Category Archives: Recruiting

The Final Countdown: Early Signing Day Approaches

With the Early Signing Period beginning next week, Tennessee has a very strong class of 2019 recruiting class.  However, especially with the large need for both talent and depth across the roster, the Vols still need to add more pieces. Below we take a look at how things could shake out between now and next week, as well as what awaits the Vols after the Early Signing Period into January and February

Update on Tennessee Commitment Signing Plans

Tennessee commitments ATH Aaron Beasley, DL Elijah Simmons and OL Melvin McBride, all of whom had previously planned on waiting to February to sign, have both now decided to sign on December 19th, meaning 17 of Tennessee’s 19 current commitments (not counting Jalil Clemons, who won’t be a Vol and pending JUCO DL Darel Middleton’s plans) will be in the boat when Tennessee moves on to fill out its class in February. 

The Vols are trying to get Lakia Henry to change his mind and sign next week as well.  He’s OV’d to both Tennessee and Arkansas – who seems to feel like it has some momentum – and FSU is flirting as well.  We’ll see if he changes his plans, which would be a relief for UT coaches as he’s currently the only LB commitment and looks like he could be an instant impact newcomer at a position of real need. 

Another commitment who is currently planning to sign in February is DL Ledarrius Cox.  Cox’s commitment has been considered to be pretty soft, and at some points it’s been unclear how hard Tennessee was trying to hold onto him.  But Vol coaches have been to see him a couple of times during the contact period, so they at least want to keep him on the burner.  He’s had a strong few first practices this week at the AL/MS All-Star Game and that could cause the Vols push even harder for his signing in February.  He’s stated this week that he’s solid to the Vols and is only waiting to sign because he wants/needs to take the ACT again (potentially a reason Tennessee has asked him to wait) but he does an OV to Ole Miss planned for late January and Auburn also remains an option.

A Look at This Weekend’s Visitor List

The Vols will have a large group of official visitors this weekend that includes a mix of current commitments as well as a handful of high level targets. 

WR Ramel Keyton, QB Brian Maurer, TEs Sean Brown and Jackson Lowe, CB Warren Burrell, DL Roman Harrison and Beasley (both fresh of GA state championships) and McBridewill be officially visiting their future home this weekend as they look to continue to bond as a group and likely do a lot of peer recruiting as well.  Additionally, OL Wanya Morris will be in town to hang out and do some peer recruiting of his own.

In terms of prospects the Vols are still fighting for, Tennessee has done a nice job of getting some very important players on its board to campus the weekend before the Dead Period begins and leads into Early Signing Period next week.

WR Jaylen Ellis will be making his long-awaited first visit to Knoxville.  The Army All-American from Texas – a fairly wide open Baylor “commitment” – has been a major target for Tennessee for months and actually had a few planned UVs to Knoxville this season that never panned out.  But WR Coach David Johnson has seen him a few times during the contact period and Pruitt has been inhome as well.  Ellis doesn’t plan on signing until February; however, he is planning to announce his decision at the Army All-American Game on January 5, so this will be his last OV before then.  At this point, despite not having yet decommitted from Baylor, he seems to have Michigan and Tennessee at the top.  He OV’d to Ann Arbor a few months ago, and while Michigan has continued to pursue Ellis heavily they are actually hosting their other top WR target Cornelius Johnson officially this weekend.  Johnson will announce his decision next week, so along with what should be a great visit in Knoxville there could be some further clarity in Ellis’s recruitment next week either way.  With the news of WR Khafre Brown’s commitment to UNC last weekend (more on that below) Ellis has become an incredibly important target for the Vols so expect them to really roll out the red carpet this weekend.  He’s got the kind of speed that doesn’t exist in the current UT WR corps and would be an incredible addition to the class.

RB Noah Cain from IMG Academy in Florida emerged this week as a new target on the board, as RB Coach Chris Weinke’s efforts to secure Cain’s last OV proved successful.  Cain is an elite RB, as evidenced by his other major suitors: Penn State, UGA, Auburn and Texas being the final contenders.  All four other schools have at one time felt good about their position with Cain, but Texas, UGA and Auburn in particular have other major RB irons in the fire at the moment (DJ Williams, Mark-Antony Richards, and Jamious Griffin among others) which could allow Tennessee to sneak in here.  The Nittany Lions are actually the perceived favorites going into the weekend, but the Vols feel like a potential darkhorse.  Cain’s IMG teammate Chris Akproroghene, who also helped the Vols land an OV from future UGA signee (and #1 overall player) Nolan Smith, seems to be helping with Cain as well.  This could turn out to be nothing, but the Vols absolutely would love to add a RB the caliber of Cain to go with (hopefully/likely) Eric Gray.

LB Chris Russell from Dyersburg, TN has emerged as a coveted recruit for multiple SEC schools in the last month or so, picking offers from Auburn and Texas A&M to go with one from the Vols in the last month or so. Arkansas has been involved here as well.  Russell has good size and speed – he tested very well at a Tennessee camp this past summer – and his senior film is outstanding.  As Tennessee has rejiggered its LB board in the last few weeks Russell has become a major target, and Pruitt was inhome this week ahead of the OV.  Currently Russell has said he plans to wait until February to sign, which would allow him to take his other OVs.  Should that happen Tennessee could find itself at a major disadvantage given that they have used their two most valuable visits, so expect the Vols to really press hard for at least a commitment as well as a signature next week.  While from a rankings perspective he’s a step down from someone like Owen Pappoe, Russell looks like a really fine prospect and frankly more of a true LB.  The Vols would be thrilled to add him to Lakia Henry.

DL Nick Figureoa is a very intriguing JUCO DL prospect who TE Coach Niedermeyer has done yeoman’s work with to get to Knoxville this weekend.  Figureoa is a big-bodied player who looks like he can play multiple positions across the DL, and is a rare JUCO player who’ll have three full seasons to play.  He’s a California native who’s got offers from, and has taken OVs to, both USC and UCLA, and the odds are that he ends up staying on the West Coast.  However, he’s clearly got enough interest in Tennessee and enough of a relationship with Niedermeyer to make the cross-country trip this weekend.  The Vols could absolutely use another DL in this class, let alone a highly recruited JUCO who will enroll early and would likely help immediately and happens to have three seasons to play.  This would be a big win if Tennessee could pull it off, and we’ll know next week.

