Category Archives: Recruiting

Getting Picky: Tennessee’s Recruiting Board as the 2018 Season Nears Has Distinct Tiers

With the 2018 season kicking off in just two weeks, it is apparent that new Coach Jeremy Pruitt has made great strides in attempting to rebuild his roster.  He’s done it via numerous avenues: 1) Blue-chip instant impact JUCO prospects like TE Dominick Wood-Anderson and DL Emmitt Gooden; 2) Grad transfers OL Brandon Kennedy, RB Madre London, and QB Keller Chryst; 3) Late adds to the 2018 recruiting class that were either blue-chippers like CB Bryce Thompson or appear to be great evaluations like CB Treveon Flowers, WR Cedric Tillman, and DL Kurrot Garland among others.  And while taking JUCOs and grad transfers can be a risk to your future rosters, some of those who Pruitt has brought in, like Kennedy, fellow OL Jahmir Johnson, and CB Kenneth George, have multiple years of eligibility.  We’ll soon see how quickly that rebuilding pays off, as national consensus that Tennessee is going to struggle to improve over last season’s debacle stands in contrast to some quiet confidence among those in the program that this team can overachieve.

Regardless, this is a multi-year rebuild when it comes to getting Tennessee back in contention for championships, and the next step is the 2019 class.  Last Friday’s commitment from 4-star Safety Jaylen Mccullough gives Tennessee 19 commitments, and the class is ranked near the Top 10 nationally, in the Top 5 of the SEC, and 2nd in the SEC East (behind UGA, who is #1 nationally).  Considering Pruitt and his new staff are recruiting to a program that went 4-8 and was winless in the SEC last season, this is a feat worth noting regardless of the fact that it’s only mid-August.  The class includes a high-end QB prospect, an impressive collection of talent along the both lines of scrimmage, and a handful of plug and play prospects at a variety of positions.  How many more prospects the Vols can fit into this class is an open question, but the staff is absolutely recruiting like numbers are not a concern at this time.

Sitting on these 19 commitments, Tennessee is in an enviable spot as it attempts to fill out the rest of its class.  Having put itself in good position for numerous elite recruits, and with relatively few spots to fill, the Vols can be both picky and targeted.  As September rolls around and the dead period ends and the 2018 season begins, it’s time to take a look at where Tennessee’s board stands with just a handful of spots remaining.

Tier I: The Top 10

OL Darnell Wright: Wright is an elite OT prospect who would, along with fellow 5-star prospect and current Tennessee commitment Wanya Morris, make up one of the best OT pairings signed nationally in a long time.  The Vols look to be in strong position for Wright heading into the season – he and his family have made multiple visits to campus this spring/summer and he’s scheduled to come back for an unofficial visit for the Florida game before taking an official visit later on, and his coach is a big Tennessee fan to boot.  Alabama is likely the biggest competition and they won’t be an easy out, but as of now the Vols are in a good spot, with distance playing a not-insignificant factor.  Adding Wright to Morris, Brad Lampley and Chris Akproroghene would solidify Tennessee’s Offensive Line for the next few years, as the Vols have quietly added some really nice young pieces over the last few classes

ILB Quarvaris Crouch: Simply an elite athlete who also happens to be a bigtime football player, Crouch is rated in the Top 10 nationally for a reason.  He could reasonably project at a number of positions, but ILB in Tennessee’s 3-4 scheme is probably his best bet.  He’s been rehabbing a leg injury that has kept him off the road more than most prospects these days, but he did manage to get to Knoxville three times since Pruitt took the reins.  FSU, Alabama, and a few other heavy hitters are involved here, but the Vols are absolutely major players.  The staff would love to get him back unofficially for at least one game this fall, and he’s been quiet enough that following his visits could be the right move in terms of tracking his leaderboard

OLB Khris Bogle: Every team needs a devastating pass-rusher off the edge, and Bogle profiles as just that with a blend of size, quickness, and body control seen in only a few prospects per year.  Bogle has been to campus multiple times since Pruitt took over, including his official visit that took place the weekend of the Orange & White Game.  Many think he will ultimately be difficult to pry out of South Florida, but he stated that he almost committed to Tennessee this spring and he’s currently planning to return to Knoxville for at least one game this season (UF…if you’re sensing a pattern you should) so the Vols will absolutely be deeply involved until the end

CB Jaydon Hill: While the Vols have a very nice DB class as currently constructed, they are seeking one more high-end CB, and Hill is at the top of the list.  He’d been on “commitment watch” for Tennessee for a few months until taking an official visit to Florida in July that apparently caused him much hesitation.  However, recently the tide seems to have turned back the Vols way, and with a planned announcement for the first week of September he could be the next to jump in the boat.  He’d absolutely be a big addition as he’s got the kind of speed/length Pruitt covets at the position and would allow the staff to focus its efforts on other positions

WR Javonta Payton: Tennessee only has nine scholarship WRs on its 2018 roster after only signing one in the 2018 class (Tillman), and while there are no seniors attrition could reduce that number even further for 2019.  At the same time, the quality of the current WR corps is a matter of debate, and right now Ramel Keyton – a blue-chipper who projects as an instant impact contributor himself – is the only WR commit for 2019.  Enter Payton, a Nashville-area native who signed with Ole Miss out of high school and is currently a Black Bear commitment at Northwest Mississippi CC.  The big-bodied #4 ranked JUCO WR has been on Tennessee’s campus two times this summer, including for a camp in which he reportedly blew the coaches away.  He hasn’t flipped his commitment yet, and Ole Miss will undoubtedly scratch and claw (and maybe do other thing$) to try and keep him, but as a plug and play prospect at a position of need – and a Tennessee native to boot – the Vols will absolutely work hard to land him and appear to be in good shape at the moment

