Category Archives: Recruiting

Tennessee’s Recruiting Finish in Blue Chip Ratio

And so thus ends what we hope will be the strangest recruiting cycle of our lives. New coach not hired until January 27! First year of NIL! Unknown recruiting sanctions! A billion guys in the portal! 3-7 last year! 78-82 from 2008-2020!

At the end of all that…well, we really weren’t sure we were at the end of all that. Tennessee sought traction in Josh Heupel’s first year both on the field, and on the trail. The Vols found the former on October 2 against Missouri. The latter took until the final few weeks leading up to the early signing date.

But the results are another data point for what Heupel and his staff are building in Knoxville, and they include an incredible close with this class.

The Vols are currently 15th in the 247 Composite Rankings, but if you’ve been around here or spent time with us at SB Nation, you know what we like to value is blue chip ratio: what percentage of your signees are four-and-five star players? If you want to win a national championship, the answer needs to be 50% or better.

This staff’s finish included DL Tyre West, the highest-ranked player in the class. They also added RB Justin Williams, WR Kaleb Webb, and edge rushers James Pearce and Joshua Josephs, all four-stars. Those commitments in late November and December moved Tennessee’s class from three blue chip players to seven, giving Heupel’s first full class a ratio of 35%.

It’s not 50%, of course. But considering all of the above in the last year/last 14 years, it’s a good start by way of an excellent close.

In the 247 composite, here’s how Tennessee’s blue chip ratio stacks up in the post-Fulmer era:

YearBlue ChipsTotalRatio
202272035.0%
202161735.3%
2020132356.5%
2019122254.5%
201882236.4%
201752718.5%
2016102245.5%
2015162955.2%
2014163250.0%
201342317.4%
201292240.9%
201192733.3%
2010112740.7%
200992142.9%

Heupel turned in a class slightly better than Derek Dooley’s first full group in February 2011. There was certainly some instability then, but the Vols were also still just three years and change removed from Atlanta, instead of getting ready to celebrate a 15th anniversary.

More importantly, Heupel avoided a setback class. This happened at the beginning and end of the Butch Jones era. With the transition class of February 2013, Jones made up for it by landing Josh Dobbs and Cameron Sutton, then recruiting at or around a championship level in the next three classes.

But his last full class in February 2017 became part of the problem for Jeremy Pruitt. That group included Trey Smith, but the other blue chip signees either transferred or never panned out. Josh Palmer is buried in there as the 121st best WR in the class, and Josh Heupel and his staff got the best football from guys like Matthew Butler and Theo Jackson. You still need to get your evaluations right and get the most from the three stars you sign. But overall, a group like that can slow the development of your program. The transfer portal can cure some of what ails you here, but seems unlikely to solve all of one’s problems.

As this season went on, there was concern the Vols still might have to eat one of those years. But credit this staff for turning in a remarkable finish, and not falling any further behind in the talent race.

The next part, of course, is to take steps to move ahead. That too is no guarantee: in blue chip ratio, no one did it better than Pruitt (plus or minus McDonald’s bags, etc.). But talent doesn’t hurt.

In this department, the other interesting development from this class is elsewhere in the SEC East. Again, I’m not sure how much longer we’ll have an SEC East at all. But if Texas and Oklahoma are still playing in the Big 12 in 2022, there’s a chance they may actually be there until 2025 as the contracts currently state. If so, the kids who are being recruited now probably won’t see the Longhorns and the Sooners, which means the current format is the most relevant.

And in the current format, note the rise of Kentucky and Missouri.

The Cats sit 11th in the 247 rankings, with nine blue chip signees on 20 total (45%). Missouri is right behind them in 12th, with eight out of 16 (50%).

Kentucky’s blue chip ratio the year before: 22.2%. Mizzou’s: 8.3%.

This is year nine for Mark Stoops in Lexington, and the Cats are 9-3 heading to Orlando. After going 12-24 his first three years, he’s 46-29 in the last six. Our underlying assumptions – “They’re good, but not talented.” “They’re talented, but only this class.” – will be tested. Kentucky does not appear to be going anywhere.

As for Mizzou:

Eli Drinkwitz is clearly a good fit for the SEC if he’s trying to dunk on Dan Mullen and Florida. But their recruiting is no doubt an interesting development. It’s easy for us to brush this aside because we feel like we got right against them, and Heupel aced the initial test of getting past Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt. But if Kentucky and Missouri continue to recruit like this, they won’t be the Kentucky and Missouri we know and love.

(South Carolina, by the way: four blue chip players on 22 commits, 18.2%.)

There’s a lot left to learn about Josh Heupel and recruiting. But his first step didn’t go backwards when there was more reason than ever for that to be the case, thanks to the kind of finish that would be successful anywhere in this league. And at the same time, this league does not appear to be getting any easier.

The 2023 class is mostly a blank slate, with four-star tight end Ethan Davis in the fold, also a piece of that December commit flourish. He joins three-star safety Jack Luttrell. And that’s it for now. The Vols still have some room to work in the transfer portal as well. We’ll see where it goes from here. But a good job by this staff giving us reason to believe it can indeed go forward.

Could Vols Use *Very* Early Enrollees to Bolster Roster?

Thursday was a day of bad news for Tennessee football, with word coming out about  TE Austin Pope’s back injury that could result in him missing a lot of the 2020 season* and DL Emmitt Gooden’s dismissal from the team for an arrest on assault charges.  This is on top of the recent dismissal/transfer of RB Tim Jordan, meaning the Vols have lost three projected contributors (and two starters) in a matter of weeks.  Obviously bad news for any program, but certainly for Tennessee as it stands just on the line of having the kind of quality depth needed to compete for a championship.

