Category Archives: Recruiting

Now that Jeremy Pruitt has arrived on Rocky Top full-time, his first order of business — after learning everyone’s names — is shoring up his first recruiting class. National Signing Day is Wednesday, February 7, so he has about four full weeks to put the finishing touches on a class that already has 14 signees thanks to the early signing period this year. The class currently ranks 16th in the nation, 5th in the SEC, and 2nd in the SEC East, and there is plenty of time and room to move up.

What, exactly, is Pruitt looking for? Apart from getting quality guys, it’s all a guessing game at this point. He’s said that character matters, and he’s said that he has certain criteria in mind for each position, but beyond that, he’s not really tipping his hand.

The kind of player Pruitt most desires depends of course on the schemes he plans to run, so let’s first make some educated guesses as to what Pruitt’s offensive and defensive schemes might look like. It’s important to note that Pruitt will likely adapt any scheme to the players he has on the roster, so while he will certainly be recruiting toward his ideal, what we see from his team in Year 1 may well be different by Year 4.

Defensive Scheme

It’s not a stretch to expect Pruitt to utilize the defensive scheme that has worked so well for him as defensive coordinator at Alabama, Georgia, and Florida State since 2013. This article from Florida State blog Tomahawk Nation notes that FSU moved almost immediately to a 3-4 defense when Pruitt was hired in 2013 despite initially saying that they probably would have to wait for a recruiting class or two. Assuming something similar happens here at UT this year, Pruitt may go ahead and rip off the bandaid and make the move to his preferred 3-4 even if he doesn’t yet have the ideal personnel to do it.

What personnel does he need? This excellent article from SB Nation suggests that the ideal defensive roster in a 3-4 scheme should look something like this:

• 3-6 nose tackles;
• 6-10 defensive ends;
• 5-8 inside linebackers;
• 5-8 outside linebackers;
• 4-8 safeties; and
• 5-10 cornerbacks

Here are the suggested ranges for size and speed for each position:

That information is for a two-gap 3-4 scheme, and it appears that Pruit may run a newer one-gap 3-4 variation, so Pruitt may well be looking for different numbers, sizes, or speeds.

Offensive Scheme

What offensive style Pruitt’s team runs is more of a mystery. Offensive coordinator Tyson Helton was most recently the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator for USC. Prior to that, Helton was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Western Kentucky under Jeff Brohm, who’s been heavily influenced by Bobby Petrino. This style of offense may best be described as a modern-era pro-style and is characterized as a balanced, up-tempo, explosive offense that features mutiple options and layers of misdirection that stress the attention of the defense before exploiting its weaknesses.

The SB Nation article on ideal rosters for popular schemes includes two spread schemes and a traditional pro-style, so it doesn’t specifically address what we might see on the field starting this fall, but here is the suggested ideal roster for the traditional pro-style scheme:

• 4-6 running backs;
• 3-4 quarterbacks;
• 3-6 tight ends;
• 8-13 wide receivers; and
• 14-18 offensive linemen

If I had to guess, I’d say Helton’s system would be on the high end for tight ends and wide receivers.

Here are the suggested ranges for size and speed for the offensive positions:

Later, we’ll take a look at Tennessee’s current roster and the current signees to see where Pruitt may be looking to build toward the future with this year’s recruiting class.

Coming out of the dead period with the #14 ranked class nationally by Rivals.com and fresh off a dominating second half performance by his defense in Alabama’s National Championship Game win over Georgia, Coach Jeremy Pruitt is set to host an impressive group of visitors this weekend.  And while the visitor list will likely change (and hopefully expand) in the coming days as things get shuffled around, there are already some incredibly important targets coming to Knoxville.  Check it out below:

LB JJ Peterson – One of the jewels of the class, Peterson is an instant contributor at LB and is the kind of prospect we can get used to seeing Pruitt recruit.  Having committed last weekend at the Army All-America Game despite never having been on campus due to his close relationship with Pruitt and new DC Kevin Sherrer, Peterson will no doubt be looking to familiarize himself with campus, his future teammates, and the rest of the coaching staff.  And Tennessee will be looking to make sure his commitment is 100% concrete and that he shuts his recruitment down.  Finally, Peterson will be looking to peer recruit his good friend and fellow South Georgia stud LB Quay Walker

LB Quay Walker – As mentioned, Walker is both a high level LB prospect and a good friend of Peterson.  The former is why Walker is being recruited heavily by the likes of Alabama, UGA, UF, and the Vols.  Walker is thought to be a lean to UGA right now, but interestingly he moved his Tennessee visit up to this weekend from its previously scheduled spot on February 2^nd.  It’s an interesting strategy by Pruitt: on the one hand you get his first visit right out of the dead period with the chance to make a major move before he goes on his other visits – or, in the best but unlikely case, get a commitment and have him shut it down- and come with his good buddy JJ.  On the other hand you’re taking your big swing 3 weeks before NSD and your rivals will have their chances to make impressions that could supersede whatever good vibes Walker has coming out of Knoxville.  While he’s committed to Bama and says UF was his dream school growing up, in my opinion this one is going to come down to UT and UGA so this weekend will be key

CB Eddie Smith – Smith, a former TCU commitment, is the type of long CB who Pruitt covets.  His recruitment has picked up a bit and he is currently scheduled to OV to Alabama and Arkansas after his trip this weekend.  With Bama offering on Thursday this one could get hairy.  However, I’ve got him on commitment watch while he’s in Knoxville, as I think the staff will put the pressure on to land what they hope is the first of 3-4 DB commitments to come

WR Geordon Porter – Porter is a California speed merchant who was formerly committed to Notre Dame but decommitted a few weeks ago.  He’s got good size at 6’2 and is young for his grade so likely has some growing to do.  How many WRs Tennessee has room for to go with Alontae Taylor is an open question, and Jacob Copeland is without a doubt at the top of the board.  That said, Copeland is going to be a very tough pull from out of Florida with Texas A&M, Alabama and UF all scheduled to receive OVs before Signing Day.  Therefore, in my opinion pushing for a commitment from Porter, who is picking up offers from top programs at a rapid rate (UF jumped in yesterday) would be a prudent move.