WR Jerrod Means will also be in town officially.  The former UNC commitment from GA is a solid looking prospect who earned a Vol offer at a camp back in the summertime before he committed to the Tar Heels.  As a February signee he’s likely a secondary option while the Vols wait on other targets higher on the board.

Tennessee offered JUCO Rush End Everitt Cunningham late Tuesday night, and the early-enrollee from East Mississippi C.C. (home of UT commitment Darrel Middleton) could be one to watch if the Vols get him on campus this weekend.  He’s got a so-so offer list (UCF, Indiana, etc) but was a standout for the national champion EMCC team after going to JUCO winning the MVP of the national championship game.  At 6’5, 230 is the kind of prospect currently missing in this class (and, frankly, except for longshot Khris Bogle, on the entire board), so if the Vols do bring him to Knoxville and like what they see (and by all accounts he’s a great kid with a big motor who went JUCO not due to grades but to get better collegiate opportunities) he could end up filling a major need.

LB Jamie Pettway is another Alabama linebacker prospect who the Vols have been involved with for some time.  Pettway plans to sign next week, so if the Vols want to get back into the mix they’ll need to bring him in for an OV this weekend.  His other contenders include Louisville, Georgia Tech and Missouri.

It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see Tennessee have more visitors than the list above.  In fact, Volquest.com has been reporting that despite reports that Gray would be taking his final OV to Texas A&M this weekend he will not take that visit and could in fact come back to Knoxville for the fifth time since the fall.  Obviously that would be a great sign for Tennessee in his recruitment, and assuming he’s all Vol he could be another peer recruiter for fellow offensive playmakers Ellis and Cain as well as Russell (a fellow West Tennessean).  There’s also been talk of either 5-star OL Darnell Wright coming to Knoxville, which, despite the longtime thought that he’s a major Tennessee lean, would be huge for the Vols whether he signs next week or sticks with his current (stated) plan to wait until February.  And finally, Volquest has also floated the idea that the Vols might have convinced WR Javonta Payton, a Mississippi State JUCO commitment, to come to Knoxville this weekend.  We’ll see who shows up, but the expectation here is that a handful of guys who aren’t confirmed as of this writing end up visiting Tennessee this weekend.

Weekend Visits to Watch Elsewhere

LB Ke’Shun Brown will OV to TexasA&M this weekend, one week after somewhat coming out of nowhere to take an official visit to Knoxville.  Brown is a 4-star LB from Alabama who got offers early in his recruitment from the likes of Alabama (when Pruitt was the DC), LSU (where he took an OV this summer) and others.  For whatever reason his recruitment stalled out a bit, but when the Vols and Aggies came calling – both at least in part due to losing out on LBs higher on their respective boards – Brown jumped at the opportunities.  Coming out of last weekend’s visit to Knoxville the Vols appear to be in strong position but the Aggies will surely make a push this weekend.    Pruitt was in his home early this week so Brown certainly he knows a priority for the Vols, and Brown is planning on signing next week, so Tennessee will know one way or the other here.

WR Jadon Haselwood was a somewhat surprising unofficial visitor in Knoxville last weekend.  The 5-star WR is a former UGA commitment who will be taking his final OV in Athens this weekend.  Miami and UGA appear to be the frontrunners, but Tennessee saw him this week so they must feel like they are in it at least a little bit.  Haselwood isn’t an EE but will announce at the Army All American Game on January 5.  It goes without saying that landing him would be a massive coup for Tennessee but at this point that appears unlikely.

DB Jammie Robinson is an underrated playmaker on both sides of the ball who visited Knoxville for the UF game after which the Vols became a serious contender.  Robinson has previously said that he would wait until February to sign despite having officially visited South Carolina (the current perceived favorite) and planning on OV’ing to Kentucky this weekend.  UT’s tie here is his former high school coach Shelton Felton who is on Tennessee’s staff, and at this point Robinson is one of a very few DBs who are legitimate targets.  He’s a dynamic player and would add a ton of speed and athleticism to a Tennessee secondary that needs it in spades despite a strong current commitment list.

LB Trezeman Marshall is a UGA commitment who the Vols have made a major push for.  However, he’ll be back in Athens this weekend and the smart money appears to be on him signing with the Dawgs next week despite his strong relationship with Tennessee DC Kevin Sherrer.

Falling Off the Board

Since last weekend it has become apparent that a handful of Tennessee targets will not be signing with the Vols:

WR Khafre Brown committed to home state North Carolina.  While the Vols seemed to slow-play him over the past few months, the staff had picked up its recruiting intensity such that it seemed like Brown was actually a Tennessee lean.  However, after taking yet another unofficial visit to Chapel Hill and meeting with new coach Mack Brown, Khafre elected to pledge to the Tar Heels, where his older brother is already on the team. 

 LB Owen Pappoe not only did not take his previously scheduled OV to Knoxville last weekend but instead was back on the Plains for another visit to Auburn.  Despite it looking not that long ago that Pappoe was certain to flip to the Vols this one appears over.

DB Kenyatta Watson, Wanya Morris’s (and Pappoe’s) teammate and Texas commitment appears to have shut down his recruitment and will sign with the Longhorns despite the Tennessee staff’s best efforts.

DL Keonte Schad took his OV to Minnesota last weekend and appears to have “fully committed” to the Golden Gophers after taking a handful of OVs elsewhere.  Tennessee never ended up getting him to campus.

Rush End Niadre Zouzoua took an OV to Baylor this weekend instead of his previously scheduled one to Knoxville, and the buzz is that he’s likely to commit to the Bears soon.  He hasn’t done it yet and it remains to be seen how hard the Vols are pushing here, but right now he doesn’t look like a future Vol.