WR Trey Knox A recruit who has been on Tennessee fans radar for a long time, Knox’s relationship with the Vols has been an interesting one to say the least.  Without a doubt he was a priority for the former staff, but at that time he had eyes for OSU and Florida more than Tennessee.  And when Pruitt came on, he was less than enamored with Knox’s game.  However, Knox came to camp in Knoxville and not only earned Pruitt’s respect for doing so also earned a firm offer from the Vols with what has been described as an outstanding performance.  Knox is a big (6’5, 200+) WR with good ball skills who showed good  speed relative to that size when in Knoxville, and it appears the Vols would indeed take him right now.  He’s got an October 1 announcement date set, with official visits to Arkansas (his leader at the moment, mostly due to the outsized attention they’ve shown him but also Chad Morris’s passing game reputation), Florida, and then Tennessee (for, you guessed it, the Florida game).  So the Vols should get another, and perhaps the final, shot.  How hard they press will be a determining factor for where Knox ultimately ends up, and could also be telling both about how they feel about Payton and Jalen Curry (below) and also how many more WRs they want to take

WR Jalen Curry Like Bogle (and Wanya Morris), Curry took his official visit to Knoxville for Tennessee’s spring game.  And like Bogle and Morris, Curry was blown away.  However, while the issue with landing Texas native does not appear to taking him from the instate Longhorns or Aggies, it’s the Auburn Tigers who have positioned themselves as his current leader.  That said, Curry plans on returning for the Florida game, so he’s clearly not made any decisions yet.  Curry is the kind of prospect who you’d probably make room for whenever he wants in, but that theory could be tested depending on the timelines of Payton and Knox

LB Henry To’ot’o’to Tenneessee is looking to add as much talent to its roster as possible, and while the LB corps looks to be fairly solid for the near future (especially if they can get JJ Perterson in), To’ot’o’to is the kind of prospect you go for if he gives you any indication you’ve got a real chance.  He made the cross-country trek from California in June for an unofficial visit and by all accounts loved it.  The Vols will be fighting both distance and also bigtime programs like Alabama and USC for him, but as of now they’re certainly in the mix

DL Kristian Williams A Memphis native, Williams appears to have been prioritized by Pruitt and Co. over other more highly rated instate DL.  He’s been on campus a few times over the last year, and Pruitt has a relationship due to having been the main recruiter for Williams’s high school teammate in the 2018 class, Alabama signee Jordan Davis.  The Vols made a recently released Top 6 for Williams, along with LSU and a handful of lower-tier programs.  It does seem like, from this angle, that if the Vols press they can land him

DL Charles Moore Moore is technically committed to Mississippi State (and therefore could be placed in the tier below), but the Magnolia State native was a travelin’ man this spring and summer, visiting multiple campuses including two trips to Knoxville.  Despite coming off of a semi-serious injury last season, Moore is a very highly recruited and ranked player.  And like everyone else, the Vols can use as many talented DL as they can get.  This one will likely come down to how serious Moore is about actually flipping – he lives very close to Starkville and has been to campus there a ton.  If he is, and especially if he shows early in his senior season that his injury is not an issue, expect Tennessee to be in the mix along with Auburn, LSU and others

Tier II: Prospects Committed Elsewhere the Vols Continue to Recruit

Especially as it’s not even September, Tennessee will continue to recruit kids they like enough even if they are committed elsewhere.

DL Bill Norton/DL Zion Logue/DL Tymon Mitchell Three Tennessee natives who have committed to UGA, the Vols have at one time or another had differing levels of interest in each of them.  But they are all talented players at a premium position, and from where I sit a kid with a committable offer from a program expected to win a second straight SEC East championship and contend for another playoff spot – especially a Tennessean – is worthy of being recruited hard by the Vols.  It will be interesting to see how things go with each of these recruitments into the fall – they are all unique situations as to why they didn’t choose Tennessee the first go round – so we’ll see if the Vols get another shot with any of them and if so how Pruitt and Co. choose to respond.  Given that current Tennessee commitment Leddarius Cox’s pledge is incredibly shaky – many think it’s just a matter of time before he flips to Auburn – I think it’s wise to keep an eye on these three as potential backfill prospects for him

DL Joseph Anderson Like the above UGA trio of commits, Anderson is an instate DL who is currently committed to an SEC school – this time South Carolina.  While by all accounts Tennessee could have landed his commitment this spring, when they weren’t ready the Gamecocks pounced.  There are differing opinions about how involved the Vols could get if they choose to reenter this recruitment, but this will potentially – if Anderson follows up his outstanding camp season with a strong start to the football year – be a test case in both Pruitt’s willingness to reevaluate prospects he previously was lukewarm on and also his ability to get back in on an instate kid he initially spurned

CB Woodi Washington Currently an OU commitment, Washington is a very highly rated CB who simply never connected with Pruitt and Co.  Had he been able to camp in Knoxville and show out (ala Knox), the Vols might have recruited him much harder than they did.  But as it stands he’s headed to a bigtime program without much of a fight from Tennessee.  It remains to be seen if the Vols could get back in on him if they decide to try, and being “full” at CB it could complicate things further.  We’ll see…

CB Maurice Hampton: A Memphis native and MLB prospect as well, Hampton has been committed to LSU for a while.  Despite multiple foiled plans to get Hampton to campus the Vols continue to keep a dialogue going.  I’m skeptical anything comes of this, as other programs have also tried to position themselves as a Geaux Tiger alternative.  Like Washington, we’ll see as the year progresses

ATH Zion Puckett An elite athlete with a family tie to Tennessee who visited Knoxville a few weeks ago, Puckett committed to Auburn as expected last Friday.  He’s the kind of player who you continue to recruit until he tells you to stop.  Being so newly committed the Vols will probably give him some room for now, but no doubt they’ll check in with him throughout the season to see if the door is cracked