So what can Coach Jeremy Pruitt do to shore up the roster here in the middle of July, less than 2 months from the start of the 2020 season?  Maybe not much, but here’s an idea: With the suspension of Junior College football for the fall season, could the Vols push for a handful of JUCOs to graduate this summer via a sprint of online courses and enroll for the fall?  Perhaps it’s not possible, but the following JUCO players (and one surprise high school player) could definitely help the Vols this coming season and by skipping the 2020 JUCO season would simply give themselves and extra season of eligibility in Knoxville.  Each of the players discussed are scheduled to be December graduates already, so perhaps the idea isn’t that far fetched…

RB Tiyon Evans: This one is beyond obvious.  Evans is a star in the making and a guy who Tennessee coaches have been planning on plugging next to Eric Gray in 2021 to form one of the best 1-2 punches in the SEC.  But with the loss of Tim Jordan Tennessee is down to only 2 experienced RBs on the roster in Gray and senior Ty Chandler, backed up by 2-2 true freshmen.  If Evans could get himself to Knoxville this fall, that would simply accelerate Vol coaches’ plans and immediately take UT’s RB corps to another level.  With the expected strength of the OL and question marks in the passing game (exacerbated by losing the prospective #1 TE in Pope) bolstering the running game would be huge for Tennessee’s offense.

DL Jamond Gordon: A one-time Auburn commitment as a prep star out of Mississippi, Gordon signed with Ole Miss before heading to East Mississippi C.C., where last year he collected had 6.5 TFLs and 2 sacks.  At 6’4, 280 pounds, he’s got very good size and quickness and likely would compete for a spot at the top of the DL rotation. Gordon actually seemed to try and commit to Tennessee back in the spring but Vol coaches weren’t ready to take the commitment.  Would that change now that Gooden is no longer on the team?  We’ve consistently advocated for taking at least one JUCO DL as well as potentially redshirting a senior DL this season given the massive losses for Coach Jimmy Brumbaugh’s corps heading into 2021.  At this point the latter option seems off the table for now, but adding Gordon might open that door again while also giving him a chance to be in the program for an additional year before playing a bigger role in 2021.

DBs Khyree Jackson and De’jahn Warren: While DB isn’t a position of immediate need in 2020, a) the Vols could still certainly use some more talent and flexibility in the secondary this season, b) it is very much so in 2021, and c) Jackson and Warren, 247 Sports’ top two JUCO DBs in the country, are too good not to do whatever it takes to get them on your roster.  Jackson recently added Tennessee back to his top schools list after the Vols made a major push for him, while Warren actually already has an official visit set – one of four he’s got scheduled.  Both are bigtime recruitments that TE Coach Joe Osovet has the Vols firmly in thanks to his ties to Maryland (where both are originally from) as well as his and DL Coach Brumbaugh’s JUCO coaching experience (Brumbaugh once coached at EMCC, where Jackson is teammates with the aforementioned Gordon). 

TE Quentin Moore: While Moore is committed to homestate Washington, Tennessee – thanks to, you guessed it, Osovet – was a major factor in his decision before he ultimate settled on the Huskies.  But what if Tennessee could sell him on coming in this season and being the starting TE – would that get him to reconsider?  The Vols made a play for Central Michigan grad transfer Tony Poljan just this past week before he quickly committed to Virginia, so the staff obviously sees the need there and maybe more importantly this shows that there is room on the roster under the 85/25 rules to add more players.

TE Hudson Wolfe: “A senior-to-be can’t be ready to play in the SEC!” some might say.  And maybe they’d be right.  But Wolfe isn’t your regular senior-to-be, is he?  At 6’6 and 240+ pounds, Wolfe already is bigger than most of the TEs on Tennessee’s roster. And besides, CB Tony Grimes, whose high school season in Virginia has officially been cancelled, is enrolling at UNC so Wolfe wouldn’t be the only one taking this route.  Now, the TSSAA hasn’t yet made a final decision on whether there will be high school football in the state of Tennessee this fall, but it’s obviously far from certain.  If there is no season (and maybe even if there is) would Wolfe consider enrolling a year early (instead of just a semester) and likely walking into a major role immediately?  That would certainly be a boon for Coach O’s TE room.  One that, without Pope, will already have to have multiple contributors who like Wolfe are inexperienced. 

Pruitt and his staff will obviously continue to scour the Transfer Portal to see if they can add someone to the 2020 roster to bolster some position.  And they should.  But thinking outside the box a bit might allow them to add one or more players they already covet but get a bonus season from them. 

*Entire conversation stipulates that there will be at least some sort of college football season in 2020

After Two DB Decommitments, Where Do Vols Turn Next?

When you play upwards of six DBs at one time, by definition your roster always needs a lot of them.  Which means that Tennessee and Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt and Defensive Coordinator Derrick Ansley –  Defensive Back gurus by trade – are constantly on the lookout for both quality and quantity in the defensive backfield in each recruiting class.  That makes the 2020 class in which the Vols signed only two DBs in Keshwan Lawrence and Doneiko Slaughter (although fellow signee Jabari Small could find himself getting a look at some point) – not just an anomaly but also a major reason why Tennessee will likely overindex heavily towards the position in the 2021 class.  The Vols are currently set to lose four seniors from the defensive backfield after the 2020 season in CB Kenneth George, NBs Shawn Shamburger and Baylen Buchanan, and Safety Theo Jackson.  In addition, it’s entirely possible that one or both of Junior CBs Alontae Taylor and Bryce Thompson have the kind of season that leads them to jump to the NFL early.  Another reason to expect the Vols to add a bunch of DBs in this class. 