CB/RB C’Bo Flemister – An interesting prospect, Flemister put up killer numbers as a RB in middle-of-nowhere Georgia and was set to sign with Georgia Tech until Tennessee called and asked him to wait and consider the Vols. What’s unknown is whether UT is recruiting him as a pure RB or as a CB, where his 6’0+ frame and athleticism would fit Pruitt’s mold.  Flemister currently isn’t entertaining any other offers, so it remains to be seen if Tennessee needs to push this weekend.  He’s a high level athlete who ran track in high school and projects as a solid player at multiple positions, so I could see him possibly ending up in the class late if Pruitt is looking for a “best available” type player

WR Brandon Aiyuk – A recent addition to the WR board, Aiyuk is visiting Knoxville without an offer from the Vols.  He’s got a pretty low recruiting profile – no P5 offer yet – but he had a really nice season and brings a good size/speed combo to the table.  My sense is that he’s a ways down the WR board, certainly behind Porter, but the staff is covering its bases and making sure no stone is left unturned by bringing him in

OLB/DE Michael Williams – A mid-week addition to the visitor list, Williams is an absolute freak athlete.  He played QB for his high school team at 6’2, 240 and displayed the kind of athleticism that makes one think he could make one heckuva JACK LB in Pruitt’s system.  He’s had standing offers from instate LSU as well as Alabama, Texas and others, but at this point he’s wide open and it doesn’t appears LSU and Bama in particular have room.

Getting a start on 2019

Tennessee will also have a really nice 2019 group in town, including a large contingent of studs from Grayson, HS in Georgia (LB Owen Pappoe, OL Wanya Morris, RB Ronald Thompkins, LB Kevin Harris, WR Kenyon Jackson, and DB Kenyatta Watson), fellow Georgians Jaylen McCullough and Jalyn Phillips (both stud DBs), and instate stars OL Jackson Lampley, and DB Adonis Otey (fellow instate targets WR Trey Knox and ATH Lance Wilhoite are tentatively scheduled to be there as well).  Joining them will be the #1 OL in the country in 2019 in Darnell Wright from West Virgina, who will be making his third visit to Knoxville since July 2017.

Although it’s obviously very early, getting this volume of high level prospects to campus in a short period of time is a very good sign of what kind of elite level talent I expect Pruitt to be able to attract to Tennessee.  Between his own prowess on the trail and the staff he’s assembled, the Vols are going to be back to competing with and winning battles over other championship level programs for the top prospects in the country.

Other Visits to Watch

Southern Cal is hosting two of the top CB targets of Tennessee and everyone else this weekend in Olaijah Griffin and Isaac Taylor-Stuart.  The Trojans are thought to be the biggest threat to the Vols for Griffin, who recently decommitted from UCLA and named the Vols his leader.  So escaping this weekend without losing that pole position, or worse having Griffin commit to USC, is imperative.  Taylor-Stuart is another elite Cornerback who the Vols are in on, and the Trojans are real players too.  He’s scheduled to OV to Knoxville the first weekend in February, so this is just the first obstacle to getting the opportunity to take a shot at the 5-star CB

Auburn will have three Tennessee targets on campus this weekend as Coynis Miller, Dylan Wonnum, and Roger McCreary will be on the Plains.  Miller is the prototypical 3-4 NG, and while he’s a Tiger commitment he didn’t sign in December and is scheduled to visit Knoxville on the January 26^th weekend.  Auburn will no doubt try to lock him down and convince him not to take that or any other trips, so that’s one to watch.  Wonnum is a relatively new target and along with Johncarlo Valentin represents what’s left of the OL board.  He’s got an older brother at South Carolina and the Cocks are the perceived leader, but Auburn is a real threat to land him.  Wonnum doesn’t have an OV with Tennessee scheduled yet, but this is still one to keep an eye on.  McCreary is a former South Alabama commitment that got December offers from both Auburn and the Vols and is scheduled to OV to Tennessee the weekend of 1/26.  He’s likely down the board for both programs, but he’s an SEC-level CB and a good option for both.  I actually wouldn’t be surprised to see him pull the trigger for Auburn this weekend, but if he doesn’t he’ll become a real option for the Vols

UNC will host current Tennessee commitment Antony Grant as well as former FSU commitment WR Antoine Green.  Grant is still being recruited by the new Vol staff, though perhaps as more of an Athlete than a pure RB.  He OV’d to Virginia Tech  in mid-December and right now the Heels and Hokies look to be the biggest threat to Tennessee.  He hasn’t yet scheduled an OV to Knoxville, so his recruitment certainly remains in flux.  Green is a nice-looking WR prospect who visited Knoxville for Orange Carpet Day back in June but then committed to FSU before the coaching change in Tallahassee.  He’s scheduled to visit Tennessee officially the first weekend of February but has said he’s leaning to UNC so this will be one to watch to see if he makes it out of this weekend without committing to the Tar Heels

Others

Glenn Beal, who last night named Tennessee his leader and said he is close to a decision, will be at Texas A&M this weekend.  He’s a TE/DE prospect out of New Orleans with great size and athleticism who LSU doesn’t have room for, so this looks like a two-team battle right now with Ole Miss trying to weasel its way in.  Unless the Aggies can really knock his socks off look for Beal to pop for the Vols soon

Malik Langham will be at Vanderbilt this weekend, and while the Dores have been on the incredibly talented DL for a while they have a long way to go to be real players in this recruitment.  Langham will follow his trip to Nashville with OVs to Alabama, Florida, and then Tennessee on February 2^nd.  This one looks like a Vols-Tide battle and will come down to the visits.  He’s an outstanding prospect who would be a huge add to the class

