Category Archives: Recruiting

Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt has fared well recently in picking up several coveted recruiting prospects for the Vols, but he has said time and time again that he trusts his recruiting evaluations over those of analysts.

That manifested itself Sunday with an out-of-the-blue pledge from Starkville, Mississippi, defensive end/outside linebacker Jalil Clemons, who camped in Knoxville this past weekend and committed. He had an offer before heading up to the camp, but the coaching staff saw him in person, and when the two parties liked what they saw — Clemons of campus and the Vols of the prospect — he chose the Vols.

108% C O M M I T T E D🍊🍊 #GBO #VFL pic.twitter.com/rn5JWBGFmA

— ~8~ (@JalilClemons) June 24, 2018

The 6’3″, 240-pound prospect did not have a Power 5 offer besides the Vols. He did have offers from Memphis, UT-San Antonio, Florida Atlantic, Arkansas State and others. Despite the lack of big-time offers, Clemons is a guy the Vols zeroed in on for a while. They love his speed, and he has the body type to add 40 pounds and play at 270-280. That’s intriguing for a staff that wants to make the Vols a much bigger team, as evidenced by recent recruiting exploits.

Clemons told GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan that UT coaches compared him to former Alabama outside linebacker/pass rusher Ryan Anderson, who is now in the NFL. His high school coach, Chris Jones, compared Clemons to MSU defensive end Jeffrey Simmons.

Last year, Clemons had 72 tackles, including 22 for a loss and 11 sacks for the Starkville High Yellow Jackets.

He told 247Sports’ Yancy Porter that the hometown Bulldogs told the school they weren’t going to recruit him because he was too small. That’s a mistake, according to his high school coach.

“Wait until he gets at some of these camps and combines this summer,” Jones told Porter a month ago, according to Callahan’s story. “He’ll blow up. Hands down, he’s better than (LSU commitment and teammate) Zach Edwards. That’s no knock on Zach. Jalil is just in another league.”

As we’ve mentioned before on this site, Pruitt’s evaluations are paramount to Tennessee achieving early success. The Vols may not immediately recruit with the likes of Alabama and Georgia, but they also can’t afford to miss on guys who may not be as highly rated as teams like the Crimson Tide’s and Bulldogs’ prospects. After all, they compete with those teams every year.

So, players like Clemons need to be the kind of player coaches project them to be.

Given the way Pruitt coached and developed in his time as defensive coordinator with the Tide, Bulldogs and Florida State Seminoles, it’s hard to doubt him. Even if you think this may be an early reach, there’s no way this staff quits recruiting outside linebackers. And if Clemons continues to develop, this will wind up a steal.

If he doesn’t, the two can part ways. Happens all the time.

BREAKING: 3-star OLB @JalilClemons commits to Tennessee after an impressive camp performance Saturday. https://t.co/FOChqgEgzb

Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt told the Mississippi native “folks are sleeping on you.” pic.twitter.com/HaSEla6j0V

— Jesse Simonton (@JesseReSimonton) June 24, 2018

New Vols commit @JalilClemons is a 6-3, 240-pound pass rusher. Jeremy Pruitt compared him to Ryan Anderson. As a junior, Clemons had 22 TFLs, 11 sacks and 5 forced fumbles. pic.twitter.com/xvet4zcLB9

— Jesse Simonton (@JesseReSimonton) June 24, 2018

But what more can you ask for? This staff laid eyes on Clemons, liked what they saw, thought he fit the scheme and took a commitment. That may not be what the star-gazers like, but Pruitt gets paid the big bucks to make these decisions.

The Vols are currently ranked 19th in the nation in recruiting and just eighth in the SEC. Expecting a smallish class, it’s going to be interesting to see just how high this class can rise. With limited spots, you know the staff must really like Clemons to take him now. There’s no reason to think this is a stretch taking a commit like this.

I personally like it. I want Clemons to add the weight and come in with a chip on his shoulder. If he’s an SEC prospect, it’ll bear itself out between now and national signing day. Welcome aboard!

Hey, let’s see how Tennessee is doing on the recruiting trail compared to Alabama and Georgia! They’re two of our biggest rivals and were the two best teams in the nation last year, and that’s where we want to be ASAP! Surely we’re closing the gap…

Team	Current Rank (247)	Commits	Blue Chips (4/5*)	Blue Chip Ratio
Alabama	1	15	14	93.33%
Georgia	13	8	8	100.00%
Tennessee	17	10	6	60.00%

(Fulmerized.)