WR George Pickens, another Auburn commitment, and Tennessee at one time seemed to have some mutual interest but that no longer appears to be the case.

DL Gabriel Hall was actually a late add to last weekend’s official visitor list for Tennessee, but despite what sounds like was a really nice time it appears the Baylor commitment is likely to stick with the Bears.

Adding to the Board, Laying the Foundation for February

Tennessee plans on signing upwards of 17-18 of its current 19 commitments and hopes to land a few more signees as well (Gray, Cain, Brown and potentially Ellis and Russell).  Regardless of how many more spots are remaining, the Vols will look to finish out their class with as much quality as possible.  The below are longtime Tennessee targets who plan to wait until February to make a decision:

OL Darnell Wright (pending a change)

OL EJ Ndola-Ogar

LB Henry To’oto’to

DE Khris Bogle

CB Travis Jay

DB Jammie Robinson

These five prospects are elite players for whom Tennessee will be fighting with other bigtime programs.  Wright is considered a heavy Vol lean but could still take OVs to Georgia and likely to Alabama in January as well.  To’oto’to is also a Tennessee-Alabama battle, while Bogle and Jay have the Tide along with the major Florida schools contending for their respective services.  Robinson’s situation will be worth watching next week. 

In order to have a full board to work from for January and into the February Signing Day, Tennessee has been offering new prospects. At WR the Vols have gotten fairly heavily involved with Arji Henderson, a recent OU decommitment from Texas who is a near 5-star prospect.  Henderson seems to be feeling the Vols and plans on OV’ing Knoxville in January.  Xavier Leggette is another WR on the board, and the South Carolina native has an OV scheduled to Knoxville in late January with the instate Gamecocks currently being the other contender.  Additionally, Tennessee recently offered Dy’wan Griffin, a New Orleans native who flew under the radar a bit but has a really intriguing size/speed combination and has only played one year of high school football.

Tennessee has also circled back with DL Kristian Williams from Memphis.  Williams, a 4-star DL on 247 Sports, was at one time planning to sign next week but has now pushed that back to February, potentially at Tennessee’s behest.  He’ll take an OV to Minnesota this weekend, and the Gophers are among his Top 4 with Indiana and Memphis.  In contrast to his rather lackluster offer list, Williams was a standout at both a major LSU camp last summer (where he dominated one-on-one matchups including vs. 5-star OG Kardell Thomas) as well as at a combine in May where he showed out as one of the most athletic defensive players.  Williams is also a city champion in shot put and at 6’2, 275 has really good strength and quickness.  Depending on how things shake out both on the DL as well as with other prospects, Williams could be a nice find for the Vols come February.

LB Octavius Brothers is a former UCF commitment who has recently gotten offers from Tennessee, Auburn, UNC and Syracuse among others.  He plans on taking an OV to Knoxville in January pending how things go at LB for Tennessee between Russell/Brown next week as well as To’oto’to.

Strikes and Gutters, Ups and Downs: Taking the Temperature of the Board

With one more week of coaches visits across the country, Tennessee’s recruiting board for the class of 2019 looks as jumbled as ever.  The staff has been solidifying current commitments while at the same time trying to complete the class, and below we take a look at how things look heading into the penultimate weekend for the Early Signing Day

Temperature Down

LB Owen Pappoe has been an Auburn commitment since May, but many thought he would ultimately flip to Tennessee and join his high school teammate Wanya Morris.  After visiting Knoxville unofficially in November and then setting up an OV for this coming weekend – all while not setting up an OV to Auburn – things were certainly trending that way.  However, after an inhome visit from Auburn Head Coach Gus Malzahn and most of the Tiger staff – and despite a visit from a few Tennessee staffers – Pappoe on Wednesday tweeted out a reaffirmation of his commitment to Auburn and then proceeded to cancel his OV to Tennessee this weekend.  While Jeremy Pruitt still has his inhome available, it remains to be seen if that will happen and how effective it might even be in securing a visit from Pappoe, whose mother by all indications is adamant that he keep his word and sign with Auburn and who would absolutely need to be persuaded in order to have her son sign with UT.  This might not be 100% over, but in a matter of hours it went from looking like the Vols were going to sign this highly touted LB/Star to that being very doubtful

CB Kenyatta Watson is a Texas commitment who the Vols have been trying to flip for months.  Also a teammate of Morris, the Tennessee staff has visited him multiple times in the last few weeks in an attempt to at least get him to take an OV to Knoxville.  So far that effort has proved fruitless, and at this point it seems more likely than Watson simply shuts it down and signs with Texas in two weeks than that he ever sets foot in Knoxville

DL Justin Eboigbe is an Alabama commitment who has visited Tennessee a few times, most recently unofficially for the Kentucky game in November.  And while the Vols were hoping he’d follow that up with an OV to Knoxville before he signs, he will be visiting Miami this weekend and then Alabama the next.  He was always a longshot to actually flip from the Tide, but the Vols were at least going to need an OV to give them a fighting chance.  Without that you can probably cross him off the list

DL Zion Logue and Bill Norton are two Tennessee natives and Georgia commitments who the Vols have been trying to flip for months.  And while Logue has continued to harbor hard feelings towards Tennessee for not being the first school to offer, Norton as recently as Thursday morning was thought to be a real contender for a flip.  However, a visit from the UGA staff seems to have convinced him to take his OV to Georgia this weekend and shut it down.  Once again this one might not be completely over for the Vols but it’s gone from promising to unlikely in a blink of an eye.  Such is recruiting…

RB DJ Williams has blown up since his senior film got out, and while Tennessee was one of the first major schools to offer him, and have visited him during the open period, they never seemed to get much traction.  At this point it appears they won’t get a visit and Williams is likely headed to either Miami or another school in the SEC

LB Quarvaris Crouch has been a longtime target for the Vols and at one time was considered a Tennessee lean.  However, despite taking an OV to Knoxville late in the season, this one seems to have finally and completely slipped away from the Vols despite the staff’s best efforts.  At this point Crouch is a heavy Clemson lean with Michigan right behind them and the Vols a distant and irrelevant third