That said, with two recent decommitments from defensive back prospects Nate Evans and Kamar Wilcoxson, now only three of the Vols current twenty-three commitments are DBs, although that doesn’t count ATH Elijah Howard who currently stars as a RB for Baylor School in Chattanooga but evidently has been told by both Pruitt and Nick Saban that he has NFL Cornerback traits.  Therefore the Vols have work to do to fill what is an essential need in this class.  The good news is that the Vols have set themselves up with an really nice looking DB board as we sit towards the tail end of the COVID-19 imposed dead period.  While Tennessee is in the mix with an impressive amount of highly recruited talent despite already having 23 commitments, at perhaps no position is Tennessee true contenders for as much elite talent as it is at DB, and the Vols staff will 100% be swinging for the fences and willing to only take truly elite players.

4-star CB Damarius McGhee from Pensacola released a Top 5 last week that featured Tennessee along with UGA, Miami, Louisville, and Ole Miss.  McGhee has been a fast riser in the rankings this spring, jumping into 2347’s Top 100 after their evaluators dug into his film and saw outstanding athleticism and ball skills to go with his verified track speed and plus height/length.  He’s mentioned making a decision before his season starts, and Tennessee appears to be in outstanding position for him.  Tennessee has already struck in the North Florida/Panhandle area with De’Shawn Rucker and Coach Pruitt has a tremendous reputation among high school coaches in the area.  McGhee is the kind of pure CB prospect who would be a tremendous add to the class and likely represents the Vols best chance at adding another elite DB to the class

De’Jahn Warren – the #1 JUCO DB and #3 overall JUCO in the country per 247 Sports, received his first offer from Tennessee back in December 2019 and since then has had the Vols near the top of his list.  Warren, who plans to sign in December and enroll for 2021 spring practice, will visit PSU 9/26, OU 11/20, and then take trips the last two weekends before the Early Signing Period to Tennessee 12/4 and then UGA 12/11.  As can easily be seen he’s one of the most elite players in the country, and his recruitment will be a dog fight.  But the Maryland native has a great relationship with Coach Joe Osovet and the Vols having given him his first offer seems to mean a lot to him so expect Tennessee to be in this one to the end.  From this vantage point Warren is probably right behind McGhee when it comes to Tennessee’s best chances to land, but the Vols are going to have to play the long game here

Borderline 5-star Nyland Green was on Tennessee’s campus for a late January Junior Day and has had the Vols among his top schools since then.  He has a who’s-who list of offers and top schools, including homestate UGA as well as Clemson, Auburn, LSU and Oklahoma.  The Vols are certainly battling for Green, but will have to overcome proximity to Athens as well as a strong push from Auburn and Clemson in particular.  That said, he has taken three visits to Knoxville and has a particularly strong bond with Tennessee’s DC Derrick Ansley, giving the Vols a puncher’s chance.  It remains to be seen when he’s going to make a decision, but the Vols have gone from being an afterthought here to being deep in the mix

4-star Terrion Arnold is a Top 100 prospect who like Rucker is from Tallahassee.  He’s a major target for programs like Alabama, the homestate Gators, and the hometown Seminoles.  And while he hadn’t been mentioned all that much with Tennessee prior to the last month or so, the momentum from the nation’s #2 recruiting class has gotten his attention.  Arnold seems intent on taking visits and deciding closer to Signing Day, which is probably a good thing for the Vols as they seek to catch up in terms of relationships, etc.  And he’s certainly a prospect worth the wait, as his otherworldly athleticism gives him tremendous versatility in the defensive backfield.  He’s also a relatively high level basketball prospect, and last week he received an official offer from Coach Rick Barnes and Tennessee’s championship contender basketball program.  One would assume that Vol coaches are touting both 2020 signees Dee Beckwith’s and Arnold’s fellow Floridian Malachi Wideman’s experiences pursuing being a dual-sport athlete at Tennessee – as well as DB Kenny Solomon in Track and Field – as it seeks to land one of the most athletic and dynamic prospects in the country

Top 100 prospect Isaiah Johnson visited campus last summer and said in January that Tennessee was among the three teams recruiting him the hardest, along with UGA and Penn State. In early June he named a Top 8 of those three plus LSU, Texas A&M, USC, Texas, and homestate WVU. He continues to talk about Tennessee, and the Vols are real players here should they choose to push

Damond Harmon recently included Tennessee in his Top 5 along with Georgia, Oklahoma, PSU and South Carolina.  A native of Highland Springs, VA, Harmon is intent on taking visits before making a decision.  As Tennessee seeks to figure out its priorities in the secondary that’s probably good news for the Vols

The Vols have also offered a good number of other very high-level DB prospects, including newly offered Sirad Bryant (who hails from the Crisp County High School where Shelton Felton used to be the head coach), Dink Jackson (who has the Vols in his Top 10), Javon Bullard (who has the Vols in his Top 7 but is seeing instate UGA start to push more), Christian Charles, Daquan Gonzalez and Kolby Phillips.  All of them have incredibly strong offer lists and high interest in Tennessee and the Vols will continue to monitor them during the upcoming season.  One could easily make the case that each of them has as much potential as the individually listed prospects above.  A final interesting name that as of yet hasn’t gotten any buzz with Tennessee is current Florida DB commitment Clinton Burton Jr.  There are some rumblings that his commitment to the Gators is soft, and he hails from the same St Frances Academy in Baltimore that is home to 2020 Vol signee Dominic Bailey as well as 2021 Tennessee commitments Aaron Willis and Katron Evans.  Burton has offers from the likes of Alabama (which also has extensive SFA ties), PSU, Michigan and others, so even were he to decommit it’s far from a shoo-in that the Vols would be at or near the top of his list.  That said, could be one to keep an eye on down the road as things evolve with both his recruitment as well as Tennessee’s DB recruiting.