Caleb Johnson will be on an OV to Georgia this weekend.  The OLB/DE target took an official to Tennessee back in the fall and while his recruitment has been quiet it’s picking up steam and he now also has one scheduled for UF next weekend.  He’s probably down on the list for both UGA and UT but with UF not having any DL signees/commitments they might start pushing

Tyson Campbell will be at Georgia on an official visit.  While Campbell unfortunately isn’t a Vol target, this will be one to watch for Vol fans for a handful of reasons.  UGA signed 20 players in December and presumably have 5 spots remaining. They also have three commitments from February signees, so their spaces are very limited. UGA is still pursuing multiple players, and are the presumed favorites for both Campbell and LB Otis Reese.  Notably, they are also in hot pursuit of top-end Tennessee targets Quay Walker and Isaac Taylor-Stuart.  So while I’d hate to see UGA land yet another 5-star player, it might end up playing to Tennessee’s advantage in this case if it keeps them from having room for someone the Vols want

If you watched Tennessee play football in 2017 and you then watched Alabama’s performance in the College Football Playoff semifinal trouncing of Clemson, you know the Vols have a long way to go to get to that level.

But it’s a strong first step that UA’s defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt will be leaving to become Tennessee’s head coach, and the staff he’s built in Knoxville proves he’s serious about bringing a top-tier defense.

Now, all he needs are the players.

UT got one of those players on Saturday afternoon when 4-star outside linebacker JJ Peterson chose Tennessee over a host of other top schools — including long-time leader Alabama — during the U.S. Army All-America Game.

“Peterson is a really athletic, versatile linebacker, the type of player Tennessee is going to need to run the kind of defense Jeremy Pruitt wants to run,” GoVols247 recruiting analyst Ryan Callahan told me earlier today. “He’s capable of coming in and starting right away, or at least playing a significant role from Day One.

“It’s a huge pickup, to say the least, for Pruitt and his staff. And it’s the best example yet of the types of relationships Pruitt can build and the big-time recruiting battles he’s capable of winning. Peterson hasn’t even been to Tennessee’s campus yet, and the Vols just beat out Alabama to land him less than a month after Pruitt’s hiring. That’s the kind of addition that really sends a message.”

With Pruitt’s deep ties in Alabama and Georgia, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see UT starting pulling kids of Peterson’s ilk every year from those areas. It doesn’t hurt that the Vols’ defensive coordinator Kevin Sherrer is Georgia’s linebackers coach and a dynamic recruiter. Add Charles Kelly, Chris Rumph and Tracy Rocker to the staff, and that’s a group of defensive coaches who can make a dent on the recruiting trail.

Four-star LB JJ Peterson (@kvnng_j47), a top-100 prospect, just announced he has committed to #Tennessee. Huge pickup for @CoachJPruitt, @UTCoachSherrer and the #Vols. pic.twitter.com/F6xbhquWmO

— Ryan Callahan (@RyanCallahan247) January 6, 2018

As for Peterson, he’s an electric athlete that has the kind of speed on the second level the Vols don’t currently possess. The 6’2″, 210-pound defender from Colquitt County (Georgia) plays for legendary coach Russ Propst and was a high school teammate of current Vols Ja’Quain Blakely and Shawn Shamburger. That’s not a bad pipeline for UT to have.

Peterson is the nation’s second-ranked outside linebacker, according to 247Sports, and he has high marks in all of his agility ratings. According to his profile, his evaluation is as follows:

“When you watch Peterson, he is a blur at times between the lines. He is an outside linebacker you see make plays in space, get to the quarterback off the edge, and one that can drop into coverage and hold his own. He plays with aggression, effort and speed at all times. He has great size and he explodes through the ball carrier when he makes the tackle. He has all the traits you look for in an elite linebacker. He could play outside or inside on the next level.”

That’s huge news for a Tennessee team desperately needing playmakers to pair with studs on the defense like Nigel Warrior and Darrin Kirkland Jr., who’ve been under-coached during the Butch Jones era. The Vols lost one of those this week when Rashaan Gaulden elected to forego his senior season in orange for a shot at the NFL.

Peterson, as Callahan said, possesses the ability to start or at least contribute right away. If UT transitions to a 3-4 base package, as expected, it will need all the linebackers it can get. Guys like a healthy Kirkland will certainly be on the field. Others such as Daniel Bituli, Will Ignont, Solon Page III, Quart’e Sapp, Austin Smith, recent JUCO signee Jordan Allen, and Shanon Reid give the Vols depth at the position, but only Kirkland and Bituli are proven commodities.

Peterson is an athlete who will be difficult to keep from the field. His pledge surges UT to 16th nationally and fifth in the SEC, according to 247Sports. That’s not bad considering the Vols were in the 60s when Pruitt came on board.

This coup is the biggest of the 2018 cycle, surpassing Alontae Taylor and Dominick Wood-Anderson. DWA also had UA out front until Pruitt swept in and stole him on JUCO national signing day, so that’s two major pieces of the puzzle who are expected to step right in and contribute immediately.

Peterson’s pledge is a sign of things to come, and if the Vols can add players like Peterson’s good buddy and current Alabama commitment Quay Walker, stud cornerback Olaijah Griffin and others, this may not be such a stretch to think Tennessee could be much-improved on the defensive side of the ball in 2018.

Although Tennessee is shut out of a bowl game for the first time since 2013, there are still bowl games of interest.  And I’m not just talking about rooting against UGA and Alabama and the rest of Tennessee’s SEC rivals in their respective game.  Instead, there are three high school all-star “bowl games” in which Vol fans should have some real interest.

Below is a look at the three most prestigious, all of which include a combination of Vol signees and February targets.