Seriously, Georgia’s blue chip ratio is 100% through their first eight commits for 2019. Alabama’s is a measly 93% through fifteen commits only because their lone three-star is a kicker. SB Nation’s blue chip ratio is based on the idea of a team needing at least 50% of its players to be four-or-five-stars to win a national championship. I think the Dawgs and Tide have it covered.

But…for the moment, so does Tennessee.

It ain’t 14 four-or-five stars, and it ain’t a (well-earned) perfect start like Georgia’s. But so far Jeremy Pruitt’s staff has put the Vols in great position with blue chip players more often than not. His transition class went 9-for-23 (39.1%) in blue chip ratio, better than Butch Jones’ final class in 2017 (5-for-28, 17.9%) and his transition class in 2013 (4-for-23, 17.4%).

And while Jones’ first full class was getting us (rightfully) excited around this time five years ago, and did ultimately end up hitting the 50% mark on the money (16-for-32), I do think it’s noteworthy that its four highest-rated players were in-state and/or legacy commits. It’s to Jones’ credit that he landed those players at Tennessee, especially after the struggles he inherited from Derek Dooley. It’s to Pruitt’s credit that his four highest-rated players are currently out-of-state kids, plus legacy commit Jackson Lampley at number five, especially after the struggles of last season.

Comparing Tennessee to Alabama or Georgia right now is an exercise in futility. And comparing Pruitt to Jones on a small sample size is an exercise in seeing what we want to see. But Tennessee can establish important separation among the rest of the SEC East. And in that regard:

Team	Current Rank (247)	Commits	Blue Chips (4/5*)	Blue Chip Ratio
Tennessee	17	10	6	60.00%
Florida	27	9	4	44.44%
South Carolina	5	15	5	33.33%
Missouri	73	3	1	33.33%
Kentucky	53	6	0	0.00%
Vanderbilt	80	2	0	0.00%

Long way to go. South Carolina is off to a great start in quantity, but less so in quality. But it’s Tennessee who leads the non-Georgia SEC East in blue chip ratio through mid-June, and the Vols are above the 50% threshold so far. If this is one of the most important battles for Tennessee to win on the field early in Pruitt’s tenure – how are we compared to the rest of the non-UGA SEC East? – the Vols are also doing a good job gaining a leg up on that battle in the future. Right now, this comparison is more important than Pruitt-to-Butch or the Vols to teams that just played for the title. Success is relative, and Pruitt is doing relatively well so far.

The SEC recently relaxed its graduate transfer rule for players wishing to switch schools inside the conference after graduation. It didn’t take long for new Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt to capitalize on the rule change.

The first-year coach reached into his old stomping grounds and plucked Alabama center transfer Brandon Kennedy from the Crimson Tide. The former 4-star recruit has the potential to be a huge pickup for the Vols with two seasons left to play. He should step right in and be the favorite to win UT’s starting center gig.

Kennedy was slated to be Alabama’s backup center in 2019, but he wanted to go elsewhere and battle for a starting job. The Vols from the beginning were picked as a probable destination along with rival Auburn. Both of those programs have massive holes along the offensive front, and Kennedy saw an opportunity to make an immediate impact.

That’s hard for anybody to pass up, especially considering the NFL could come calling in a couple of years. In the end, the familiarity of Pruitt and the chance to play for known offensive line coach Will Friend gave Tennessee an advantage.

Once the Tide moved Ross Pierschbacher from left guard to center this spring, it became evident that UA coach Nick Saban had no desire to start Kennedy, so he looked to leave. Saban was against transfers within the SEC, calling it “free agency” at one time, according to SEC Country’s Marq Burnett. He also recently tried to block Kennedy from transferring to Tennessee or Auburn and was ridiculed for it. Then, he said according to SI.com’s Andy Staples:

“If we agree in the SEC in these meetings that we’re going to have free agency in our league and everybody can go wherever they want to go when they graduate and that’s what’s best for the game, then I think that’s what we should do,” Saban said. “Then Brandon Kennedy can go wherever he wants to go. But if we don’t do that, why is it on me?”