Temperature Up

It’s not all doom and gloom this week, as Tennessee has made some major headway with more than a handful of its high level targets

WR Jaylen Ellis, a Baylor commitment in name only, has confirmed that he will be taking his OV to Knoxville the weekend of December 14th.  He’s perhaps going to be at Houston this weekend, which would mean that his Tennessee OV will be his 5th and final.  His current plan is to announce at the All-America Game in early January and sign in December, but the Vols have placed themselves in very good position.  One would think that Ellis, especially as a kid from Texas, would very much take a shine to Tennessee hiring current Houston OC Kendall Briles as its leader on offense.  Whoever the hire is should be wrapped up by the time Ellis comes to campus, so that could play a factor here

RB Eric Gray received another visit from Tennessee coaches this week and the vibe continues to be good here for the Vols.  As discussed below he could potentially be in Oxford this weekend, but all signs point to the Gatorade Player of the Year and 3-time Tennessee Mr. Football signing with UT in two weeks.  Gray is another prospect who will be very interested in Tennessee’s OC hire

LB Trezeman Marshall also got a ton of facetime with Tennessee coaches this week, and it remains clear that the Vols are in deep with this current UGA commitment.  Georgia still has its OV should Marshall choose to visit there, but that is TBD.  Especially with the Pappoe news, Marshall becomes that much more important for Tennessee at a position of extreme need

LB Henry To’oto’to is another important LB target for the Vols, and while this is a Tennessee-Alabama race there is no doubt that Tennessee is putting in more work here currently than the Tide.  TE Coach Brian Niedermeyer has been out to California twice in the last 2-3 week to visit with the Army All-American, and when he signs in February Alabama could be full at the position.  This one has a ways to go as both SEC schools will get OVs in January and West Coast powers won’t give up, but right now the Vols are in about as good of a spot as they could hope to be

LB Chris Russell from Dyersburg is a newer player on Tennessee’s board but, especially considering the Pappoe news, has moved up at least one rung.  The former Memphis commit is seeing his recruitment go the opposite direction of current Tennessee commitment Jailil Clemons (more below) as he’s picked up offers from Auburn and Texas A&M to go with one from the Vols in the last month or so.  Russell has good size and speed – he tested very well at a Tennessee camp this past summer – and his senior film is outstanding.  He’s a February signee so Tennessee, like other suitors, will be able to reassess their overall needs and room post-December 19th.  But given that Marshall is a UGA commitment from Georgia and the Vols are fighting Alabama for To’oto’to it’s not unlikely that there will still be a need for Tennessee at LB come January and Russell will start getting more attention from the Vols

OL EJ Ndoma-Ogar is an Oklahoma commitment from Texas who sort of showed up out of the blue for an OV in Knoxville for the Alabama game and had an incredible trip.  While he has remained committed to the Sooners, Vol coaches have not given up and have visited him on more than one occasion in the contact period.  Tennessee is trying to get him to hold off on signing in December – when he would almost certainly sign with OU – and instead wait until February and come back to Knoxville with his family.  Should that happen the Vols would obviously have to be considered to be in strong shape, and regardless of what happens with 5-star OL Darnell Wright – for whom the Vols continue to lead but who won’t sign until February – Ndoma-Ogar is a 100% take for Tennessee.  We’ll know more in a few weeks

DB Jammie Robinson from Georgia has been to Tennessee once this fall for UF game.  UT’s tie here is his former high school coach Shelton Felton who is on Tennessee’s staff, and Felton – who has been on the road since Tyson Helton left the staff – paid Robinson a visit this week.  Robinson is a February signee and the he currently only has a UK visit set up for the 12/14 weekend after taking one in the summer to South Carolina.  The Vols are in line to get one, however, and although UGA is sniffing around here this one looks like a Tennessee-South Carolina battle right now.  With Kenyatta Watson basically falling off the board, Robinson is one of a very few DBs who are legitimate targets.  He’s a dynamic playmaker and would add a ton of speed and athleticism to a Tennessee secondary that needs it in spades despite a strong current commitment list

CB Travis Jay is a new name to the board.  The FSU commitment is not signing until February and is adamant about taking visits.  Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee are among a handful of major programs who are trying to wedge their way into this one, and after some of the Vols staff visited Jay this week he stated that at least both Tennessee and UF would get January OVs.  FSU isn’t giving up here though, so this will be a battle for the Vols should they continue to try and remain players here

Tennessee recently started showing interest in Arkansas RB commitment A’Montae Spivey.  Spivey is coming off winning a state title for Phenix City Central HS in Alabama’s top classification (7A) and some consider him to have the best size/speed combination in the state. He’s a February signee so there’s lots of time here, but file that name away should the Vols find themselves with room for a 2nd RB to go with (hopefully) Gray

Who’s Coming to Knoxville this Weekend?

Despite this being the second to last visit weekend before the Early Signing Period begins on 12/19, as of this writing only commitments Tyus Fields, Jackson Lampley and Elijah Simmons are confirmed as an official visitor for Tennessee.  There have been rumblings of Tennessee getting 5-star Jadon Haselwood to campus for an unofficial visit.  He’s taken 4 OVs and he’s booked to be in Athens the 12/14 weekend so that would be a win for the Vols to get him on campus, but until he shows up that’s simply a rumor and regardless the odds are he signs with UGA.  Another prospects who’s been rumored to come to Knoxville is WR Khafre Brown, a Vol lean who Tennessee would take in a heartbeat.  One would think that Tennessee will get some more visitors to campus this weekend, but as of now it’s relatively light

Other Weekend Visits to Watch

With Tennessee’s weekend visitor list up in the air, Vol coaches and fans will be watching prospects take visits elsewhere and hope that no one else comes off the board