Tennessee projects to have one of the best secondaries in the SEC this season, which quantity and quality especially at Cornerback but at Safety as well.  With that along with multiple experienced seniors, the need to replenish the cupboard with the class of 2021 is great.  As the Vols seek to bring in the largest and most talented group of DBs possible, it’s given itself gives itself maximum flexibility and multiple options with its recruiting so far and will seek to cash in by locking down multiple players from the elite prospect list above.

Monds III a Top 2022 Target with Tons of Potential

A few weeks ago we spoke to 2022 DB James Monds III after he had picked up an offer from the Vols in early May.  Monds III, rated as a 3-star by 247 Sports in their early class of 2022 rankings, had already received early offers from the likes of instate Miami, Penn State, and Michigan State and has since earned one of the few 2022 offers sent out by Clemson as well as from Virginia Tech and West Virginia.  Out of Fort Pierce on Florida’s Treasure Coast, Monds III is in the early stages of his recruitment but is likely on track to becoming a national prospect.  We chatted with him about what he’s been doing with his time during the shutdown, his other athletic pursuits, academics, and what his recruiting process is likely to look like.  One interesting note is that his cousin and teammate Kamari Wilson is a fellow 2022 prospect and is ranked as the #34 overall player in the class by 247 Sports.  Wilson also has an early offer from the Vols along with the likes of Clemson, Alabama,  LSU, the Big 3 Florida schools, and others.  The Vols are clearly in the mix for Monds III in particular, but this one has a long way to go before any decisions are made.  Regardless, he’s one to watch as Tennessee builds out its 2022 board and has the makings of a bigtime prospect.

Q: What’s your current height and weight?

A: “5’11, 170 pounds.”

Q: What have you been doing workout-wise during the shutdown?

A: “I’ve been working out with my cousin Kamari Wilson and our trainer.”

Q: Obviously it’s early, but do you and Kamari view yourselves as any kind of package deal?

A: “We haven’t really discussed a package deal but we would like to play together in the same secondary.”

Q: You’ve got an impressive GPA (listed at 4.3 on his Twitter bio) – talk about why school is so important to you.

A: “I love learning about new things.  School is obviously important – I don’t want to have wasted my chance on a degree if things don’t work out with football.  I want to be a Pre-med major and end up becoming a pediatrician.  I just really like helping people.”

Q: Do you play any other sports?  Talk about those and how you think competing in multiple sports helps you on the gridiron

A: “Yes sir.  I’ve played soccer since I was three years old – I actually scored 22 goals last season.  I also run the 100 meters in track.  Both sports help me with my DB footwork as well as my speed.  Especially track with my straightline speed as a kick returner.”

Q: Where have you visited so far, and which schools do you plan to see after the shutdown ends?

A: “So far I’ve been to see a bunch of schools with our 7-on-7 team bus tour.  We saw Miami, FSU, UF, South Carolina, UGA, Auburn, Georgia State, and Georgia Tech.  ”

Q: Who at Tennessee gave you the offer and how did they deliver the news?

A: “Coach Derrick Ansley messaged me and told me to call him and when I did he offered.  It was my first SEC offer and I was really excited of course.”

Q: Tennessee has obviously been on a huge run on the recruiting trail over the last several months and in the process has landed a handful of players from Florida. Do you know any of Tennessee’s commitments?

A: “I’ve met De’Shawn Rucker at some camps and we’re cool.  I’ve gotten to know both Kamar Wilcoxson and Dylan Brooks some via social media.”

Q: Where are you in your recruitment, and what schools are standing out at the moment?

A: “I’m still open and soaking it all in.  I’d like to visit all the places where I have offers from and then come out with a Top 10 or 15 at the end of my Junior year.”

Q: Given your academic prowess, are you familiar at all with the success guys like Josh Dobbs and Grant Williams – high profile professional athletes – also had off the field while at Tennessee?

A: “Yes, I know a little something about how he was a high achieving student who in the off-season worked with NASA.”

Q: Lastly, anything else fans should know about you?

A: “Just that I’m a good kid – a 4.0 student, and an all around baller.”

How Big Would Hudson Wolfe be for Tennessee? BIG

Tight End Hudson Wolfe is set to make a public commitment in the coming weeks if not sooner.  The Savannah, TN native, ranked by Rivals as the #40 overall player in the country and as high of a 4-star as one can be while also being the state’s top player (yet, somehow, a 3-star on 247 Sports…one of the biggest rankings variances one will come across), has narrowed his choices to Ohio State, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Tennessee.  Ohio State and Alabama have been perceived leaders at different times in this recruitment, with the Vols chugging along behind those two powerhouses for the longest time.  There was even a time when it seemed like a fait accompli that he would commit to Alabama, and then to Ohio State.  Tennessee was never considered to be a threat other than being the instate program.  That all changed, however, with the COVID-19 imposed recruiting visit shutdown, as not only did Wolfe spend his last allowable visit on Rocky Top but he also wasn’t able to take previously scheduled official visits to Tuscaloosa and Columbus.  Between that stroke of luck, Tennessee’s ridiculous recruiting run over the course of April and May that got every elite recruit’s attention, and the dogged recruiting of Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt, Tight End Coach Joe Osovet and the rest of the staff, the Vols appear to have taken the lead and are now thought to be the odds-on favorite for Wolfe when he does announce.  What would a commitment from Wolfe mean for Tennessee?  Let’s break it down:

From a direct on-the-field perspective, Wolfe is obviously an elite Tight End prospect.  Rankings or no, if OSU and Alabama have made someone their top target at a particular position, we’re talking about a likely future NFL talent.  247 dings him for his lack of bigtime burst, but Tennessee and those two perennial playoff contestants value of Wolfe’s combination of size and athleticism that allows him to be a dual-threat TE capable of being a dominant inline blocker AND a major pass-catching threat.  Were Tennessee to be able to pair Wolfe with current commitment Miles Campbell – more of a pass-catching TE who is about to get a major rankings bump – the Vols would have one of if not the best pair of TE commitments in the country.   