Tier III: Prospects Tennessee is Keeping Warm

Solid players who at this point don’t currently have a spot in the Tennessee class, these prospects will no doubt have Tennessee watching their film from the first few weeks of the season as they reassess their evaluations

OL Melvin McBride Another Memphis prospect who camped an earned a Vol offer (“dominated” in his words), in another year McBride might be a for-sure take.  He’s got good size for a Guard – more weight and strength than height – and real upside as he’s relatively new to the game.  But currently the Vols have only one more OL spot and that’s dedicated to Wright.  Should McBride be willing to wait things could work out for him to have a spot in Knoxville, but he’s got other good options so therefore might go in another direction before that’s a true possibility

ATH Gyasi Mattison A relatively unknown prospect nationally, Mattison is thought by some instate insiders to be one of the best players in Tennessee regardless of position.  Highly athletic with the potential to play either WR or DB, he could play his way into some bigtime offers this season.  Whether it works out with Tennessee remains to be seen

WR Khafre Brown Another great athlete, Brown seems down the Tennessee WR board, at least behind Payton/Curry/Knox, if not also Mattison.  But he’s got bigtime speed and good size, so if he shows out early in the season and things get squirrely with the aforementioned trio, the Vols could revisit

LB Lee Kpogba/LB Jamie Pettway As mentioned earlier, Tennessee doesn’t have a huge need at ILB in this class, and without a doubt Crouch and To’ot’o’to are ahead of these two.  Both are solid prospects though and have been evaluated in person by the Vol staff so they’ll have a baseline when looking at early senior film

CB Devin Bush The Louisiana native (notably, without an LSU offer) has seen his stock drop a bit this summer.  At one time he was highly ranked, had a firm offer from Clemson, could have committed to Tennessee if he had wanted to, and had Auburn coming on strong.  However, Clemson seems to have moved on and Tennessee could be full if Hill does indeed commit to the Vols soon.  Bush is a good player though, and Auburn is still without a CB commitment in this class so they are very much an option.  However, at this point he could be considered a major (but talented) fallback option for the Vols

 

Tennessee Recruiting: What Does Jaylen McCollough’s Commitment Mean to the Vols?

Right now, Tennessee may not be beating Alabama and Georgia on the field or when it comes to comparing commitments. But star units aren’t necessarily made on the recruiting trail; they’re made in development.

Jeremy Pruitt is recruiting the type of players he wants to run his scheme, and he isn’t doing too badly in plucking star recruits, either.  Friday continued to prove that.  Before long, he may just have the type of secondary that he was used to having when he was the defensive coordinator with the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs.

The Vols continued their surge up the recruiting rankings on Friday when the commitment of 4-star defensive back Jaylen McCollough, a Power Springs, Georgia, prospect pledged to Tennessee over South Carolina, Alabama and others. He is a player I was very much hoping UT could secure and would be able to fit into the class numbers-wise.

You can’t turn away players of McCollough’s caliber.

Even more interesting is 4-star defensive back prospect Devin Bush, who was considered a Tennessee lean, tweeted that he was re-opening his recruitment on Friday, which is odd for an uncommitted player to do. Was he a silent pledge to the Vols? Was he afraid he was so much of a lock to UT that other teams [like Auburn, for instance] weren’t recruiting him as heavily?

If this is the case, it’s possible that means the Vols have more good news from a target higher on the board. That could be Madison, Alabama, defensive back Jaydon Hill, a long, lanky cornerback who was higher than anybody on UT’s radar and want-list than any cornerback named Elijah Blades [JUCO Oregon commit who chose the Ducks over the Vols] and Warren Burrell [already in the fold for the Vols].

All of a sudden, an area that looked like it could be a position of concern in the last recruiting cycle appears to be shaping up nicely for the future. The Vols love what they’re seeing in the early-going from cornerbacks Alontae Taylor and Bryce Thompson, two true freshman electric athletes who will have to get fire-baptized this year, but that will help them in the future. When you factor in safety Trevon Flowers, who excites UT with his athleticism, and even JUCO cornerback Kenneth George Jr. and freshman Brandon Davis, and it looks like Tennessee had a sneaky-good class of DB in the 2018 cycle.

Now, you throw in Burrell and big-hitting, physical corner Tyus Fields — two 4-star cornerbacks — to go along with North Carolina athlete Anthony Harris, who could play safety or wide receiver, and that’s a great start. The Vols added McCollough today, who could wind up being the biggest piece of the puzzle. Why? Because he’s a physical, in-the-box safety who could play the all-important Star position.

That spot is designed for players physical enough to step up in the run game but athletic enough to hold his own in coverage, too. Think of a nickelback with extra responsibilities. It’s what Minkah Fitzpatrick was so brilliant doing for Alabama and a bit like the role Eric Berry played in Monte Kiffin’s Tampa-2 defense in 2009.

If the Vols can add Hill to close the class, that’s stout. You’ve got your fast, athletic corners in this year’s freshman class [and Fields], you’ve got the big, physical corners in Burrell and Hill, then you’ve got some versatile players like McCullough.

That’s exactly the kind of mix you want. Pruitt is a known develop of defensive backs, and he wants a lot of different, moldable players. McCullough gives Tennessee an exciting player and also keep the Vols beating divisional foes for recruits. McCullough chose UT over other finalist South Carolina. Burrell was down to the Gamecocks, Florida, and N.C. State. Hill is down to the Vols, Gamecocks and Gators. Fields chose UT over N.C. State and Clemson.

The Vols know what they want in the secondary, and they’re getting some guys high on Pruitt’s list. That’s got to be music to Vols fans’ ears.

McCullough reminds me of former Georgia defensive back Bacarri Rambo, who is now with the Buffalo Bills. He’s a big, physical safety who plays with a chip on his shoulder, arrives in a hurry and packs a punch when he gets there. He doesn’t grade out really fast, but he plays much quicker than his 40 time and is seemingly always around the ball.