O-D Bowl – Friday December 29, 7:30 EST

What to watch for:

The least prominent of the three, the O-D Bowl features three Tennessee signees in Cordova, HS teammates Jerome Carvin and Jeremy Banks as well as Knoxville star Jacob Warren.  In addition, the roster includes Vanderbilt commitment (and another Memphis target) Rayshad Williams, a long CB/S target that the new staff has re-engaged with and who is expected to officially visit Knoxville in January.  Another big Vol target is Nikko Hall, a WR prospect who is also expected to visit Tennessee officially.  Hall played for former Vol QB Casey Clausen and got a quick offer from Coach Jeremy Pruitt and instantly became a high priority. Rounding out the Vol targets on the roster are Rush DE Caleb Tannor and recently offered power RB (and OU commitment) Tavion Thomas.  Tannor has long been on the UT radar and was committed to UGA until decommitting a month or so ago.  There have been concerns about his grades but those seem to have been resolved.  Auburn is thought to be the lean here if the Tigers make a push, but Tannor has long liked the Vols and is the kind of pass-rushing talent this roster needs.  Thomas received an offer this past weekend but it’s unclear how much interest he has – whether or not he sets up an OV to Knoxville will obviously tell the tale.  He’s another power back like Banks and his talent is obvious.

Having three Tennessee signees around these targets can only help UT’s cause, especially since Carvin and Banks are known as big personalities.  It will also be interesting to hear reports out of practice how well these prospects are performing in practice, as those are often more telling than the actual games, which often featured watered down rules (aptly) designed for player safety.

Under-Armour Game – Thursday 1/4, 6:00PM EST

What to watch for:

Like its namesake and sponsor the Under-Armour Game is an upstart that has made it to the bigtime.  While once the Army Bowl was the end-all be-all of these types of events, the U-A Game now attracts as much fanfare and as many high end prospects as its rival.  This year’s game features two Volunteer signees in Alontae Taylor and Paxton Brooks in addition to arguably the top two overall prospects on Tennessee’s board in WR Jacob Copeland and CB Olaijah Griffin.  Both Copeland and Griffin took their Tennessee official visits the weekend before the dead period, and while they each come to their respective Tennessee interest in different ways (Copeland has a great relationship with Pruitt, while Griffin wasn’t even offered by the previous staff but has family in East TN) both were absolutely blown away by what they saw in Knoxville.  Each of their recruitments will likely go down to the wire, as they’ll both take additional visits and have intense interest from bluebloods across the country.  But Tennessee is in deep with both prospects, and having them around the dynamic personality of Taylor in particular (albeit of course around other schools’ signees too) can only help the Vols.

Other Vol targets include big NG Coynis Miller, an Auburn commitment likely to take an OV to Tennessee in January; Alabama LB commitment Quay Walker, a big fan of Pruitt (and new DC Kevin Sherrer) who many expect the Vols to take a big swing at; and WR Joshua Moore, an uncommitted prospect with national interest who was recently re-offered by the new staff after not signing with anyone during the early period.

Army Bowl – Saturday 1/6, 12:00PM EST

What to watch for:

The “original” and still the game with the most cachet, the Army Bowl is the last one before the dead period ends.  Greg Emerson is the only Tennessee signee in the game, and he’ll likely have his peer recruiting sights set on LB JJ Peterson and CB Isaac Taylor-Stuart, and to a lesser extent (in terms of real chances for Tennessee) CB Kelvin Joseph.  Peterson belongs right at the top of Tennessee’s board along with the aforementioned Copeland and Griffin, and Taylor-Stuart is like Griffin an elite CB.  “IST” has yet to schedule a Tennessee OV but it sounds like he will, and if Pruitt and Co. can get him on campus they have a chance to blow him away like they did Griffin.  Joseph is a Baton Rouge, LA product who the new staff offered likely as “see what sticks” gambit – we’ll see if he reciprocates the interest.

Wait ‘til Next Year

More often than not you can tell the overall quality of a school’s commitment (and now signee) class by how many players they have in these types of games.  And not surprisingly, this year they are littered with players from schools like Clemson, Alabama and Georgia, while Tennessee has only a handful.  However, there is still an opportunity for the Volunteer signees to make some waves on the field and in practices – thereby increasing the buzz around them as prospects and potentially even their rankings – and off the field with peer recruiting of specific targets.  With this new staff Tennessee fans should expect to see the Power T next to many more prospects in the 2018/19 versions of these games.  In the meantime, Vol faithful can take comfort in the fact that Tennessee is represented in each of these games and perhaps as importantly has multiple realistic prospects in each of them as well.

There is a lot of speculation that current Tennessee RB commitment Anthony Grant will not end up signing with UT.  After all, not only did he elect to not sign in the Early Signing Period but he’s also yet to take his official visit to Knoxville and instead visited Virginia Tech officially in mid-December.  Many fans have written him off as another Pruitt casualty due to the perceived preference for bigger backs like recent signee Jeremy Banks and Alabama stars and behemoths like Derrick Henry and Bo Scarborough.

However, I’m not ready to say goodbye to Grant, and below is the case as to why Pruitt and Helton and Gillespie should be trying to hold onto him.

Anthony Grant is a Really Good Football Player

Grant is known of course as a RB and for good reason – he was the Player of the Year in his Region (5A in Georgia) and 1st team RB All County after rushing for just under 1,000 yards despite being part of a 3-headed RB monster with Michigan commitment Christian Turner and 2019 stud Derrian Brown.  And he helped lead Buford to yet another state title game.  However, he was also named AJC first team all-state at LINEBACKER.  In addition, he returned punts and was on the kickoff coverage team (check it out at the 6:00 mark for a wedgebusteràshed blockeràtackle).  And after his outstanding senior season he was upgraded to a 4-star by Rivals.