Tennessee will go into the 2021 season without Austin Pope – the only “known” at the position heading into the 2020 season – as well as journeyman Jordan Allen.  What’s left is to be determined, but starting jobs and a plethora of snaps will be up for grabs on what will otherwise be the most talented and deepest team that Tennessee has had in over a decade.  Bringing in what will end up being two consensus high 4-star players who also happen to complement each other’s skill set makes it much more likely that Tight End will be closer to a strength than a weakness.

Beating out these types of elite programs for players, as we’ve said ad nauseum, is how you build a championship roster.  Tennessee’s 23-man class, ranked #2 in the country, has a lot of those types of prospects, but adding another yet another one would be cause for celebration and give Tennessee another shot at hitting on a star.  The more of those kinds of prospects Pruitt can stack on top of each other the better this class is going to be regardless of rankings. 

Landing the #1 player in the state is something that Tennessee should rightfully expect to do.  That said, for a variety of reasons, from the distance from Memphis to Knoxville to the influx of non-native born Tennesseans in Nashville to the simple fact that Tennessee has struggled on the field for the better part of the last ten years, the state of Tennessee is tricky when it comes to instate recruiting for the Vols.  So getting a commitment from Wolfe would be a major accomplishment even if the Vols had not beat out OSU and Alabama for him.  The Vols already have commitments from instate prospects ATH Elijah Howard and WR Walker Merrill and would love to add OL William Parker and LB Prince Kollie to that list as well.  Getting Wolfe to jump aboard would certainly help that cause.

Make no mistake, Tennessee could have taken commitments from at least two other players in the last couple of weeks.  A certain former head coach almost certainly would have done so just for the sugar rush of publicity that a new commitment brings.  But Pruitt isn’t about that.  That said, getting a commitment from a bigtime player like Wolfe would reinvigorate Tennessee’s recruiting momentum that landed the Vols at the #2 spot in the national rankings.  Generating and then keeping momentum on the recruiting trail and therefore putting the Vols front and center into the recruiting discussion has been a major factor in how this class is where it is, and a commitment from this type of player would restart those kinds of national discussions about Tennessee that do nothing but make other elite recruits want to know what Pruitt and the Vols have going on in Knoxville.

iSmooth Media Has Volunteer Connection

Rodney Cofield, know on Twitter as @TheiSmooth, has been running his Atlanta-based digital marketing and multimedia firm iSmooth Media for the last two years.  The company seeks to create high impact content for individuals and corporations alike, and has established itself with local clients like Georgia Tech and Atlanta Public Schools as well as global brands like Mercedez Benz and Adidas among many others.  And as recruiting becomes more and more of a multimedia enterprise, Cofield’s links to Tennessee could be very mutually beneficial.

A native Atlantan and huge sports fan, Cofield noticed that despite the huge numbers of high level prospects in the area across multiple sports, Atlanta athletes weren’t getting the type of multimedia exposure that those from other places in the country were getting.  He started making videos and taking photos for Atlanta Public School recruits and athletic programs, earning the trust of players and coaches alike. From there he became more and more well known in the area, producing commitment videos for prominent recruits like 5-star Oklahoma WR Jaden Haselwood. 

Vol fans likely first came across Cofield’s work with the release of 4-star Kamar Wilcoxson’s commitment video.  The video shows Cofield’s blend of storytelling and action, drawing the viewer’s attention throughout until the very end when Wilcoxson announces his commitment to the Vols with a dramatic reveal.  But that wasn’t his first connection to Tennessee football.  That story, as does everything in recruiting, involves relationships.  And in this case, it includes a random meeting in the San Antonio airport with Tennessee’s 2020 signee Harrison Bailey.  As Cofield tells it, he was walking by when Bailey – there for the All American weekend – was showing his QB Coach Tony Ballard (of Hustle Inc QB Academy and 7×7 team) the aforementioned Haselwood video and recognized Cofield.  The three made a connection and not only has Cofield become close with Bailey (or HB5, as he calls him) and Ballard but has since become affiliated with Adidas as well through Hustle Inc.  Wilcoxson, from Ellenwood, GA, played for Hustle Inc and thus became acquainted with Cofield. Thus, the video.

Upcoming changes to Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) rights and regulations are going to make a huge impact on college sports whenever they are put into place. With them, branding for athletes will certainly begin for high level recruits starting when they are in high school, and Cofield is positioned to be a real player in this realm with his multimedia skills and experience as well as his relationships with players and coaches – high school and college – alike.  And while he didn’t grow up a Tennessee fan, his relationships with HB5 and now Wilcoxson have certainly started him trending in that direction and he plans on being in Knoxville for a few games this fall.  He also has his ear to the ground for Tennessee when it comes to recruits, and thinks that the upcoming month of June could have big things in store for the Vols 2021 class.  Will we see more iSmooth-produced commitment videos that end with a Big Orange T at the end?  Seems more likely than not, but we’ll all have to stay tuned…

How Far We’ve Come: Tennessee’s QB Recruiting

Although an offer to a 2022 prospect in May of 2020 normally wouldn’t cause much of a ripple, Tennessee’s offer to Atlanta-area QB Sam Horn yesterday shines a light on how far Tennessee’s Quarterback situation has come in just a year or so.  After entering his inaugural 2018 season as Tennessee’s Head Coach with only RS Sophomore Jarrett Guarantano, graduate transfer Keller Chryst, and true freshman late signee JT Shrout, Jeremy Pruitt has completely revamped the position to be one of real strength heading into the 2020 season but potentially even more so in the near future.  Assuming 5-star true freshman Harrison Bailey isn’t able to overtake Guarantano in the latter’s senior season, he’ll head into the 2021 season battling some combination (pending transfers) of Shrout, Brian Maurer – he of some very promising play in the 2019 season that was ultimately derailed by injury – and Top 100 overall player and current 2021 commitment Kaidon Salter.  That’s to say nothing of course of the real possibility that Tennessee brings in former 5-star and true freshman USC starter JT Daniels as a transfer this offseason, which we have advocated for in this space.