He continues Tennessee’s surge, and the Vols needed a guy like him in the class. He’s an important piece of the puzzle who could step in and play immediately once he gets on campus.

Vols pick up commitment from 4-star safety Jaylen McCollough

Jaylen McCollough, a 4-star safety from Hillgrove High School in Powder Springs, Georgia, announced this morning that he has committed to Tennessee:

According to 247Sports, McCollough is a solid 4-star prospect (.9434 in the composite), the nation’s 10th-best safety, and the nation’s 131st-best player overall. He had offers from the likes of Georgia, Ohio State, USC, Penn State, Alabama, Notre Dame, Auburn, Florida, South Carolina, and others.

McCollough’s the 19th commitment in the Class of 2019 for the Vols and the third highest-ranked player in the class so far behind offensive tackle Wanya Morris and receiver Ramel Keyton. With the commitment, Tennessee moves to No. 11 in the national rankings. The blue-chip ratio of the class is now 8:11, or 42%.

At 6’0″ and 194 pounds, McCollough’s already in the height and weight range for the safety position in Jeremy Pruitt’s ideal defensive roster blueprint and figures to make some noise in the secondary next fall.

Vols Continue Recruiting Roll With Pledge From JUCO DT Savion Williams

On the heels of landing two blue-chip defensive backs, Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt filled another major need with a major pickup on Tuesday. Top-ranked JUCO defensive tackle Savion Williams committed to the Vols two days after leaving Knoxville after the weekend recruiting cookout.

Williams chose UT over Georgia, Maryland and others. It ultimately came down to back-to-back visits the 6’4″, 315-pound defensive lineman took last week, following up a two-day to Athens with a visit to Knoxville. It didn’t take him long to figure out that he wanted to be a part of what Pruitt is building on Rocky Top.

Williams’ commitment was a bit of a shock to UT fans who thought they were in for a big battle with a red-hot Bulldogs team that has been landing whoever they wanted on the recruiting trail for the past couple of years. But this is a victory Pruitt won over old fellow assistant Kirby Smart.

Williams is a Lackawanna Junior College product, and he prepped at Dr. Henry Wise High School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and he had a strong relationship with graduate assistant Joe Osovet, who was an innovative JUCO coach at ASA JUCO, where he recruited Williams out of high school, according to GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan.

Williams joins JUCO prospects Darel Middleton, a 6’7″, defensive end who is formerly of Oak Ridge, and the nation’s top-ranked JUCO linebacker Lakia Henry as potential instant-impact players in the 2019 class. As Pruitt attempts to rebuild a program that was torn down by the Butch Jones era, he is going after more JUCOs and graduate transfers, and UT hopes it pays off in a big way.

“I definitely know they have a decent amount of D-tackles leaving, and they’re kind of in rebuilding mode,” Williams told Callahan. “I know people kept telling me that. But that really doesn’t matter to me. As long as I get my opportunities and I’m going to play, then I really don’t care.

“But they have a lot of D-tackles leaving, and I feel like me and Darel Middleton are going to be a force to be reckoned with the next couple years.”

The upside for Williams is obvious. Not only is he a massive specimen who will likely stay at defensive end in a 3-4 defense but could bulk up to play on the interior if necessary, he also has three years to play three in Knoxville. So, even if he isn’t quite ready to come right in and give meaningful snaps, there’s time for him to develop.

He adds to the beef on the Vols’ defensive line class.

  • Williams 6’4″, 315 pounds
  • Elijah Simmons 6’0″, 353 pounds
  • LaDarrius Cox 6’5″, 305 pounds
  • Darel Middleton, 6’7″, 290 pounds

Williams is one of UT’s top overall targets, so it was huge news to get him in the fold, especially considering it came on the heels of the official word that Trey Smith has been cleared to play for the Vols in 2018.

Pruitt believes in his evaluations above all else, and that fact has left some UT fans puzzled when the Vols “take” commitments from guys like Jalil Clemons, Elijah Simmons and Roman Harrison. But that doesn’t matter. These are jumbo prospects who can fly all over the field the way few on UT’s roster can or space-eating monsters who can plug run gaps.

Though some of the guys Pruitt took in the 2018 class weren’t the most heavily recruited, some of the early reports on guys like defensive linemen Kurott Garland and Kingston Harris, receiver Cedric Tillman, and cornerback Brandon Davis are positive. So, it speaks to Pruitt’s evaluations.

Nobody has to talk himself into Williams. He’s a guy virtually everybody who saw wanted. He’s also Jayson Swain-approved.

The commitment from Williams surges the Vols to ninth in the Rivals.com rankings and 14th in 247Sports. The Vols still have a ton of high-profile targets on their board with perhaps room for five more players. It’s always fluid, though, and a couple of the commitments currently in the class could choose to look elsewhere. LeDarrius Cox visited Auburn with his mother this past weekend, and he won’t be the last player who flirts with other teams.

But the Vols are thrilled to have a player of Williams’ caliber in the fold, and it continues the trend of getting quality prospects who are bigger athletes that can help the way the Vols look when they get off the bus and during the game.

Another Day, Another Big-Time Pickup for Tennessee’s Secondary

 

 

All of a sudden, Tennessee is the happening place to be for cornerbacks.

After failing to close last year’s or start this year’s class with a quality defensive back, Tennessee followed up Friday’s Warren Burrell commitment with a pledge from North Carolina DB Tyus Fields, who chose the Vols over Clemson and North Carolina State.

The 4-star cornerback’s brother plays for the Tigers, but Fields has been locked into what coach Jeremy Pruitt has been dishing out for several months now. Though he doesn’t fit the big cornerback that Pruitt normally covets, Fields packs a punch like one.