I think Grant could be a really nice complement to Banks in the class.  As noted above, everyone associates Bama with backs, but the Tide has also had a lot of success with smaller (relative, of course) backs like Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs.  Grant is listed at 5’11, 180 and is known for among other attributes his speed and agility, but when you watch his highlight tape (it is 8 minutes long for a reason) you don’t see a scat back who goes down at first contact.  On the contrary, you see a physical player who not only runs away from defenders but also breaks tackles and initiates contact if necessary, not to mention showing good hands and the ability to pass protect.  After viewing his defensive highlights it is unsurprising he was honored for his play at LB, as he shows off his speed and physicality along with an innate feel for the game.  Now, Grant is too small to play LB in Pruitt’s 3-4, but the fact that he played the position at such a high level simply demonstrates his overall football ability and in my opinion a willingness to be more than a speed back.  In my opinion there is no reason to think he can’t get to 200 pretty easily and keep his speed and elusiveness while just adding to the physical style he already brings

This Class Could Use a Second RB

With Jeremy Banks in the fold the 2018 class has a really nice piece at RB – Banks is a large, powerful running back with really nice speed for his size.  And when you add him to the likes of stud Ty Chandler, Tim Jordan, Carlin Fils-aime and Trey Coleman, there are some nice players in the stable for Running Backs Coach Robert Gillespie to work with.  The impending NFL decision from John Kelly will go a long way in determining just how good the 2018 RB corps is for the Vols, but beyond Chandler the rest of the group does not have a surefire go-to guy.  So while I’m not saying Grant to be an NFL back per se, in my opinion he’s good enough to contribute fairly quickly – 2019 at the latest – and he does have some attributes that like Kelly (a two-way high school player himself) one could reasonably project some real potential from.

Buford HS is a Powerhouse Program You Want to Have Ties To

Buford High annually produces not just state title runs but also numerous FBS and more importantly SEC level prospects.  Tennessee already has two players from Buford on the roster already in LB/D Austin Smith – who I think could see a renaissance under the new 3-4 to be implemented –and DT Quay Picou.  Grant would be a third, and Gillespie is hot and heavy on the next stud RB in the aforementioned Brown.  In addition, this year’s Buford squad featured national recruits on the Offensive Line in Harry Miller, Riley Simonds, and Carter Colquitt  along with future 2021 stud QB Aaron McLaughlin who led the team as a freshman.  Tennessee is unlikely to have a true “pipeline” at Buford – it’s an out of state high school in a state where UGA is king and everyone recruits from – but three players in three years, all on the roster at the same time, would give the Vols at least a foothold in a really strong program.  And if anyone knows the power of high school relationships it’s Jeremy Pruitt.

What happens with Grant’s recruitment remains to be seen.  Certainly he’s not a lock to sign with the Volunteers, and from all indications the opposite seems more likely.  However, I think passing on Grant would be a mistake, as he would not only fit a position of need and bring a really good football player to the roster but would also allow the Vols to build what is already a strong relationship with a high school program that annually produces really good players.  We’ll see if Pruitt and Co. agree…

Yesterday, we took a look at Tennessee’s early offensive signees. Now, let’s examine the five defenders who the Vols desperately need to come in and provide some immediate help.

With defensive-minded head coach Jeremy Pruitt, defensive coordinator Kevin Sherrer and long-time SEC assistants Tracy Rocker and Chris Rumph, along with former Vol Terry Fair leading the charge on defense, players should be able to get plenty of coaching.

Let’s take a look at the guys who we know will be Vols in 2018, based on them signing last week.

Greg Emerson 6’3″ 280-pound 4-star defensive lineman; Jackson, Tenn. (North Side HS)

Tennessee has long had success recruiting in the Jackson area, and after that city yielded stud offensive lineman Trey Smith a year ago, the Vols highest-rated prospect hailed from there this year, too.

Emerson — who broke his fibula and fractured his ankle with a gruesome injury at The Opening that cost him his senior year — stayed true to his pledge through the coaching change, and he is one of the prospects who could benefit most from the Pruitt regime. Emerson wanted to stick at defensive end, anyway, and now he appears to have the perfect body type to play that spot in a 3-4 base defense.

The Jackson native has violent hands and is extremely strong. His first step may not be good enough to stay outside in a 4-3, but he’s ideal for this new base. He is a great athlete for his size, and he is a consistent weapon when healthy. Since he’s a bit raw, he’ll need to be coached up on a variety of moves, but he has very moldable assets with which Tracy Rocker can work.

Brant Lawless 6’3″, 285-pound 4-star defensive tackle; Nashville, Tenn. (Nashville Christian HS)

Lawless was the first of the “Big Three” defensive line prospects in Tennessee to commit to the previous regime, and D’Andre Litaker and Emerson followed. It’s unclear whether Litaker will be part of this class, but Lawless signed quickly after it was clear Pruitt wanted him.

Lawless looks like he will be able to add 15-20 good pounds and play inside in a 3-4 scheme. He isn’t fast enough to play on the exterior. He still needs work to be able to be a difference-maker in the SEC, but he, too, has plenty of traits that will be enough for a good DL coach to help mold. Lawless will have the opportunity to come in and play right away with all the holes UT has in the trenches, but he may be best-served with a year in the weight room and with a redshirt.

It’s going to be interesting to see how Lawless is ultimately utilized. If it’s on the interior, he needs to put on some weight and also to gain some strength. Perhaps the biggest improvement from the Jones era could come on the defensive line, where it wasn’t uncommon for Vols to get pushed around and opponents to dominate UT running the football.

It’s up to big guys like Lawless to make sure that doesn’t happen in the Pruitt era.

Jordan Allen 6’4″, 230-pound 3-star weak-side defensive end/outside linebacker; San Francisco (City College of San Francisco)

The last of the Early Signing Day commitments for Pruitt came late Wednesday night, but it wasn’t the least of the pledges.

That’s when pass-rushing outside linebacker Jordan Allen of City College of San Francisco decided to choose Tennessee over schools like TCU, Michigan State and Arizona State. This is after he told the Vols “thanks but no thanks” when they initially reached out to him to try to get him to visit on that final weekend before the dead period. Once Pruitt called and got involved, Allen decided to visit.

He ultimately signed.

Yes, Allen is raw, but he also possesses the size and speed needed for Tennessee to transition as smoothly as possibly to the 3-4 base. He’s a big, athletic kid who can play with his hand down but also standing up, and he’s expected to step right in and play for the Vols on the second level. It’s going to be interesting to see where Darrin Kirkland Jr., Will Ignont, Shanon Reid, Solon Page III and Quart’e Sapp fit in this offense, but it looks like — at least on the surface — that players such as Sapp, Austin Smith and Allen can play a “Jack” style pass-rusher.