The 2022 QB class in general appears to be loaded, with numerous high level talents across the country.  What makes it unique from Tennessee’s perspective of course is the very rare presence of an elite QB prospect within the borders of the Volunteer State in Ty Simpson from Martin, TN.  Simpson has offers from all of college football’s bigtime powers and is considered to at least be on the level of Bailey as a prospect.  He’s also very strongly considering Tennessee, to the point where one might reasonably consider him to be a Vol lean at this point.  By all indications Simpson is Tennessee’s #1 2022 QB on the board, and there’s also a thought that Simpson would like to be the only QB in his class, aka “The Man.”  Is Tennessee willing to take a commitment from Simpson and shut it down?  Perhaps, maybe definitely.  Hard to say of course unless and until Simpson decides to commit.  In the meantime, it’s worth noting that Tennessee has familial ties with, and has received visits from, two of the other most highly touted and recruited QBs in the 2022 class.  Kaden Martin, son of Tennessee legend and current WR Coach Tee Martin, received a Tennessee offer earlier this winter and has since received offers from schools like Miami, Arkansas, and Ole Miss among others.  Braden Davis, son of former Tennessee OL Antone Davis who was also the VFL Coordinator not long ago, is even more highly ranked and recruited holding offers from Alabama, Oregon, Georgia, and other elite programs while ranking as the 247 Sports #4 Dual Threat QB in the class.  Davis visited Knoxville in early March before the shutdown and obviously has a fondness for his father’s alma mater despite living in Delaware.  

Horn is a fast-rising prospect in his own right, already holding offers from numerous ACC schools, Missouri and Kentucky before Tennessee jumped in with an offer.  UGA Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken inquired last night as well, no doubt due to Tennessee making the leap.  Horn is yet another prospect with deep ties to the University, as both of his parents attended school in Knoxville and he has an older brother who’s a UT student now.  His family has been season ticket holders for years and he’s attended numerous games in Neyland Stadium and he called the offer a “dream come true”. 

So what do we make of the offer to Horn in light of where the Vols sit with Simpson, as well as Martin and Davis?  Well, from this vantage point it seems like there are a number of factors at play here.  For one, Horn appears to be a really good looking prospect who is going to end up being a high level recruit.  And as a lifelong Vol fan from a UT family, it makes sense to throw your hat in the ring and not be late to the party.  Secondly, even if it’s true that Simpson is Tennessee’s #1 target on the 2022 board, he’s not ready to commit yet.  Coach Jeremy Pruitt isn’t one to go without multiple backup plans, especially in recruiting, so this tracks his standard operating procedure.  Thirdly and finally, if Tennessee does land JT Daniels, what does that do with someone like Simpson and all other 2022 QBs who might all of the sudden see a more crowded QB room in Knoxville as an impediment to committing to Tennessee. 

The bottom line is that Pruitt’s goal is to continue to improve Tennessee’s roster at every position – from 1st team to scout team – as quickly and as much as he can.  With the QB position inarguably being the most important position on the field, getting that group to an elite level takes on that much more significance.  Therefore, giving themselves as many options as possible to land at least one if not multiple bigtime QBs in each class, and building on the work done from the 2019-2021 classes (not even inclusive of the potential add of Daniels) is imperative.  That’s what Tennessee has done by offering Horn this early and despite what had appeared to be a relatively set 2022 QB board, and it’s yet another example of Pruitt being one of the best in the game when it comes to not just recruiting but also roster management and future-based thinking.

Blue Chip Ratio & Multiple Five Stars

When Dylan Brooks committed on April 26, there was certainly excitement over landing a five-star and the number one player in Alabama. But, at the time, Brooks was by far the biggest fish in Tennessee’s pond. The Vols were low in blue chip ratio with lots of work left to do in this class.

Fast forward two weeks, and it feels like everything changed.

Jesse Simonton at VolQuest did the research, and calls Tennessee’s run of 11 commitments in 15 days the best two-week run in program history. The Vols now have nine four-or-five-star commitments in their group of 21, a blue chip ratio of 43%. There’s still room to grow to get the Vols above the 50% threshold teams need to hit to compete for the national championship. But there’s good news there too.

The current class has the most buzz, and rightfully so ranked second in the nation. That generated some poo-pooing from Bud Elliott at 247 Sports, who wrote on how unlikely it is that the Vols finish with the nation’s number two class. But for Tennessee right now, it’s not about whether the Vols can finish number two or number three or whatever. Everything for the Vols is about sustainable progress, and Jeremy Pruitt was already setting the pace through recruiting.

Tennessee’s 2019 class finished 13th nationally, then 10th in 2020. But their blue chip ratios (Bud Elliott’s benchmark) on signing day both came in at 56.5% (13 of 23 signees). As we wrote back in February 2019, those are the highest blue chip ratios at Tennessee since 2005.

We know the thrill of a top-tier recruiting class in early summer: Butch Jones did that before he ever coached a game here with a class that ultimately finished seventh (on the strength of 32 signees!). And we know the recent thrill of landing a can’t-miss prospect: Jones, again, was there with Kahlil McKenzie. Both of those are good teachers in no guarantees and the importance of player development.