Of course, as Mike Griffith points out, Saban has benefitted in the past from “free agency” getting receivers Richard Mullaney (Oregon State) and Gehrig Dieter (Bowling Green), among others. But for all of his talk about wanting what’s best for the student-athlete, it’s smoke if it negatively affects the Crimson Tide.

No matter. His opinion means squat now. Kennedy is going to be a Vol, and that’s huge news for Tennessee, which all of a sudden has some reasons to be excited about a ’19 season that appeared dismal on the surface.

Though there remains a lot of holes, Pruitt has added quarterback Keller Chryst (Stanford), running back Madre London (Michigan State), offensive tackle Jahmir Johnson (JUCO), cornerback Kenneth George (JUCO), tight end Dominick Wood-Anderson (JUCO), outside linebacker Jordan Allen (JUCO), defensive tackle Emmit Gooden (JUCO), and late addition from high school Bryce Thompson, who could play cornerback or wide receiver.

That’s a lot of firepower to add who can step right in and play, and they are part of or in addition to a late-surging recruiting class. The Vols suddenly don’t look like pushovers, even though they still need to play better than expected to make a splash in the SEC East.

As far as the O-line goes, the Vols could surprise. Kennedy should be penciled into the starting rotation, and UT expects to get its best player back this fall if Trey Smith returns from a mysterious illness/injury that kept him out of spring practice. If he continues to progress, Smith will be a massive help. With Johnson being added to the mix along with players who could benefit from Friend’s tutelage such as Ryan Johnson, Drew Richmond, K’Rojhn Calbert, freshman Jerome Carvin, Riley Locklear, Marcus Tatum, Devante Brooks and returning oft-injured tackle Chance Hall. Among those guys, UT could piece together a strong unit, especially if Smith and Kennedy are injected as starters.

This is big news for Tennessee, and it continues to make some important moves under Pruitt. Now, if he can only put everything together, the Vols have some reasons for optimism.

Tennessee landed its second commitment in the past three days with Sunday’s pledge of Heard County (Georgia) High School athlete Aaron Beasley. It could wind up helping fortify the back end of the defense for years to come.

Or, it could help the Vols shore up running back recruiting.

That’s why Beasley’s commitment is a big deal — he can play either way. UT loves him as a hard-hitting safety or a big running back. At 6’1″, 220 pounds, Beasley is a big name even if he doesn’t have a lot of stars by his name. The 3-star prospect could wind up seeing a ratings bump, especially if his offer sheet is any indication.

Beasley chose the Vols over Florida State, Auburn, Florida, Miami, Nebraska and others. He did tell GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan that he’s a Georgia fan, so if the Bulldogs wind up offering the Franklin, Georgia, native, it may be tough to hang onto him. But he loves the Vols, and it’s been that way for some time.

COMMITTED … 🍊🍊 #govols #VFL #GBO pic.twitter.com/ZlrnjbpcH3

— Aaron Beasley (@deuceofficial2) June 10, 2018

Beasley was recruited by UT safeties coach Charles Kelly, who recruited him since his days back at Florida State, too. Kelly may wind up having a monstrous weekend as the Vols also got Anthony Harris back on Friday. Though Harris is just 180 pounds, he has the frame to easily pack on 20 pounds and be a hard-hitting safety. Truth be told, Beasley could move up another level if he keeps growing and be a linebacker.

His size actually may be a deterrent in coverage; he looks like a typical in-the-box safety who can come up and be a force in the run game, but he’s never going to have the wiggle to be exceptional in coverage.

In his recruiting commitment stories, Beasley mentions former Seminoles safeties Derwin James and Jalen Ramsey a lot, so that sounds like at least he thinks it’s going to be a safety. That would be fine with the Vols, who still need several cornerback commitments, but safety is looking like a solid spot.

Aaron Beasley’s high school highlight reel; Tennessee’s new commit knows how to deliver punishing hits from the secondary https://t.co/9ApMYj0UbP

— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) June 10, 2018

It may not be a stretch to see his ultimate destination in the offensive backfield. UT coach Jeremy Pruitt loves big backs from his days at Alabama, and it’s obvious that’s what he wants to employ at Tennessee, especially after a commitment from Jeremy Banks in the 2018 cycle and a transfer from big-bodied Michigan State runner Madre London, who has one season left to play.

Much like a lot of the other players the Vols have taken under Pruitt, Beasley has options and positional flexibility.