If that’s the case, Allen is a necessity. Can he step right in and provide meaningful snaps? Any time you swing at a JUCO kid, it’s a crap-shoot. But when schools like TCU and MSU want you, you’re obviously a guy who a lot of defensive-minded programs believe can play. You don’t recruit JUCOs to stand on the sideline.

Kingston Harris 6’3″, 285-pound 3-star defensive lineman; Orlando, Fla. (IMG Academy)

One of the most puzzling pickups for Pruitt in his first few days was IMG Academy defensive tackle Kingston Harris, who had a difficult time cracking the rotation at one of the most loaded high school programs in the country. But that doesn’t mean he can’t play.

Harris was recruited by schools such as Maryland, Rutgers, Central Florida and others, but when Pruitt offered him and Harris visited the weekend before the dead period, he ultimately decided he wanted to play SEC football. The question is: How soon can he play?

Tennessee severed ties with former commitments like Jamarcus Chatman, and Litaker’s status remains in the air, but Pruitt actually laid eyes on Harris, who has the type of big body needed to clog up run lanes up front in a 3-4, and there was obviously something Pruitt and Co. saw in Harris that they loved and believed they could unlock. It would be a surprise if Harris was able to step right in and play, but he probably won’t be needed to.

Tennessee is going after a lot of guys it believes can provide depth in ’18 on the defensive line, but Harris more of a piece to the future. He needs to work on his body and especially his technique, but he looks strong and has the size and frame to pack on weight. This is a project Pruitt deemed worthwhile. With the defensive staff he’s assembled, the Vols won’t have to take too many “projects” in the future.

Paxton Brooks 6’5″, 170-pound 3-star punter; West Columbia, S.C. (Airport HS)

Tennessee once picked up a commitment from punter Skyler DeLong, who visited the Vols and committed on the trip. He flipped to Alabama almost immediately when he visited the Crimson Tide.

But UT moved onto Brooks, and he is an ideal prospect to take “Punter U” into the next generation post-Trevor Daniel. He is rated as the nation’s No. 2-rated punter and a 5-star prospect by Kohl’s Professional Kicking Camps, and he is the type of player who has the opportunity to step right in and play. The Vols may need for him to because Daniel is out of eligibility, and he was one of the best punters in the country a season ago.

He chose Tennessee over offers from several schools, including North Carolina State, and he’ll punt in the Under-Armor All-American Game. This could be the player who makes the biggest impact from this class on the field in 2018.

After an eventful first-ever Early Signing Day that saw Tennessee ink 12 prospects, including five players who signed/committed yesterday, the final phase of the 2018 recruiting cycle has begun.  The class has a nice base of players, highlighted by 8 early enrollees and multiple immediate contributors.

With just a few weeks until the traditional February National Signing Day, new coach Jeremy Pruitt and his staff will attempt to fill out their first signing class with the kinds of players who can quickly put Tennessee back into SEC contention.  Pruitt and Co. are in an interesting and unique position in that while they were able to salvage a situation in which they had barely two weeks to cobble together the early portion of their class, the stretch run to February will likely seem like an eternity.  And for Vol fans what it exciting is that, especially compared to what was truly available to Tennessee in December, the remaining board looks chock full of bonafide SEC championship winning type players.

Although Tennessee was at a disadvantage relative to its SEC peers due to the new staff coming on late and the early signing period, the Vols could actually be in a good position to be the “best looking girl at the bar at midnight” for some really talented prospects who see their top choices fill up.  In short, as much as it hurt to see rivals like Alabama and (especially) UGA load up on bigtimers yesterday, there simply aren’t enough spots at those places for all of the available top talent, and the Vols are in a real position to capitalize.

As the staff surveys the landscape to see who all signed and didn’t sign, there will undoubtedly be more offers sent out.  Not only that but not only will Pruitt have a full staff in less than two weeks (likely with strong recruiters who bring their own contacts) but he himself as well as new DC Kevin Sherrer will be less constrained to recruit unsigned Bama/UGA commits and targets.  Finally, I would expect that with the success at landing three California products yesterday and all of the uncertainty on the West Coast with new staffs still getting their bearings at UCLA and Oregon in particular, not to mention Tyson Helton’s contacts.

All that said, below is a quick look at the current “February Board” and where the Vols stand with each player, by position:

QB

After signing former Cal commit JT Shrout yesterday, Tennessee is likely still in the market for a second QB.  Shrout is a perfect “bridge QB” for the new staff, as he appears talented enough to take a chance on but not enough of a big name to scare off a true bluechipper in 2019.  Problem is, the remaining pickings are, shall we say, slim. If Tennessee can get in the mix with those I think the staff will take a shot.  If not, my guess is they’ll look hard at the grad transfer market as a way to get some 2018 depth in a one year rental without gumming up the works for the 2019 class and beyond.  Early names to watch for include former Michigan starter Wilton Speights and recent MTSU graduate Brent Stockstill.  Others will pop up in the coming months for sure.

RB

Landing Jeremy Banks yesterday was big for the Vols, both in terms of what looks like a really good prospect as well as planting a flag in Memphis for the new staff going forward.  Of course, helping to sew up teammate and fellow bluechipper OL Jerome Carvin makes Banks look that much better.  The Vols missed out on JUCO product Greg Bell, who signed with Nebraska – whose decision it was is unknown and frankly moot, but I for one am ok with it, because I don’t think Tennessee needs a JUCO back unless he’s a no-brainer stud (which Bell is not) and I’m not entirely sure this class needs more than one RB in total.

Though Buford, GA product Anthony Grant is still technically committed to the Vols most people think he’s unlikely to end up signing with Tennessee in February and most feel like that’s Pruitt’s decision.  I’m a fan of Grant, as I think he’s a really nice looking prospect and would also be the third player to sign with the Vols from the powerful Buford HS program in the last few years.