Current Tennessee commitment OLB Jalil Clemons has booked a trip to Memphis to visit the Tigers this weekend, and it looks like for all intents and purposes that he will not sign with the Vols. Reports suggest that no Tennessee coaches have visited him since the contact period began, he doesn’t have a UT OV scheduled, and when a Mississippi kid doesn’t have offers from the big instate schools and in fact is visiting a G5 school you can see the writing on the wall.  Clemons is a solid prospect whose profile – from size to offers – is probably a better fit for a program like Memphis, and this will give Tennessee another spot in this class

RB Eric Gray is currently scheduled to visit Ole Miss this weekend, but according to the 247 Ole Miss site that visit isn’t confirmed and in fact old friend Robert Gillespie is trying to get Gray to visit Columbia, SC to see what the Cock$ have to offer.  Obviously Tennessee would prefer neither visit to occur, but if I were the Vols my preference would be South Carolina, where he’s been infrequently if in fact ever, vs. Ole Miss, who is considered to be Tennessee’s main competition at the moment

JUCO DL Nick Figureoa and Keonte Schad will be taking OVs to Virginia Tech and Minnesota, respectively.  What will be interesting to find out – assuming he doesn’t commit on the visit – is how the California native Figureoa feels about the cross country travel to Blacksburg and how that impacts his feeling about not just attending Tennessee but simply taking an OV to Knoxville.  He’s got numerous other options for his last (12/14) visit weekend and it’s far from a sure thing that Tennessee lands it.  For Schad, his visit to Minnesota will see the Gophers staff try to solidify their commitment.  Should he not shut it down and elect to take his last OV next weekend, Tennessee will be in a fight with Oklahoma for that one.  Given the needs at DL I think the Vols would happily take either or both prospects

JUCO Rush End Niadre Zouzoua will be visiting Baylor.  Zouzoua had originally been planning to officially visit Tennessee this weekend and Baylor the next, but it remains unclear if he’s going to swap weekends or simply not visit UT.  He’s an EE with good size and burst from the edge, and with the absolute dearth of other Rush End options it would be good for Tennessee to at least get him on campus to give themselves a chance should they want to sign him.  We’ll see…

LB Jamie Pettway will be visiting Georgia Tech, and while he’s currently a backup option for the Vols at LB and won’t be signing until February he’s a solid prospect and Tennessee could circle back with him after the December signing period depending on how things go with other LBs higher on the board

Recruiting News and Notes for the Week Ended 11/30

The first week of the offseason and contact period was an eventful one across the country and especially for the Vols.  Below we take a look at a few of the emerging storylines and what to look for going forward.

Vols Strike Big with 2020 QB Commitment

The big news was obviously the commitment of bigtime 2020 QB Harrison Bailey.  We’ve got you covered on the analysis of that massive commitment that along with JUCO DL Jordan Davis has set up Tennessee with cornerstones on both sides of the ball.  Bailey will also be the peer-recruiting face of the class for the Vols, which should pay big dividends in 2020.

Follow the Visits – Vols Solidify Commitments and Look to Expand the Board

Pruitt and company hit the road to visit many of their current commitments, with Pruitt himself using his one in-home visit on most of Tennessee’s commitments who are very solid and also December signees/early enrollees, such as Ramel Keyton, Tank McCullough and Warren Burrell among others.

Tennessee also hit the bigtime names you know this week, including OL Darnell Wright (a February signee); LB Owen Pappoe (for whom they locked down what should be his last OV, the 12/7 weekend) and his teammate DB Kenyatta Watson (Texas commitment who has yet to decide on an OV to the Real UT); LB Trezeman Marshall (UGA commit for whom the Vols are hot on the Dawgs’ heels); DB Jammie Robinson; and LB Henry To’oto’to* in California.

*Alabama – Tennessee’s presumed top competition – picked up a commitment this week from LB Kevin Harris and appears to be the leader for 5-star LB Nakobe Dean from MS.  Will the Tide have room come February for To’oto’to?  That remains to be seen, but especially since Dean’s other frontrunner is UGA, Vol fans should be rooting for the Tide in that battle to potentially give Tennessee a leg up in the To’oto’to sweepstakes.  To’oto’to could be even more important for the Vols if they can’t flip Marshall from UGA before he signs in December.

Pruitt also used his inhomes on a handful of uncommitted prospects who are either close to decisions (e.g., RB Eric Gray) or are committed elsewhere and with whom the Vols are trying to get back (e.g., UGA DL commitments Bill Norton and Zion Logue).  Gray still appears to be a Tennessee lean but at the same time right now is scheduled to take OVs to Ole Miss (12/8) and Alabama (TBD).  The extent to which those were used at the right time will be known when and if those prospects lock in OVs with the Vols and of course when they make their final decisions, but Pruitt clearly made some calculated decisions on allocations of time and resources.

In terms of trying to get involved with some other players, Tennessee’s staff (not Pruitt) also visited Oklahoma OL commitment EJ Ndoma-Ogar – who took a UT OV during the season and is currently planning on signing in December but hasn’t 100% decided; DL’s committed elsewhere such as Justin Eboigbe (Alabama) and Jaren Handy (Auburn); as well as ATH Quarvaris Crouch (still considered a Clemson lean) and Rush-End Khris Bogle (heavy Miami lean but Vols haven’t given up- I’d love to be surprised but I don’t see it, especially since Bogle’s already taken his UT OV).  Additionally, as discussed earlier in the week, Tennessee visited and offered Dyersburg LB Chris Russell (a February signee) and also circled back with LB Jamie Pettway while visiting former Florida LB commitment Jamal Adams from Birmingham, who is also receiving interest from LSU, Auburn, and Mississippi State.  Tennessee also visited and offered Minnesota JUCO DL commitment Keonte Schad (a December signee and early enrollee) and while he hasn’t formally scheduled an OV they clearly piqued his interest.  He’s got his Minnesota OV scheduled for the 12/7 weekend so there are two more in which he could get to Knoxville, with Oklahoma also looming after recently offering as well.  Finally, Tennessee visited with FSU DB commitment Travis Jay, another February signee who could see increased attention from the Vols and others depending on how December goes.