The 5’10”, 182-pound William Amos Hough High School standout is a big-time hitter, and that physicality is an important reason why the Vols want him to be a part of the future. He committed to UT at the cookout this weekend, and it’s going to be interesting to see how the numbers shake out.

With Jaydon Hill expected to have Tennessee at the top of his list and announcing soon, the big, physical defender from Bob Jones High School in Madison, Alabama, is definitely a take. But what about after him?

The picture cleared up a little for the Vols on Thursday when Elijah Blades chose Oregon over UT, but there are still some very good targets who could want in the boat. Louisiana cornerback Devin Bush is one, as is Georgia prospects Jaylen McCullough and Jordan Huff. Having a group of interested prospects like that is a big reason why the Vols weren’t disappointed to let instate athletes like Woodi Washington, Lance Wilhoite Jr. and Adonis Otey walk. Of course, those guys could play on offense, but it looks like at least a couple of them won’t on the next level.

The Vols wanted Memphis area standout Maurice Hampton to come to Knoxville, but the long-time LSU pledge appears locked into the Bayou Bengals to play football and baseball, unless Pruitt can work some defensive magic there recruiting.

All will be fine either way. Getting Burrell and Fields on back-to-back days is huge for the Vols, who are now surging up the rankings and are 11th nationally and fifth in the SEC behind Alabama, Texas A&M, Georgia and LSU. With some big-time playmakers left on the board, it’ll be interesting to see how far the Vols can rise.

Offensive lineman Darnell Wright, running back/linebacker Quavaris Crouch, a couple of defensive tackles, another defensive back and a pass-rusher look like the way UT wants to close out the class. Throw in a wide receiver there, and of course there’s the possible attrition of a couple of players who are currently committed.

But Saturday was about Fields.

“Really, it was Coach Pruitt, and how he brought everybody together,” Fields told GoVols247’s Wes Rucker. “He’s forming something really special up here at Tennessee.”

The Vols have commitments from two of 247Sports’ top six prospects in the state of North Carolina, and this is the way the Vols recruiting back in the heyday of the program under Johnny Majors and Phillip Fulmer. That state was a priority. Of course, most of the hay has been made in Georgia this year, and UT is a bigger factor in Alabama than it has been since the Fulmer era too with Pruitt’s roots and connections there.

But UT put Brian Niedermeyer in the Tar Heel State, and it’s paying huge dividends. The Vols want to be a presence there in the 2020 class and beyond, too, and if they can land Crouch, it would be the kind of commitment from NC that will send shockwaves across the country.

John Garcia Jr., who is a 247Sports analyst, told Rucker in another story that the Vols are making major noise in that state.

“It’s no secret that when Tennessee is rolling, that I-40 connection really resonates with kids. Tennessee’s a lot closer to those areas than a lot of those North Carolina schools would like to acknowledge.

“When Tennessee is going good, they’re able to pluck the best from North Carolina and compete with Clemson, Virginia Tech and others in that area.”

This is some pretty big success Pruitt is experiencing and UT hasn’t even starting winning yet. If the Vols can make some moves on the football field (where it counts) recruiting is going to heat up in a hurry. This year’s class has the size upgrade, is meeting the needs in the trenches and in the secondary and has even landed a promising prospect at quarterback in a year that isn’t very strong at the position.

Warren Burrell Finally Gives Pruitt His Elite Cornerback Commitment

 

To say new Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt has struggled when luring elite cornerback prospects to Knoxville since taking over for Butch Jones last year wouldn’t exactly be accurate. But it certainly hasn’t been easy for a man known for developing defensive backs.

This isn’t as simple as recruiting to Alabama, after all, where the Crimson Tide are winning national championships in bucketloads.

Last year, star prospects like Isaac Taylor-Stuart, Olaijah Griffin, Tyson Campbell and others flirted with the Vols, but they all went elsewhere. Trevon Flowers wound up choosing UT over Clemson, and there’s nothing wrong with the commitment of super-athlete Brandon Davis, but the Vols struck out on elite corner prospects.

So, Pruitt went out and turned a couple of his stud athlete commitments into defensive backs. The Vols have Alontae Taylor and Bryce Thompson slated to play the position, and both of those kids have very high ceilings at the position. They both also could play receiver if needed, so it’s going to be fun to watch and see how good they are at cornerback — and if they stick. If they are destined to play there, Pruitt and Terry Fair will have a couple of nice, moldable prospects.

But the Vols went out and finally got a high school cornerback who was very high on their list Friday. A day after JUCO cornerback Elijah Blades spurned UT to commit to Oregon, the Vols landed North Gwinnett High School DB Burrell. He’s a 4-star prospect on Rivals, and though he’s just a 3-star on 247Sports, it sounds like he’s due for a big bump after listening to Rusty Mansell say he “checks all the boxes,” as a prospect.

Burrell had more than 25 offers but wound up choosing UT over Florida and North Carolina State. He is the first CB domino to fall for the Vols, who also are high on the lists of Jaydon Hill, Tyus Fields, Jordan Huff, Devin Bush and others. Tennessee needs at least three true cornerbacks in this class and maybe more. Burrell is a huge start.

He’s arguably the top player at the position on Tennessee’s list besides Blades, who was a true plug-and-play JUCO cornerback and a big loss. Burrell is a 6’0″ prospect who has long arms and great feet. He can be a shutdown-type prospect. Mansell told GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan that Burrell was a “very confident player.”

That alpha mentality is vital at a position where you’ve got to have a short-term memory. It’s going to be fun to see who else UT lands at the position, and while the Vols won’t stop recruiting Blades, look for them to target other JUCO DBs, and they’ll also continue to recruit some of the top players on their board. Again, Pruitt’s pedigree developing defensive backs has UT high on several of those guys’ lists. With numbers tight, it’s unsure who UT will take, who the Vols prioritize and where they’ll fit.