Right now the depth chart looks like this: John Kelly/Ty Chandler/Tim Jordan/Trey Coleman/Jeremy Banks.  We all know that Kelly could very easily decide to skip his final year for the NFL, but there is a really nice stable of SEC-level backs behind him.

So, assuming Grant signs elsewhere, it will be interesting to see what happens at the position.  The only other RB out there is C’Bo Flemister, a highly productive but relatively Georgia Tech commitment from South Georgia who put off signing yesterday specifically because Tennessee asked him to – he’ll be visiting in January.  Other than him, the board is pretty empty, so we’ll know really quickly if the staff wants another RB in the class by whether or not they start putting out new offers.

WR
With Alontae Taylor back in the fold and an early enrollee, the only decision Tennessee was waiting on was that of JUCO product Jaron Woodyard (also an early enrollee and a Nebraska commitment who OV’d to Knoxville last weekend).  Ultimately Woodyard decided to stick with the Cornhuskers, which means that the bulk of the WR class will come in February.  The good news is that the current board contains four very high level prospect, with more offers likely to go out in short order:

Jacob Copeland; Copeland is a former UF commitment who has been considered a Bama lean for a while.  However, he loves Pruitt and was blown away on his Tennessee OV this past weekend.  The bad news of course is that there is a lot of time between that OV and February’s NSD, and Copeland intends to take more OVs.  That said, the Vols have put themselves in a strong position.  Copeland is a stud and would be worth whatever effort the staff has to put in here.

Nikko Hall/Chris Olave/Geordon Porter – Three California playmakers, one of whom (Hall, formerly coached by Casey Clausen) is definitely planning on taking a Tennessee OV in January.  The other two have OVs left to use, so it will be interesting to see if UT can get any traction here.  Having fellow Californians JT Shrout and Dominick Wood-Anderson and Jordan Allen in the fold could be a big help with these and any other West Coast prospects the staff should decide to take a swing at.

TE

We discussed Tennessee’s coup gaining the signature from Dominick Wood-Anderson, the nation’s #1 JUCO TE yesterday.  Pairing Wood-Anderson with longtime commit and local star Jacob Warren means the TE position has received a much needed injection of talent.  We also discussed the ramifications for Glenn Beal, a Jumbo ATH who could play both TE and DE and took his OV to Knoxville this past weekend.  Interestingly, Beal tweeted last night that he is thinking about signing early.  The guess here is that were that come to pass it would be either Tennessee (his only OV) or LSU (home state school and where he’s visited multiple times).  We shall see here…

OL

After signing Tanner Antonutti, Ollie Lane and ESD commitment and fellow instater Jerome Carvin, the Vols have a nice base of talent for an OL class that needed to have quantity and quality, and still needs more of both.  And after outstanding OVs this past weekend, the Vols are strong favorites for both Giancarlo Valentin and Jahmir Johnson, two highly rated JUCO products (who coincidentally were high school teammates).  Both plan on taking more visits between now and NSD, but Tennessee is in great position for both.  The staff has zeroed in on these and I expect them to expend every effort necessary to land them.

These guys, along with Carvin in particular, project as instant contributors and would solidify the 2018 OL for the Vols.  They would also allow Antonutti and Lane the necessary redshirt year to develop and be ready to contribute in 2019 and beyond.

DL

With a really nice DL haul that included three early enrollees in DE Jordan Allen (JUCO) and Greg Emerson and Kingston Harris along with highly regarded instate DT Brant Lawless, the Vols have a nice group of early signees at a position where you always need more bodies and more talent.  Tennessee also still holds a commitment from instate 4-star D’Andre Litaker.  However, his situation appears to be in limbo and the new staff evaluates him and the overall position, and how they proceed here will be something to keep an eye on.

Malik Langham – A longtime Tennesse target, Langham appears to be down to Alabama and UT, with Notre Dame, where he’s already taken an OV, trying to hang around and UF scheduled for an OV. Langham has been to campus quite a bit, including this fall for the South Carolina game; however, in order to solidify its position Tennessee will have to secure one of his two remaining OVs.  I do expect that to happen, but this one will be another Pruitt vs. Saban battle that goes to the wire.

Coynis Miller – Massive Auburn DT commit, Miller is very talented and a perfect NG fit in Pruitt’s 3-4.  He was scheduled to OV to Knoxville last weekend but did not come – whether he cancelled or rescheduled is unknown right now, but not signing with AU yesterday leads one to believe he’s not completely sold on the Tigers.  Alabama is pushing here too.  He has a great relationship with new Tennessee coach Chris Rumph, which should keep the Vols in it here.  If he reschedules the OV you can count the Vols as a real player here; if not, you can obviously scratch him off.

There does not appear to be much traction with Michael Williams, a Jumbo ATH from Louisiana with offers from LSU and Bama among others who got a quick offer from Pruitt.  We’ll see if that changes in the coming weeks.  In contrast, Javonte Jean Baptiste, a long and lean (6-5, 215) edge rusher with a great frame who hails from the same high school as Jarrett Guarantano, does not appear to have gotten much attention from the new staff.  He did have the Vols in his Top 4 with BC, Virgina Tech and UCF and was actually scheduled to OV for the Vandy game, so if Pruitt and Co. want to get involved I think they can, but they’ll need to move quickly.  I like his game and think he’d be an interesting fit in Pruitt’s 3-4.

I think DL is a position where we’ll see some new offers go out, but Langham and Miller in particular look like the staff’s top targets.

LB

JJ Peterson – A longtime Bama lean, Peterson recently said that the Vols are now his leader.  This is almost 100% due to Pruitt, who he is very close with.  It of course doesn’t hurt that he plays for Pruitt mentor Rush Propst, is from GA so knows Sherrer, and also that UT is now home to two former Colquitt Co players in Jaquan Blakely and Shawn Shamburger.  This will be a knock down drag out fight and one that could yield a crown jewel of the class should Tennessee win out.