Addressing the Need for Speed

Quite simply, the Vols have a major need for speed on offense, and while track star WR Khafre Brown is considered a Vol lean, he’s not committed yet and Tennessee could even conceivably take a 3rd WR in the class if things break that way.  To that end, Tennessee’s staff successfully turned assistant coaches visits into OVs for Texas WR (and Baylor commit) Jaylen Ellis as well as WR Xavier Legette from South Carolina.  Legette is more of a late-bloomer on the recruiting scene than the Army All-American Ellis, but while Legette is geographically closer, from this vantage point Ellis is the more likely Tennessee signee.  The Vols will get his last OV (12/14 weekend) before he announces his decision at the A-A Bowl and he certainly appears to see the need Tennessee has at his position and the chance for early playing time.  Baylor won’t let go without a fight, and Texas is trying to get involved as well, but if that OV occurs and goes well Ellis could end up a Vol.  In contrast, Legette has been on campus in Columbia multiple times and it just seems like he’s destined to be a Gamecock.  Tennessee had seemed to get involved with 5-star WR Jadon Haselwood, a former UGA commitment, but at this point the Vols appear to have faded.  We’ll see if things change there, but as of now the trio of Brown/Ellis/Legette appear to be the most realistic WRs on the board.

Weekend Visits to Watch

While Tennessee isn’t expected to have any official visitors on campus this weekend, some prospects the Vols are recruiting will be officially visiting elsewhere:

Aforementioned UGA DL commitments Norton and Logue are allegedly going to be visiting Ole Miss this weekend, though neither have been confirmed.  Were either of those visits to happen they would obviously be indicative of softness in the respective recruitments.  Both have been to Oxford this season so I wouldn’t count the Rebels out, but again should those visits indeed occur it could signal that the Vols actually have more of a chance with either/both of them than currently thought.

Emerging JUCO DL target Nick Figureoa will be OV’ing at UCLA, who at this time is his presumed favorite.  Figureoa is both an early enrollee as well as a 3-for-3 player, and as such is a pretty valuable prospect on a Tennessee DL board that for the most part only contains players committed elsewhere.  If Figureoa comes out of the weekend uncommitted the Vols will look to get him on campus in the next two weeks for an OV and he could emerge as a very important piece of the puzzle.

Another DL target, NY native Jared Harrison-Hunte, will be headed to Penn State after OV’ing to OSU last weekend.  He previously had an OV scheduled to UT for the 12/14 weekend but that’s been changed and he’s now going to Michigan State that weekend instead.  Penn State has been considered the favorite for Harrison-Hunte, so like Figureoa it will be interesting to see if he comes out of this visit to his presumed leader without committing and shutting it down.  He’s currently planning on waiting until February to sign and will have one more OV left, so the Vols – along with FSU and Miami – will try and get the last one.

Auburn WR commitment George Pickens hasn’t been shy about visiting elsewhere and this weekend will be officially visiting LSU.  Tennessee is a peripheral player at the moment but has been trying to get more involved, and if/when Auburn OC Chip Lindsay leaves (whether to Tennessee or elsewhere) Pickens’ commitment could be even more tenuous.  Pickens is also a February signee so depending on what happens with other WRs on Tennessee’s board they could try and push.

 

Why Harrison Bailey Could Finally Be the Key For Tennessee

It’s ridiculous to anoint a high school junior as the savior of a long-dormant program. But, for Tennessee fans needing a future on which to cling with no present to speak of, Thursday’s commitment from Marietta (Ga.) High School 4-star quarterback Harrison Bailey meant more than just an announcement from a talented high school kid.

Though Bailey could still reclassify as a 2019 recruit [he says he won’t], his pledge for the Vols could be the key that turns Jeremy Pruitt’s already-quality recruiting toward elite status.

Could Bailey change his mind? Yes, any time. But signal-callers normally don’t. Bailey is a 2020 pledge, so there’s still more than a year until he can be on the field for a Tennessee team that desperately needs him now. But the future UT quarterback means a lot to everybody involved — fans, players, and a coaching staff that needed some good news after a 5-7 first year.

Bailey is arguably the best quarterback in the class-after-next, and given the the fact that the Vols haven’t gone out and gotten an elite high school quarterback since Jarrett Guarantano, this was necessary. Bailey committed to UT over Michigan on Thursday at a quick and classy ceremony at his school. When he gave the VFL sign, the Periscope video panned to the crowd where UT ’19 wide receiver commitment Ramel Keyton was visibly excited.  If things go as planned, Keyton will be one of Bailey’s top targets on the Hill, much the way he was at Marietta High.

It’s a testament to Pruitt’s recruiting prowess that Bailey committed to Tennessee despite the Vols’ former offensive coordinator Tyson Helton left to be the head coach at Western Kentucky. It’s a testament to the program Pruitt is trying to build and how he connects to recruits that Bailey chose to go to Knoxville over an established program like Michigan.

Though Guarantano showed signs of development this year, he didn’t have any real coaching until Year 3 in the program, and who knows just how much that stunted his growth? Who knows how good J.T. Shrout and Brian Maurer will be, but neither one was heavily recruited, so it’s not like UT went out and beat a bunch of elite programs for those guys even though one or both could turn out to be quality players.

But Bailey is a next-level recruit, and the last time the Vols went out and got one of those marquee guys who is a pure quarterback who can drop back and throw dimes was Jonathan Crompton. Yes, it’s been that long. Tyler Bray developed into an erratic gunslinger who led a prolific offense on a bad UT team, and Joshua Dobbs was a tremendous player whose athleticism helped UT overcome the limitations of Butch Jones’ offense. Neither was the prospect Bailey is.

He’s a legit 6’4″ and 217 pounds and has a rifle arm. He plays on a loaded Marietta High team [where one of his coaches and a big influence is former UT star Derrick Tinsley] and he is surrounded by stars like Keyton, 2020 5-star tight end/athlete Arik Gilbert, defensive end B.J. Ojulari, and Ohio State commit Jake Wray [brother of OSU OL Max Wray, who committed to the Buckeyes over the Vols when he was a Midstate prospect].