If you like stars, you may snarl your nose at Beasley, but that would be ridiculous. He’s an excellent prospect who had plenty of options, and he’s the kind of guy that either Kelly or running backs coach Chris Weinke would love to have and be able to mold.

UT is now up to 16th in the recruiting rankings for the 2019 class, according to the 247Sports composite ratings.

This also means Tennessee continues to be a force in Georgia. This makes 6. Offensive lineman Wanya Morris, JUCO linebacker Lakia Henry, receiver Ramel Keyton, tight ends Jackson Lowe and Sean Brown, and now Beasley hail from the Peach State, which is fertile enough to outfit many of the top programs in the country with star players.

After a slow start, the Vols remain hot on the recruiting trail. It’s still going to be interesting to see how this class shapes up at several positions, including quarterback, running back and cornerback. Those are major needs, and while the Vols have a ton of options, there aren’t any guarantees right now.

Everybody also wants to know if UT can close the deal on the nation’s top two players in offensive tackle Darnell Wright and running back Quavarius Crouch. Those two things are perhaps the biggest storylines in the cycle.

But Pruitt was known as a formidable recruiter at Alabama, Georgia and Florida State, and he’s doing that at UT.

While you were enjoying your Friday night last evening, Tennessee landed the commitment of 4-star defensive back Anthony Harris. The Vols’ ninth commitment for the Class of 2019 is from Havelock High School in North Carolina.

247Sports ranks Harris as the nation’s 11th-best safety and the nation’s 171st-best player overall. He chose the Vols over offers from the following schools:

• Clemson
• Coastal Carolina
• East Carolina
• N.C. State
• North Carolina
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina
• Southern Miss
• Virginia Tech
• Wake Forest

Harris brings Tennessee’s the number of commitment for the Class of 2019 to nine, and, according to 247Sports, Harris is the second-best player in the UT’s class behind 5-star offensive tackle Wanya Morris. The Vols currently rank 19th in the nation and eighth in the SEC. Their current blue-chip ratio is 67%.

After a month of May that predictably yielded a handful of bigtime commitments, Tennessee enters an important month of June with recruiting momentum and a 2019 class 8-deep in commitments and ranked #11 nationally in average stars.  At the same time, there are a relatively limited amount of space in its 2019 class and some real questions to answer heading into the dead period at the end of the month.

Because of the premium that Coach Jeremy Pruitt and his staff put on competition and seeing prospects in person, they’ve taken the approach with all but a small handful of recruits that they want them to camp before they receive a commitable offer. With the aforementioned tight numbers in this class, the staff is going to be particularly picky in how it fills out the rest of its spots.  Tennessee will host camps starting on June 10th and including a high school prospect camp; two 7-on-7 tournaments; and two OL/DL camps.  The Vols will also be well-represented at the Mega Camp in Memphis on June 10th that will feature quite a few prospects the Vols will be looking to evaluate in person. Therefore, who shows up at these camps and how they perform will go a long way towards what both Tennessee’s commitment list and overall recruiting board look like coming out of the summer.

Relatedly, it’s been discussed ad nauseum that Pruitt feels differently than the recruiting services when it comes to this year’s instate class.  That is, although there are quite a few highly ranked players from the Volunteer State, there are only a handful Tennessee would take right now without them camping in Knoxville.

At this point, a pretty clearly a delineation has being created between instate kids who want to earn committable offers from UT and those that are less interested in doing so:

Camping this June

WR Trey Knox
DL Kristian Williams

DL Tymon Mitchell
DL Zion Logue

WR Gyasi Mattison

CB Adonis Otey
CB Wesley Walker
QB Stone Norton

The above are ranked in order of likelihood of earning an offer at camp.  I think Knox, Williams, and Mitchell in particular have a great shot of doing so, and all three appear to have the Vols near the top already.  Mattison was a spring camp star who according to Volquest.com could potentially be the best WR in the state.  Given the fact that Lance Wilhoitte might not camp (more on that below) Mattison could have a real chance to earn an offer.  Logue is a really intriguing prospect who was on campus back in March for a Junior Day.  He’s been listed at 6’4, 245 but this past weekend he camped at Ole Miss and measured at 6’6, 288 while running a 5.1 forty.  He had named top-5 of UVA, Memphis, Louisville, Nebraska, and Purdue, but he earned a Black Bear offer and seems to have opened things up.  Otey is a former Vol commitment with a nice offer list and the kind of size Pruitt likes in CBs, and Walker is coming off a fairly serious injury and will need to prove he’s back to his underclassman form.  Norton might actually have a shot at an offer despite his currently light offer list simply because the Vols are taking an interesting tack towards QB recruiting at the moment.