But we also know how much of Jones’ 2014 and 2015 classes were built on great in-state years and an unusually high number of legacy targets. By contrast, Pruitt’s strong blue chip classes featured two in-state players in 2019 (Eric Gray and Jackson Lampley, a legacy target). In 2020 the Vols got while the getting was good in-state with six blue chip players from the Volunteer State, including legacy signee Cooper Mays.

In Tennessee’s current commit list, the top-rated players are from Florida, Alabama, Maryland, Georgia, Maryland, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Florida, and North Carolina. Brentwood’s Walker Merrill is the class’s highest-rated in-state player at #11, one of only two players from Tennessee in the current group of 21. That too looks much more like an old Phillip Fulmer class.

If the Vols finish out with a handful of three stars, then sure, we’ll note that a class with a 36% blue chip ratio may not be deep enough to get the Vols where they ultimately want to go when these guys really start being counted on in 2022 and beyond. But even if that’s the case, the elite talent at the top of this group is already noteworthy.

On the strength of the national championship, Tennessee signed the number one class in the nation in 2000, including five five stars. They added three five stars in both 2001 and 2002. Since then, the Vols have added multiple consensus five stars just five times in 19 years:

  • 2007: Eric Berry & Ben Martin
  • 2010: Da’Rick Rogers & Ja’Wuan James
  • 2015: Kahlil McKenzie & Kyle Phillips
  • 2019: Darnell Wright & Wanya Morris
  • 2021: Terrence Lewis & Dylan Brooks

As you can see, Pruitt has now done twice what no one, including Fulmer, did more than once after 2002.

There’s a long way to go through uncharted and uncertain waters. But we’re not just celebrating this class because we’re bored.

No Visits, No Problem for Tennessee Recruiting

With yesterday’s decision by the NCAA to extend its recuiting dead period another month to June 30th, let’s take a look at a handful of ramifications for Tennessee recruiting:

It goes without saying that, along with Ohio State, Tennessee has flat out owned the COVID-19 imposed dead period.  The Vols have added 14 (!!!) commitments during this time span, including two 5-stars and six 4-stars.  This in turn has rocketed the Vols class ranking to #2 nationally behind only the aforementioned Buckeyes and made Tennessee the talk of college football.  So it goes without saying that, whatever Coach Jeremy Pruitt and his staff – from assistant coaches to the social media and player personnel teams – are doing is working better than what everyone else is doing.  One might therefore argue that an extension of this dead period, where no on-campus visits are allowed, is beneficial to Tennessee’s efforts going forward.  The old “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”

Due to the extension of the dead period, several prospects that Tennessee is heavily recruiting won’t be able to take official visits to other schools that were planned for June.  Most importantly among them, instate TE Hudson Wolfe – one of the top priorities on Tennessee’s entire board – was scheduled to take an official visit to Ohio State the weekend of June 12th, when the Buckeyes were set to host Wolfe among at least a dozen of their current commitments.  With that visit off the table – and his mother was set to attend as well having never been to Columbus before – that could hurt OSU (the presumed leader) should Wolfe want to make a decision sooner rather than later.  Especially as Tennessee continues to recruit him harder than ever.  4-star DE Landyn Watson, who just named Tennessee among his final six schools, was set to take an official visit to Virginia Tech the following weekend, but that’s obviously cancelled.  With the Hokies thought to be the leader in that recruitment, this gives Tennessee more time to recruit Watson harder.

On Tuesday, the NCAA also passed a blanket rule lifting the limit on phone and Zoom-type calls for 2021 football recruits during the since-extended dead period.  By pushing that dead period back and month, that’s 30 more days (plus the rest of May) that recruits will be subject to constant harassment from schools if they don’t go ahead and commit somewhere.  Now, obviously, in this day and age a commitment doesn’t mean that schools stop calling, but it certainly slows it down.  It also allows a young man to just turn off his phone for a while since he’s secure knowing he’s got a spot somewhere that he likes and wants to be.  What does that mean?  Maybe nothing.  But it could absolutely accelerate the timeline even further for some prospects who are already tiring of the process.

With 21 commitments already and a board of realistic targets that in all honesty Tennessee would feel good about with about half that amount of pledges, the Vols sit in an enviable position vis a vis supply (of scholarships) and demand (number of elite recruits very much feeling the Vols at the moment).  And with the above changes to the rule, that could put Tennessee in a strong spot over the next 45 (or more) days as more and more recruits feel the urge to shut things down with a commitment.

Speaking of commitments, Tennessee looks to be in a very strong position to pick up #22 when TE Miles Campbell from South Paulding High in Douglasville, GA announces his decision Monday May 18th.  Campbell, already up to 6’4 and 235 pounds vs. his listed 6’3 220, will be celebrating just his 17th birthday the day of his commitment, making him pretty young relative to his grade.  That leaves even more room for physical growth for a young man who displays a tremendous amount of speed and body control for someone his size.  Campbell, who has offers from Auburn, Florida, North Carolina and Michigan among others, also shows the kind of willingness to block and take on contact (even as a ball carrier from the Wildcat on a few occasions) that is needed along with the pass-catching skills for what Tennessee wants in a TE.  With Tennessee in need of two Tight Ends in this class, Wolfe will absolutely have right of first refusal for the second spot if Campbell does indeed commit to the Vols.  If he decides to head elsewhere though, the Vols do have a nice board behind him.  Tennessee is in great shape with Jumbo ATH Trinity Bell from Albertville, AL, and appears to have a lead on instate Auburn.  The catch with Bell is that, at 6’7 and 250 pounds, he’s projectable at multiple positions from OT to DE along with TE.  So in theory the Vols could take a commitment from Bell and still have a TE spot open.  Tennessee is also right at the top for the #1 JUCO TE in the country in Quentin Moore and is competing with homestate Washington – the Huskies may have the lead for Moore but Tennessee is right there with them.  Finally, there is 4-star Nevada native Moliki Matavao, who has a top 6 that includes Tennessee, Washington (see above with Moore), UGA (who is more focused on Brock Bowers), Penn State (where he’s never visited), Oregon and UCLA.  Matavao visited Knoxville last year and appears to hold Tennessee in high regard, along with apparently having a relationship with star LB Henry To’o To’o.  Finally, of course, Tennessee also has commitments from two Dee Beckwith clones in Roc Taylor and Julian Nixon, who could both project as Hybrid WR/TEs