But Burrell always had a spot. He informed Pruitt last Saturday that he was on board, and he is a major piece to the puzzle. Pruitt values lanky corners, and though Burrell isn’t the tallest cornerback, he has a wide wingspan and also possesses good technique. He’s a winner, too. His team won a state championship a year ago, and they’ll look to repeat this season.

This wasn’t an easy recruiting win for the Vols, according to Rivals’ Chad Simmons, who spoke at length with Burrell. The prospect said at times over the course of the past few weeks, the Vols, Gators and Wolfpack all held a lead.

UT thought it was in the best shape for a long time, and he kept in contact with Vols coaches even as he was visiting other places. Tennessee ultimately landed him because of his relationship with Pruitt and Fair.

“Coach Pruitt being a defensive guy and knowing a lot about defensive backs definitely played a big role in my decision. He has had a lot of success at Alabama, he has been a part of multiple national championships and having the chance to learn under him I feel will make me a much better defensive back. That is a huge plus.

The Vols have been in on so many corners, it seems, since Pruitt took over. For whatever reason — the biggest of which has to be last year’s 4-8 record — they haven’t been able to close the deal. Now, UT goes back into Georgia for yet another pledge, and it’s a very important player who could help them open the floodgates at the position.

It’s possible Fields, Hill, Bush and others could make decisions before the end of the summer, and the Vols feel good about all three of those prospects. It’s still important the Vols play well on the field this year to keep some positive momentum going, but the commitment of Burrell puts the Vols in the top 15 of the recruiting rankings on 247Sports at 14th.

Still, in the rugged SEC, the Vols are behind Alabama (1), Texas A&M (2), Georgia (5), LSU (7), Mississippi State (12) and Auburn (13). The Vols are also 14th on Rivals with the Burrell pledge.

This could be a big weekend for the Vols to move up as they’ve got some important targets at their cookout. Check back on GRT for more details.

What Roman Harrison’s Commitment Means to the Vols

Over the past decade, new Tennessee head football coach Jeremy Pruitt has developed a reputation for building some of the best collegiate defenses the sport has ever seen. So, you go into his tenure with the Vols trusting that UT is going to be much-improved on that side of the ball.

“Trust” is the perfect word for what followers of Vols football recruiting are having to do in the first year of Pruitt’s work on the trail. While Tennessee has landed several high-profile recruits, the Vols also are taking some virtual unknowns along the defensive front.

Right now, you shrug it off and say, “Pruitt knows what he wants on that side of the ball.” That may be true, but it’s also important for Vols fans to still be in show-me mode until he proves something. There are an awful lot of defensive linemen who don’t fit the bill of having a huge offer sheet.

The latest in the long lines of little-known DL commitments came Wednesday with the pledge of 3-star defensive end/outside linebacker Roman Harrison. The 6’2″, 241-pound defender camped at UT a few weeks ago and showed out, leaving Tennessee’s coaching staff wanting him in orange.

Harrison hails from tiny Bainbridge, Georgia, and his only two high-major offers besides the Vols were Michigan State and Georgia Tech. But Tennessee loved his explosion, and Pruitt was comfortable enough with his in-person evaluation to take him this early in the process.

Despite his pedestrian ranking, Harrison gives the Vols “a lot to be excited about,” 247Sports Director of Scouting Barton Simmons told GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan. Still, with few spots remaining in the class and some big names left on the board, this was one that came a bit from nowhere.

That’s no knock on Harrison, who analysts seem to love while talking about his pass-rushing speed and his motor. It’s just a left-field pledge to UT, and it seems this is a big reason why the Vols backed off North Carolina pass-rusher Terrell Dawkins, who is destined to go elsewhere.

Apparently, Pruitt loves Harrison that much.

With all the defensive back needs, another wide receiver, another offensive lineman and a few other needs out there, the Vols aren’t being judicious with their spots. It seems they’re taking guys they like and will sort things out later.

Pruitt doesn’t really care about your stinking rankings, and — again — he trusts what he and his coaches see at camps. In a year where a ton of instate prospects are looking elsewhere, that’s tough for some Vols fans to stomach. It’s difficult seeing athletes like Woodi Washington, Lance Wilhoite and Kane Patterson head to top-shelf programs like Oklahoma, Oregon and Ohio State.

It’s really hard to watch Tennessee boys and big needs like defensive linemen Bill Norton and Zion Logue go to rival Georgia or another big-name prospect like Joe Anderson at South Carolina. Even instate lineman Tymon Mitchell looks like he’s visiting the Dawgs, too.

So, when you see a commitment from a guy like Harrison who event the most fervent recruiting followers haven’t heard of, you do one of two things — you make the assumption that the Vols are “settling” or “reaching” or you trust the staff.

There’s a lot of trusting going on dating back to the last class.

The Vols’ defensive lineman pledges under Pruitt began with little-known lineman Kingston Harris, who played at powerhouse IMG Academy and didn’t even start. Even so, he reported to school at 6’3″, 316 pounds and looks ready to play. Pruitt also “discovered” a guy like Kurott Garland, who played at a small Georgia school. Three-star defensive lineman John Mincey had some good offers but wasn’t a hot commodity, and JUCO Emmit Gooden was a late addition.

This year, the Vols followed up those signings with commits from LeDarrius Cox, who is a 3-star prospect but has offers from Auburn and others; little-known Starkville, Mississippi product Jalil Clemons, who doesn’t have an offer from the hometown Bulldogs; former Oak Ridge standout and JUCO prospect Darel Middleton; massive 350-pound nose guard Elijah Simmons from Pearl-Cohn High School whose only other SEC offer was Mizzou; and now Harrison.