Could Bailey get the Vols’ foot in the door with some of those prospects? Absolutely with Gilbert, though Ojulari [whose brother is at Georgia] and Wray [whose brother is at Ohio State] are long shots. But it’s not just Marietta High prospects who could flock to UT. When you’ve got a stud signal-caller from a hotbed like the Atlanta area, he can bring elite high school prospects from around the region with him.

Think about when Hunter Johnson committed to Tennessee, and his pledge was a big influence on Oak Ridge star receiver Tee Higgins. When Johnson flipped from the Vols to Clemson, it was an ugly sign of things to come for the Butch Jones regime. What happened soon after? Higgins flipped, too. Now, though Johnson has transferred to Northwestern in the wake of Trevor Lawrence’s emergence, Higgins is one of the biggest, brightest stars in the nation.

Speaking of Lawrence, that’s a kid who grew up a Vols fan whose parents were from Johnson City. Tennessee also was in the early mix if not the leaders for Georgia freshman star Justin Fields and Florida freshman Emory Jones. They got none of those guys.

Even though there’s a long way to go until Bailey signs on the dotted line, he’s a massive pledge for the Pruitt era at this point.

There’s still a lot of work to be done by Pruitt and the gang in this year’s class, as players like Owen Pappoe, Khafre Brown, Eric Gray, Darnell Wright and other blue-chip big names are still viable options to pull the trigger for the Vols, but with Bailey and 4-star defensive end Jordan Davis, who UT flipped from Alabama, the ’20 class is off to a bang.

All the recruiting analysts raved today about Bailey’s potential. His upside is as high as anybody’s in this class or next. Perhaps it’s just as good news that Max Johnson [son of former NFL quarterback Brad Johnson and nephew of Mark Richt] didn’t go to Georgia and committed to LSU instead the day before Bailey. The Vols need not only to close the gap in the recruiting battle but to land some difference-makers.

Bailey will be arriving at a time when reinforcements should be in place for an awful offensive line, and the playmakers he could bring with him could mean big things for the Vols and whoever takes over for Helton as the offensive coordinator.

With Pruitt’s defensive acumen, you have to feel good about that side of the ball once he gets his recruits in there. Now, the offense feels like it’s turning a corner with Bailey in the fold.

So, even though Bailey’s arrival is months and months away, we’re fresh off watching an offense that couldn’t consistently move the football and a quarterback that — while improved — struggled reading blitzes and consistently hitting receivers in the intermediate passing routes, getting a commitment from a quarterback who is a polished prospect at this early juncture is huge.

Bailey’s decision to believe in Pruitt gives us more hope that things can turn around. The Vols have an elite recruiter in the head coaching position, and it feels like momentum is about to be on Tennessee’s side on the trail. They just need to find a way to parlay that good fortune into recruiting into some wins. This is, after all, the time of year when we start looking to the future because the present is one we’d like to move beyond.

It’s the curse of being a Tennessee fan, but the blessing is we still attract elite players, and you can’t be a great team without a great quarterback. The Vols got one of those on Thursday with the potential to grow and develop into a dynamic SEC throwing threat.

 

Jackson Lowe a potential 2-for-1 signee (and other Monday recruiting notes)

With Tennessee losing four of their top Defensive Linemen from a unit that struggled with depth and, frankly, talent, adding a large group of talented DL in the class of 2019 is an absolute necessity.  And although Tennessee has six commitments from a high-quality group of Defensive Linemen/Pass-Rushers, there is still a need for more, and Coach Pruitt and Coach Rocker are recruiting as such.  However, the majority of the players on their DL board are committed elsewhere, which will make it that much more difficult to land another impact prospect at the position.  At the same time, one of its DL commitments – Alabama native Ledarrius Cox – has been flirting with Auburn for almost six months.

That said, there is a player on the roster who could make a positional move and give the Vols another talented lineman to work with.  That player is junior-to-be reserve TE Latrell Bumphus, a 6’3 250lb player who actually spent a few days in fall practice cross-training at DL after a high school career in West Tennessee spent as a two-way star.  Ideally Bumphus would be able to spend all of spring practice at DL to give him a jump start to being an immediate contributor there, but Tennessee will need to make sure they have enough bodies at the TE position before committing to that move.

The Vols will have solid starting TE Dominick Wood-Anderson returning at the position in 2019 along with, assuming nothing changes in their respective statuses, 2018 backups Eli Wolf and Austin Pope as well as part-time TE Jaquan Blakeley.  They will also bring on RS-Freshmen Jacob Warren, an intriguing prospect at 6’6 with some speed who needs to have used this season and the coming offseason to add weight and get more physical in the run game.

Currently Tennessee has two TE commitments, and one of them – Jackson Lowe – could be the key to allowing Bumpus to make that move to DL pending two important variables.  For one, while Lowe has been to a bunch of Tennessee home games this season, he’s been getting quite a bit of pressure from Florida to visit the Gators officially and has also been receiving some interest from Alabama after a really nice senior season.  It’s easy to forget because he committed to the Vols back in March, but the 6’5 235lb+ 4-star Lowe had legit offers from Clemson, UGA and Auburn when he committed.  He’s a really nice prospect at the position and arguably comes in as the most or second-most talented TE on the roster.  Almost as important when it comes to the immediate issue of moving Bumphus to DL is the chance that Lowe might be able to enroll early and go through spring practice with the Vols.  That’s unclear at the moment but is something he’s been working on.  Should Lowe be able to enroll in January that would give the Vols six TEs on the roster  – not counting Bumphus – and then 7 when fellow 2018 commitment Sean Brown enrolls in the summer.