(Currently) Not Camping

DL Bill Norton

CB Maurice Hampton

CB Woodi Washington

WR Lance Wilhoitte

Unfortunately, all of these players appear to be near the top of UT’s instate prospect list, but Memphis-area prospects Hampton and Norton are committed to LSU and UGA, respectively, while Washington and Wilhoitte still seem to fall into the “need to camp”…camp.  Neither of Washington/Wilhoitte have completely shut down the idea of camping in Knoxville, so hopefully they will decide that earning a committable offer from the flagship school is worth it.  As for Norton and Hampton, Pruitt and Co. have made it clear to both of them that the Vols will continue to recruit them until they sign scholarship papers elsewhere, and there is some hope that Hampton in particular will at least make it to campus (if not camp) this month.

Camping Plans Unclear

LB Kane Patterson

CB Jashon Watkins

RB Eric Gray

Three solid instate players who will likely need to camp in order to earn a commitable offer from the Vols, though Patterson might not have to given that he has legit offers from Alabama, OSU and other power programs.

As it gets closer to the actual camps and more attendees become known, there will be some further clarity about who is serious about the Vols and vice versa.  We’ll likely see plenty of out of state prospects in as well, and there are some prospects like ATH Aaron Beasley (and, potentially, CBs Jaydon Hill and Tyus Fields) who could make decisions in June.  By the end of the month when the dead period begins I expect Tennessee to have earned another few commitments and also unearthed some new names to add to the board.

 

When it became clear that 4-star athlete Bryce Thompson wasn’t going to be a part of Will Muschamp’s class, Tennessee swept in and tried to get him to come to Knoxville. Even after national signing day, things weren’t clear about his potential future with the Gamecocks, to whom he was pledged.

Louisville, Marshall and others stayed hard after him. In the end, he enrolled at UT this week and will be a part of the Vols’ class. South Carolina filled its last possible spot when Texas A&M defensive back Nick Harvey chose the Cocks over the Vols.

That wound up being huge news for Tennessee.

I said way back during the recruiting cycle before the Vols were in the picture that I thought Thompson was the best player in Muschamp’s class. I still think he has elite potential.

He is ranked the No. 301 overall player and the 12th-rated athlete in the class according to the 247Sports composite. Thompson told reporters on Wednesday that he wants to start out on offense for the Vols where he’s expected to play in the slot. But he isn’t opposed to moving to defense if the need arises.

The guess here is that the need will, indeed, arise. UT hasn’t had a ton of success yet recruiting defensive backs in the short tenure of Jeremy Pruitt, though that’s expected to change with a lot of top targets liking the Vols in ’19. But we’re talking about a major need right away — as in 2018. That’s why Pruitt moved freshman wide receiver Alontae Taylor to defense, and he thrived at cornerback over the last couple of weeks of spring, though he’s raw.

Thompson has that potential, too. He’s 6’0″, 180 pounds, so he has the size to play the position and be a force in press-man coverage under Pruitt as a cornerback. But he also could be dynamic with the ball in his hands, too. He wants to play the slot, and the Vols really don’t have anybody with his skill set on that side of the ball unless it’s Latrell Williams. UT has receivers, though, and the Vols simply don’t have a lot of depth or quality at corner.

It’s not hard to see Thompson being one of the key pieces of the present and the future on defense. But he also can do a lot of things on offense, and that’s where he thrived for Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, South Carolina, right outside of Columbia.

The best thing about this pledge is Thompson can make an impact a lot of places with his versatility. The Vols have a lot of needs — really all over the field — and to be able to get an instant-impact player at this point of the cycle (really, the cycle is long over) is a major coup. It’s unclear why Thompson wasn’t part of Carolina’s class, but it had nothing to do with his ability. If he has some off-the-field issues, he’s the type of player you take a chance on and try to rehabilitate him and hope he matures. Yes, he’s that good, and every single team has players who needed a second chance. I’m not suggesting that, and I also don’t know about his academic status, but he’s at UT enrolled now, so whatever the case, the Vols, Phillip Fulmer and Pruitt got him there.