Maybe these are all diamonds in the rough; maybe they’re rough around the edges. We have no idea of knowing. But while it’s easy to trust a defensive-minded coach, it’s hard for us to trust after the past decade on the football field.

It’s a tough spot as a follower of recruiting.

There are a lot of reasons to like Harrison. Pruitt and staff loved him at camp and offered him. He’s playing out of position for a small school, lining up at nose guard and wreaking havoc. Simmons told Callahan:  “The fact that he plays out of position makes him that much more intriguing to me. (He is) tough and strong enough to be an inside guy, but clearly brimming with edge athleticism.”

I mean, you know this guy isn’t going to be a high-visibility prospect when one of the best recruiting pics we get from him is this:

That’s small-town ball, y’all.

Pruitt going on his own evaluations is a reason why the Vols are currently ranked ninth in recruiting in the SEC. Yes, there are some big targets remaining on the board, but it seems Pruitt’s immediate plan are for the Vols to be a whole lot bigger as a team, rankings be darned.

Just how high can this class go? I’m sure Pruitt isn’t going to stop recruiting marquee players, and if better, higher-ranked guys want on board later, he’ll make it work. But what if Harrison and Co. are the better, higher-ranked guys at a later date? Pruitt has a long history of developing top defenses.

Maybe these guys are top defenders. Maybe his staff will turn them into those. We’ll all find out.

Tennessee Recruiting: Future of the Nose Tackle Position Takes Shape With Simmons Pledge

We may not want to be too patient throughout the 2018 football season, but help is on the way for the Tennessee Volunteers as new coach Jeremy Pruitt continues to outfit the present and future roster with size and physicality to compete in the SEC.

On the same day the news emerged that incoming freshman Kingston Harris is listed on the SEC Media Days roster at 6’3″, 316 pounds and looks primed to compete for snaps at nose tackle in the future if not right away, UT received a massive commitment for the 2019 class.

And we mean “massive” in the most literal sense.

Nashville defensive tackle Elijah Simmons committed to Tennessee over Missouri, Vanderbilt, Memphis and others. The 3-star defensive tackle may not have a ton of marquee offers, but he’s a big, physical specimen who looks tailor-made to plant in the middle of a 3-4 defensive front.

He is 6’1″, 344 pounds and is a low center of gravity who packs a mean punch at the line of scrimmage. He’s a space-eating force who can dunk a basketball at his size, and the Pearl-Cohn High School product gives UT the kind of huge, athletic presence that it doesn’t currently have.

Plus, it’s always nice when a kid looks like he wants to destroy you and then eat your face like Hannibal Lecter.

**Shudders; trickle of pee**

LOOK AWAY!

He probably will need to shed some “bad” weight, but there’s no reason why Simmons can’t play at 330 pounds and clog up running lanes in the near future. That’s exactly what UT needs for him to do to become a much-needed puzzle piece to the future.

So much of what’s yet to come from Simmons is still untapped.

“He still don’t even really know the position yet,” Pearl-Cohn head coach Tony Brunetti told GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan. “He’s still learning it. But he’s got major potential.”

Though it’s asking a ton of Simmons to be a future star when he hasn’t even played his senior year of high school yet, there are a couple of factors that are at least worth mentioning: Pearl-Cohn is the same high school that produced another pretty good UT defensive tackle in former Outland Trophy winner and long-time NFL defensive stalwart John Henderson.

Also, Simmons will be coached by another former Outland Trophy winner in Tracy Rocker.

Now, before you think we’re already putting him on early watch lists, nose tackles never win the award. But he’s going to be playing for a defensive staff that has a rich history of getting the most out of their players, and if he develops right, he could help the Vols fill a void that has plagued them for years. When’s the last time you remember UT having a quality rush defense?

I’m waiting.

Still waiting…

Thought so. Me neither.

It’s going to be interesting to see how (and if) Simmons and 3-star defensive tackle commit LeDarrius Cox fit into the same class. Cox has made no secrets that he isn’t 100 percent locked in with the Vols, and as Auburn and others come after him, he may not stick. If he does, UT will probably happily take two big dudes at the position in the 2019 class.

But it’s encouraging that a few productive months in the weight room has helped Harris, the IMG Academy under-the-radar prospect to look the way he does, and the Vols are encouraged by his early returns. Also, JUCO transfer Emmit Gooden will play the position this year along with seniors Shy Tuttle and Alexis Johnson.

Tennessee needs quality production out of that position this year and in the future, and Simmons is a player who UT worked out, he camped well, and the Vols loves what he brings to the table. He’s a very important piece of the ’19 haul.

The Vols want size, and Simmons certainly has that.

The Vols are still 18th nationally in recruiting and ninth in the SEC, but there are several other major targets expected to commit fairly soon. Though UT missed out on instate prospect Zion Logue who pledged to Georgia this past week, Simmons is a quality cog on the defensive line. There are some defensive backs who could “pop” soon, too. Jaydon Hill, Warren Burrell, Jaylen McCollough and Devin Bush are a few defensive backs with possible summer pledge dates. All of those guys have UT high on their list.

So, buckle up. It could be a strong month for the Vols, who should wind up in the top 12 or so in recruiting in this class, and that could surge with a strong showing on the field.

New Vols commit Akporoghene’s highlight video is full of LOLs

Three-star offensive tackle Chris Akporoghene announced this afternoon on Twitter that he is All Vol:

The Nigeria native and former Knoxville-area resident played at The King’s Academy in Seymour, Tennessee before transferring to IMG Academy earlier this year. According to 247Sports, Akporoghene is the No. 72 offensive tackle in this year’s class, and he chose the Vols over an impressive list of other offering schools that included Texas, Miami, Auburn, Washington, Florida, Oregon, and South Carolina.