Quay Walker- He’s not only close with Pruitt but also is being heavily recruited by UGA (Sherrer).  UGA tried hard to get him to flip and sign yesterday, but he held off and now is fully in play.  Auburn is also a player here, so the Vols are treading in deep waters, which is where you want and can expect this staff to traffic

Javeon Becton – Former UGA commit from current Vol Eric Crosby’s HS, Becton is a pass rusher who knows Sherrer well.  He got a recent Tennessee offer and is very nterested – in fact, he was in Knoxville for the UGA game in late September so he’s been to campus once already.  Virginia Tech is the other big player here

Caleb Tannor – Georgia dropped Caleb Tannor over academic concerns, but it sounds like he will have a chance to qualify. With Auburn missing on Andres Fox, they could very well zero in on Tannor, who initially chose the Bulldogs over the Tigers. Tannor liked the Vols a lot back in the summer before committing to the Dawgs and has been on campus a few times including recently for the LSU game.  Tannor is a really good prospect who I think deserves attention from the new staff given the need for pass rushers.  We’ll see if either side reaches out

Otis Reese – More of a 3-4 ILB, and a very talented one at that, the Michigan commit from GA has had a ton of interest in UGA and Bama, where Sherrer and Pruitt were his respective recruiters of record.  I’ve admittedly not heard of anything going on here but on paper he seems like a guy who would get a quick call from the staff today to gauge interest after not signing yesterday

DB

With zero DBs signed or committed, and with a huge need at the position, one can expect Pruitt and DB Coach Terry Fair to spend a lot of time and energy trying to land some elite prospects.  The good news is that they’ve already laid a lot of good groundwork with a number of highly talented prospects:

Olaijah Griffin – A Top 50 overall player in the class, Griffin had an outstanding OV to Knoxville this past weekend that instantly marked Tennessee as a strong contender for this elite prospect.  Interestingly, Griffin has quite a bit of family in East Tennessee and his uncle actually accompanied him on his official visit, so there is clearly a comfort level here.  As one would expect for a player of this caliber, this will be a fight, and USC, Auburn, Michigan and of course UCLA will battle until the ink dries here.

Isaac Taylor-Stuart: Another big-timer from CA who’s been considering Alabama for a longtime, Stuart got an immediate offer from the new staff and instantly inserted the Vols into his Top 6 alongside the Tide, UGA, USC and Texas A&M (where he’s already OV’d).  Like Griffin, Stuart-Taylor is a hyper-talented prospect and would be an instant contributor in Knoxville, and if he follows through on his stated intention to OV to Knoxville the Vols will be firmly in the mix

Eddie Smith – After decommitting from TCU after a quick offer from Pruitt, the Louisiana native fits the Pruitt mold of long CBs and is obviously incredibly talented when you watch his film.  He also trains with former Vol JJ McClesky and is close with 2017 Vol signee Cheyenne Labruzza.  He will likely set up a January OV to Knoxville pretty quickly and you can, in my opinion, almost pencil him in to the class

Rayshad Williams – A Vandy commitment from Memphis, Williams did not sign yesterday and therefore I’d consider his recruitment wide open.  He’s had interest in Tennessee for a long time but committed to Vanderbilt when UT didn’t come through with a firm offer.  There have long been questions as to whether the 6’3 prospect is a CB or a S, but there is no doubt he’s talented and the new staff seems to like him more than the former. He got a visit form a UT staffer in December and I’d expect him to set up an OV to Knoxville for January.

Roger McCreary – Former South Alabama commitment who is now heavily considering homestate Auburn as well as the Vols after receiving offers.  One would think he’s AU’s to lose, but he does have an OV scheduled to Knoxville on January 26^th.  If he makes it that far he could be one to watch

Benjie Franklin – The most recent CB offer, Franklin is a JUCO product who’s getting more and more interest.  Auburn has also just offered and will likely be a factor.  I’m not sure where Franklin sits on the Tennessee board (or others’), so his recruitment will likely be impacted by how schools do with other prospects

Vernon Jackson – Another Jumbo ATH, Jackson profiles as a big Safety who can really run.  He’s a Bama commit but didn’t sign yesterday and despite heavy interest in/from Texas A&M I think he might be one who gets a quick call from Pruitt today.

Tennessee pulled off a stunner Tuesday afternoon, swooping in and landing a signature from Dominick Wood-Anderson, the nation’s #1 JUCO Tight End and a recruit coveted by blueblood programs across the country.  Thought to be a strong Alabama lean, Wood-Anderson took what was undoubtedly a tremendous visit to Knoxville this past weekend and decided he wanted to be part of what Jeremy Pruitt is building at Tennessee.

After Deeply Thinking About The Biggest Decision Of My Life With My Family, I Proudly Signed My Letter Of Intent And Will Be Continuing My Journey At The University Of Tennesse!🍊 #VolNation #GBO pic.twitter.com/hG9hXbMBiE

— 16Reasons (@TheRealYungDom) December 20, 2017

“DWA” is without a doubt a plug and play starter at a position of need in Tyson Helton’s pro-style offense and where the current roster has real deficiencies.  As an early enrollee he’ll jump right in for spring practice and the expectation here is that he’ll be a star.  Pairing him with longtime commit and local star Jacob Warren means Pruitt has done yeoman’s work at a real position of need.

What that means for Glenn Beal remains to be seen.  Beal is a huge kid with experience both being an inline blocking TE and getting out in the passing game, and is a high level SEC recruit coveted by LSU and Alabama among others.  He took his OV to Knoxville this past weekend and has been silent since – he’s by all accounts he’s a quiet kid, but that’s rarely a great sign.  That said, with two TEs already in the barn and needs elsewhere who knows if he is a take for the Vols; however, given his size/skill level and potential ability to play DE, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the staff keep recruiting Beal until NSD.

The signing of Wood-Anderson is the strongest sign yet of what Jeremy Pruitt and this staff can do on the recruiting trail.  With more time to build relationships the imagination runs wild thinking what might be next…