tennessee hat out from under the table.
| 247 Composite | Rivals | ESPN | |
| Stars | 4 | 4 | - |
| Overall Rank | 17 (JUCO) | 14 (JUCO) | - |
| Position Rank | 7 (JUCO) | - | - |
| State Rank | 4 (JUCO) | - | - |