As long as Tennessee continues recruiting like it has been for the last 4-6 weeks or so, no one in Knoxville is going to complain about an extension of the dead period.  And with the upcoming commitment of Campbell next Monday along with a handful of other prospects who could be on the verge of pledging to the Vols, look for Coach Pruitt and Tennessee to continue to take full advantage and put on more steam.  They have proven that no matter the condition they are prepared to outwork, out-evaluate, and outdo the rest of the SEC and, frankly the rest of the college football world.

UT Commitment Edwin White Confident in His Talents

Had a chance to interview Tennessee 2021 DB commitment Edwin White last week.  White, from Mobile, AL, was offered by Coach Pruitt as a freshman in high school withing week of Jeremy Pruitt taking the Tennessee job and committed to the Vols in early March after a Junior Day visit.  Check out what the uber-confident defensive playmaker had to say below.

Q: What’s your current height and weight?

A: “6’0.5, 196 pounds”

Q: “ You were offered way back when Coach Pruitt took the Tennessee job, correct?  Talk about that relationship

A: “I talk to them every day.  I’m close with all the staff, really.”

Q: “How many times have you been to Tennessee’s campus?  Talk about the experience

A: “I’ve been on three visits.  Just a chill vibe, and it always feels like home there.”

Q: Do you feel like you’re going to be a leader for your team?  If so, what kind of leadership qualities do you bring?

A: “Yes sir.  I bring commitment, determination, and relentlessness.  I lead by example with those things but I’m also vocal with my guys.”

Q: Do you play any other sports?  Talk about those and how you think competing in multiple sports helps you on the gridiron.

A: “I’ve played basketball, soccer, and run track…hurdles my freshman year.  They wanted me to play baseball, too.  Playing all of those sports kept me in shape, but I might not have time for any of them except football this coming season.”

Q: What have you been doing workout wise during the shutdown?

A: “Ive been working on agility, strength and speed.  I’ve got a spot I can work out with my trainer.”

Q: I saw you tweeted that you knew Dylan Brooks was going to commit to Tennessee for about a week.  How well do you know Dylan?

A: “(Laughs).  Yeah, I know him pretty well.  We were supposed to play his team in the playoffs last season, but they lost.  I also know Juju (Julian Nixon) well too.  We’ve got a group chat with some of the commitments – Jordan (Moseley), Dylan, Kamar (Wilcoxson), Juju, Walker (Merrill), Roc (Taylor), (Jaylen) Wright, and Jay Jones.  We’re working on Lewis right now.”*

Q: Tennessee has five commitments now from the state of Alabama.  Why do you think Pruitt and Tennessee are having so much success there this cycle?

A: “The coaches just communicate a lot and build relationships.  They talk about more than just football, which isn’t the same as other schools.  More like a family.”

Q: Any other schools still contacting you?

A: “Kansas, UCF, South Carolina…Georgia texts me some too.”

Q: Which schools do you plan to see after the shutdown ends?

A: “I’ll probably try to see Georgia again.”

Q: You also tweeted, ‘No disrespect to the class of 2020 or 2021 safeties but y’all stats don’t come close to mine at all. These ranking and stars don’t mean nothing and the people who are doing them never got on that field.’  Do you feel like you’re underrated?  I mean, you had 9 picks, 6 PBUs, 4 fumble recoveries, 4 TFLs and a blocked FG just last season.  Do you think that’s because analysts question your top-end speed? 

A: “(Laughs) And 79 tackles, too.  Of course.  Look at the stats.  If you take some of the top 2020 safeties and corners, like (Texas A&M signee) Jalen Jones or (UGA 5-star signee Kelee) Ringo, or the top 2021 safety from Florida (James Williams)…they’re stats don’t compare to mine.  When I was at Georgia’s camp last year it was just me and Ringo taking all the reps and I did as well or better than him. Am I slow?  I’m a kick returner.  Ask other teams about me.  It all comes down to guarding the guy opposite you.”

Q: How does that motivate you?

A: “Just to be better.  But once you get to college things like rankings don’t matter anymore.”

Q: You mentioned potentially visiting Georgia.  How hard would it be for someone to steal you from Tennessee?”

A: Pretty hard, I don’t think it’s really possible.  They’d just have to really show me they want me more than Tennessee does, or Tennessee would have to lose a bunch of coaches or something like that.”

Q: Lastly, anything else fans should know about you?

A: “Just that I’m ambidextrous (laughs again)”

White is clearly a very confident young man.  Genial but with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder when talking about his competition, he’s the kind of player Coach Pruitt and Coach Ansley love and a prospect you can probably put in the “Underrated 3-star” and feel good about him outperforming that ranking if recruiting services don’t catch up with Tennessee like they did with guys like Jimmy Calloway last cycle.  White is all about competition and showing what he’s got on the field.  He’s got a longer relationship with Pruitt than most recruits, so Tennessee fans should feel fairly confident in his commitment sticking even if he does end up being offered by and visiting places like Georgia, but that will be something to keep an eye on for an important part of Tennessee’s secondary class.

*Interview was conducted on Wednesday, April 29th before Lewis committed on Thursday April 30th and of course the subsequent run that continued