Akporoghene gives Tennessee its 13th commitment, and he joins Wanya Morris and Jackson Lampley as the offensive linemen of the Class of 2019.  The Vols currently rank 19th in the nation, but are ahead of seven higher-ranked teams in score-per-commitment.

The 3-star lineman puts UT under the coveted 50% blue-chip ratio, but he’s a really important guy to get, in part because he’s from national powerhouse IMG Academy in Florida, which is attracting blue-chip talent from all over the country. If he has any influence on his teammates, it could be a relationship that opens even more doors for the Big Orange.

Akporoghene, who moved to the Knoxville area three years ago to chase his football dreams, plans to enroll early in January to get a head start as a Vol.

Have a look at the guy’s Hudl video, which is full of LOLs.

Tennessee Recruiting: Vols Get Big Puzzle Piece With Commitment from QB Brian Maurer

In a cycle where there aren’t a ton of highly rated quarterbacks, the Tennessee Volunteers and their first-year coaching staff wanted to see several work out before slinging offers. Last week, 3-star signal-caller Brian Maurer of Ocala, Florida, traveled to Knoxville to throw for the staff.

Both sides liked what they saw.

Wednesday morning, the West Port HS quarterback committed to the Vols, choosing UT over Ohio State, West Virginia, Central Florida and others.

After gaining the offer from Tennessee, Maurer went to Columbus to throw for the Buckeyes, who offered him on the spot, but OSU flipped a quarterback from Michigan State shortly after.

That made Maurer’s decision ultimately between the Vols and the Mountaineers, and the lure to play in the SEC and walk in the footsteps of his idol Peyton Manning were too much.

Maurer has great size, a quick release and really good accuracy. Rivals lists him at 6’4″, and 247Sports lists him at 6’2.5″, but he’s probably somewhere in the middle. That’s plenty tall enough to see over defenses.

He’s currently rated as the nation’s No. 18 pro-style quarterback nationally according to 247Sports and the 21st-rated pro-style passer according to Rivals. Those numbers will improve now that he’s done the camp circuit and showed out.

His quick release and accuracy were some of the attributes offensive coordinator Tyson Helton loved about him when he witnessed him throwing in person. Though the signal-caller grew up in the shadow of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, probably pulling for the Gators, the Vols made a ton of sense.

Florida — who hadn’t extended an offer — will run more spread concepts under new coach Dan Mullen, so that made Maurer perhaps not the best fit for that offense. The Vols are going to be a smashmouth offense with a pro-style passer if everything works out, and there may be some West Coast elements to the scheme as well, if Helton’s body of work at USC is any indication.

This all makes Maurer’s accuracy and ability to throw on the run intriguing aspects of his game. He continues to shine no matter where he goes and throws. He made the Elite 11 Finals and finished among the final 12 quarterbacks at the event, which earned him a spot in Nike’s The Opening Finals, which starts Saturday in Frisco, Texas.

Maurer will get the opportunity to prove he’s among the top quarterbacks in the country. He runs an eye-popping 4.5 40-yard dash, which proves his athleticism. So, that’s a pretty strong skill set when you factor in everything else he brings to the table. The offense and his skills fit what UT wants to do.

“Tennessee runs a true pro-style offense,” Maurer told VolQuest.com’s Austin Price. “Tennessee has some best facilties in the country and the coaches made a big impression on me.”

It’s going to be interesting to see now what happens with quarterback recruiting for the Vols. Are they finished? With the only scholarship signal-callers on the roster being Jarrett Guarantano, Will McBride, fifth-year graduate transfer Keller Chryst and incoming freshman JT Shrout, it may not be a bad idea for UT to keep going after another quarterback it really likes. If Chryst beats out JG for the starting gig, it’s not out of the question that the latter would transfer, even though he’d still have two years of eligibility remaining after Chryst graduates.

If Tennessee is still going to recruit a quarterback, that would be Alabama commitment Taulia Tagovailoa, the Hawaiian quarterback who currently goes to school at Thompson High School in Alabaster, Alabama. Of course, he is the younger brother of Crimson Tide national championship game hero Tua Tagovailoa, who is expected to be in a heated battle with Jalen Hurts for the Tide’s starting QB gig.

There’s a chance the Vols can flip Tagovailoa from the Tide, though. Even though Alabama would seem the logical fit, the Tide also has a pledge from 4-star quarterback Paul Tyson in this class, and Tyson is the grandson of legendary coach Bear Bryant. So, the younger Tagovailoa isn’t a guarantee to be UA’s quarterback of the future, either.

If the Vols can somehow get Maurer and Tagovailoa, that would be exceptional, but Maurer is a stellar pickup all by himself. He’s got a lot of attributes that should make him a coveted player for a lot of teams if they saw them in person. That’s what happened for the Vols, who loved what they saw, and he became Helton’s hand-picked man in this class.

Like Shrout before him, Maurer has thrown his share of interceptions in high school, but that isn’t something (obviously) that scares off Tennessee coaches. Helton believes he can mold those positive attributes and turn those guys into quality SEC quarterbacks.

Head coach Jeremy Pruitt likes him, too, according to 247Sports’ Luke Stampini.

“The coaching staff, you know,” he said. “Sitting down with Coach [Jeremy] Pruitt for about an hour and a half, him just saying I’m the guy. He doesn’t just like the way I throw the football or run. He likes my toughness most of all.”

247Sports’ Greg Biggins thinks Maurer can be “elite.”

It has been a long time since the Vols had one of those signal-callers who could get the ball downfield. Yes, Joshua Dobbs was a game-changing athlete, but he struggled throwing vertically consistently, and Butch Jones’ one-dimensional offense didn’t help. You have to go back to Tyler Bray for when UT had a quality thrower, but the lack of a running game did Tennessee in then.

Can this staff put everything together offensively? That remains to be seen. But Maurer will have the opportunity to lead Tennessee’s offense into the next generation.