That’s a major recruiting win for Tennessee, who has added 3-star JUCO cornerback Kenneth George, former 4-star graduate transfer quarterback Keller Chryst, former 3-star graduate transfer running back Madre London and hopes to add former 4-star offensive lineman graduate transfer Brandon Kennedy if they can get over the SEC transfer hurdles. That’s a lot of instant-impact ability to go along with players like JUCO OT Jahmir Johnson, JUCO TE Dominick Wood-Anderson and JUCO DT Emmit Gooden. It’s evident Pruitt isn’t worried about “rebuilding,” even though a lot of that can’t be helped. He wants to do everything he can to win now.

Pruitt knows recruiting, and he knows prospects want to see improvement on the field. If the Vols can impress this season, it’ll bode well for the next few recruiting classes. Thompson is a major win right now. It’s not every day you get a kid who could be an impact player on both sides of the ball. With him and Taylor now, and safety Trevon Flowers, cornerback Brandon Davis coming soon, UT could patch together a good corps of young defensive backs. That is Pruitt’s forte, if you recall.

Or, Thompson could step right in and be a difference-maker with the ball in his hands on offense.

Options are fun and nice to have. That’s what Thompson provides the Vols.

 

Things may have gotten off slowly for new Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt in 2019 recruiting, but things certainly have picked up lately. The Vols received a huge pledge on Sunday, getting a commitment from Lakia Henry.

#GBO 🔥🍊 pic.twitter.com/Xah1bw94SB

— Lakia Henry (@Lakia_henry_4) May 20, 2018

The nation’s top-ranked JUCO linebacker according to the 247Sports composite rankings visited Knoxville this past week and followed it up with trips to Nebraska and Ole Miss. But he couldn’t get Rocky Top off his mind.

Now, though he told GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan that he still plans on taking some trips, he chose to commit to Tennessee, Pruitt and lead recruiter Kevin Sherrer. The defensive coordinator recruits South Georgia, where from where the Dodge City (Kansas) Community College prospect originally hails, and the two have established a strong bond. The Vols will continue to recruit Henry with teams such as Alabama and Texas A&M hot after him, too, but Henry is in the house with a verbal pledge.

You can give an assist to UT graduate assistant Joe Osovet, a former JUCO head coach who was instrumental in luring Henry.

He told Callahan that UT is “the place I want to be.” That’s a big deal considering the Vols desperately want him, too. He’s the nation’s top-ranked JUCO LB and the third overall transfer pledge in the class. With Pruitt trying to rebuild and reload the Vols in a hurry, he immediately fits what Tennessee needs.

Henry is 6’0″, 233 pounds, can fly, and arrives with a vengeance. He is a versatile ‘backer and a weapon that looks like an Alabama or Georgia linebacker, much like J.J. Peterson, UT’s big ’18 commit of the Pruitt regime. Henry can play sideline-to-sideline, and the Vols should be able to use him much the way Pruitt did with Reuben Foster at Alabama.

Much like the Vols have done with virtually all their pledges of the Pruitt regime, Henry adds to the size on the roster. Tennessee must essentially revamp its roster, purging it from the Butch Jones mentality of speed and eschewing size. Pruitt needs bigger bodies for his 3-4 scheme, and he wants bigger bodies on the offensive line and at tight end and the skill positions to run a pro-style scheme. Henry continues that trend.

He’s the third commit for Tennessee in the past nine days, joining tight end Sean Brown and wide receiver Ramel Keyton. The Vols’ recent surge began with 5-star offensive lineman Wanya Morris, and the run in Georgia started then, too. All of the mentioned prospects hail from the Peach State, which is going to be a major part of UT getting back to where it wants to be.

Tennessee continues to inch up in the SEC rankings, moving to 15th nationally and eighth in the conference with the latest pledge. Though this isn’t supposed to be a huge class, the Vols currently sit in a favorable position with some of the nation’s top players.

Five-star running back/outside linebacker Quavarius Crouch and 5-star offensive lineman Darnell Wright, 4-star cornerbacks Tyus Fields, Devin Bush and Jaydon Hill, 3-star outside linebacker/defensive end Terrell Dawkins, defensive end Savion Jackson, weak-side defensive end Khris Bogle, running back John Emery, wide receiver Jalen Curry, receiver Khafre Brown, linebacker Kane Patterson, athlete Ronald Thompkins and more hold the Vols in high regard.

It’s going to be interesting to see the class shapes up over the next few months. Some storylines to follow are what the Vols are going to do at quarterback, if they begin to surge with running backs and if they can continue the momentum they’ve built with Crouch and Wright.

One thing is clear: Pruitt is recruiting with the big boys, and Henry is the latest example. UT’s class is really just starting, and the Vols are filling it with some elite playmakers. They’ll have to battle to keep Henry, but this is a big piece of the puzzle who should be able step right in and play immediately.

 

On the surface, Wednesday’s decision by 4-star wide receiver Ramel Keyton to pick Tennessee over Auburn, Florida and others is big-time news. The nation’s No. 188-ranked overall player and the No. 31 receiver in the class, per the 247Sports composite rankings, is always going to be a nice addition to your haul.

He’s all Vol now! Re-live the moment when 4-star WR Ramel Keyton became the latest to join Jeremy Pruitt’s STELLAR 2019 recruiting class. #GoVols pic.twitter.com/vPM2reYikS

— SEC Country Vols (@SECCountryVols) May 16, 2018

Dig below the surface, however, and the 6’3″, 186-pound pass-catcher’s pledge is even more vital to the Vols’ success in the 2019 class and perhaps even further.

Not only does this signify that coach Jeremy Pruitt and his staff is going to have a resounding presence in the Peach State [Georgia can’t keep all those studs, after all] but it also paves end-roads into one of the richest talent beds for the next two classes.

It’s essentially just as big of a get from the relationships standpoint as 5-star offensive lineman Wanya Morris, who hails from Grayson High School, which produces a slew of playmakers each year. Though Owen Pappoe committed to Auburn on that same day, the Vols are still going to try to flip him to Rocky Top.

Keyton is a gateway to another talent-rich school: Marietta High.

His pledge marks the seventh known UT commit in this class, and now four of those hail from Georgia [tight ends Sean Brown and Jackson Lowe as well as Morris]. The Vols are going after several more studs in a state that led the nation in NFL draft natives this year with 29 players selected hailing from the fertile grounds of Georgia, according to Rivals.com’s Chad Simmons.

They aren’t just gearing up for this class, either. The Vols are already hot and heavy after 2020 quarterback Harrison Bailey, who really likes UT at this early juncture. He may be the top target on the board at the all-important position, and having Keyton can’t hurt. Stud tight end Arik Gilbert, safety Rashad Torrence and defensive end B.J. Ojulari are on that team too.

Tennessee wants all those kids, and Keyton can help recruit them — this year and when he’s on campus in the future.

As for Keyton, the prospect, he’s an excellent prospect in his own rights. He’s big and physical, and though nobody will mistake him for being the fastest kid on the field, he plays faster than he runs in camp settings. He’s big enough at 6’3″ to go up and get balls against smaller corners, and he runs good enough routes to get open over the middle and provide mismatches. Because he’s never going to be a burner, it wouldn’t hurt him to add 20 or more pounds to his frame.

Though he probably doesn’t have quite as high of a ceiling as A.J. Brown, he’s not dissimilar in stature or skill set. Everybody always wants to say, “He’s like Dez Bryant,” with big-bodied receivers, and obviously, that’s best-case scenario, but the bottom line is Keyton fills a big role in this offense. He’s exactly the kind of player UT needs on its roster. If you want a fair comparison at this point, Tennessee leading receiver Brandon Johnson wouldn’t be a bad comp.

Keyton can be a dynamic player for the Vols if he comes in, works hard, improves and continues to listen and develop his skill set. He also can be the kind of vocal presence around the Atlanta area that UT needs, a guy who can trumpet what Pruitt and Co. are selling perhaps better than Morris, who seems to be a quiet, lunch-pail kid.

Keyton told the media on Wednesday that Tennessee was “going to win a championship” while he’s in school. That seems like a long way away, but getting the caliber player with the skills and connections he has is a great start.

247Sports director of recruiting Barton Simmons told GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan he believes Keyton could be an “elite” player who could come in and make an instant impact. That’s high praise from a guy who’s proved he knows recruiting.

This is a big win on the recruiting trail.