Obviously the Vols need to hang on to Lowe, but should they do so, and if he gets in for spring practice, he will add not just another body at TE – and a big body with potential for immediate impact at that.  He would allow Tennessee to move Bumphus and give them a big body with potential for immediate impact on the DL as well.  That would effectively make Lowe a 2-for-1 signee and would make up for a potential miss on another DL in the 2019 class and/or allow the staff to avoid reaching on a less-talented DL just to get another body

Monday Recruiting Notes

  • The big news today is that Tyson Helton is now Tennessee’s former Offensive Coordinator and QB Coach. What that means for recruiting is unclear, but what we do know are two things:
    • Helton was recruiting current 2019 QB commitment Brian Maurer, who by all indications on his Twitter feed remains firm to the Vols and is still planning to sign next month and enroll in January
    • Helton was also recruiting 2020 QB prospect Harrison Bailey from Marietta, Georgia, who plans to announce his commitment to either Tennessee or Michigan this Thursday. Georgia’s 247 mods were hearing some UT buzz but it’s unclear how this news, and how fast Pruitt moves to replace Helton and with whom, will impact that commitment
  • Top RB target Eric Gray, fresh off winning his 3rd Tennessee Mr. Football award – the first ever three-time winner – is a Michigan commitment in name only. However, the Wolverines are not giving up and Coach Jim Harbaugh will make an in-home visit this week, as will Pruitt.  At the same time, Gray is still currently planning to take OVs to Ole Miss the 12/7 weekend and then to Alabama the 12/14 weekend of Dec. 14, with Texas A&M still fighting to get involved. So while insiders continue to feel confident that Gray is trending to the Vols this one is pretty clearly far from being a done deal
  • This article from Dawgnation.com is certainly not promising when it comes to Tennessee’s chances with 5-star WR Jadon Haselwood. Per the article Haselwood plans to sign in the early period and wait to announce at the Army Game.  Unfortunately for the Vols, he’s only got 1 OV left and his current plan is to take it to UGA the last weekend before the dead period (12/14). Obviously Tennessee could get him to Knoxville unofficially, but the buzz here seems to have really worn off from just a few weeks ago
  • Vols appear to have offered Dyersburg, TN LB Chris Russell, a former Memphis commitment. Russell had a big senior season and has garnered additional offers from Auburn, Arkansas, and Georgia Tech.  Right now he’s a February signee so the Vols have done the smart thing in offering and getting involved now.  He’s likely a secondary LB target and how serious Tennessee pursues him will seemingly depend on whether they and Owen Pappoe, if so whether they land another of their LB targets like Marshall or To’oto’to; and what happens at other positions
  • Speaking of Pappoe, interestingly, while the Tennessee staff will absolutely be in Grayson to see the trio of Vol commit Wanya Morris and top targets Pappoe and Kenyatta Watson, there have been no reported plans for the Auburn staff to visit their “commitment” in Pappoe. Obviously that can change, but there is a report of Auburn visiting Russell, so the absence of a report of a visit to Grayson seems at least notable

Dash to December – A Preview

Well, the 2018 season is over after a disappointing final two weeks.  Every Vol fan has known that the talent deficit was real, but in the last two games against Missouri and Vanderbilt – not exactly two powerhouses and frankly programs Tennessee should be better than just about every season – no longer are we talking about getting back to competing with the Alabamas and Georgias of the conference.  At this point it’s plain that, after a pretty successful 2018 recruiting class, Jeremy Pruitt needs to hit a homerun with his the 2019 class in order to simply be better than the Missouris and Vanderbilts and South Carolinas before we can start thinking about competing for championships again.  To that end, Tennessee currently has 20 commitments in a class that ranks in the Top 15 nationally, and the majority will sign with the Vols on December 19 during the Early Signing Period.  Barring attrition, which will surely happen one way or the other, that leaves roughly 5 more spots to fill.  In the coming days we’ll take a deeper look at remaining needs and the most likely players to fill those spots, but first we’ll start with a 30,000-foot preview of the weeks ahead between now – the start of the Contact Period – and the December signing period, with some notes at the end

December Signees – Current Commitments

As of now, 14 of Tennessee’s 20 current commitments plan to sign in December.  That will allow the staff to do the majority of their inhomes with this group to get them solidified and then immediately focus on the remaining commitments and targets – both for December and February- plus continue to lay the groundwork for the 2020 class

QB Brian Maurer

OL Wanya Morris

OL Jackson Lampley

OL Chris Akproroghene

TE Jackson Lowe

TE Sean Brown

WR Ramel Keyton

DL Darrel Middleton

DL Savion Williams

DL Roman Harrison

CB Tyus Fields

CB Warren Burrell

S Tank McCullough

S Anthony Harris

Early Enrollees – Current Commitments

Having at least the 8 current commitments enroll in January and be available for spring practice will be huge for these individuals as well as the program in the future and immediately in 2019.  Most if not all of them will be given the opportunity to earn significant playing time as they add talent and depth to the roster

QB Brian Maurer

OL Wanya Morris

OL Chris Akproroghene

TE Jackson Lowe

WR Ramel Keyton

DL Darrel Middleton

CB Tyus Fields

CB Warren Burrell

S Tank McCullough

February Signees – Current Commitments

From the list below, McBride, Beasley, Henry and Cox should not be considered 100% firm commitments, as they’ve each shown interest in other schools including Beasley and Henry taking official visits elsewhere.  It’s unclear at this point why Simmons and Clemons are not signing in December, but so far at least neither of them have publicly shown interest in other schools.  Simmons in particular is a prospect who I think can make an immediate impact on the DL, while Henry is a plug and play prospect at a position in dire need of more talent

OL Melvin McBride

ATH Aaron Beasley

LB Lakia Henry

DL Elijah Simmons

DL Ledarrius Cox

DL Jalil Clemons

Remaining Board – December Signees

RB Eric Gray (EE)

WR Jaden Haselwood (EE)

LB Owen Pappoe (EE)

LB Trezeman Marshall (EE)

LB Quarvaris Crouch (EE)

Rush End Niadre Zouzoua (EE)

DL Justin Eboigbe (EE)

DL Nick Figureoa (EE)

DB Kenyatta Watson (EE)

Remaining Board – February Signees

OL Darnell Wright

WR Khafre Brown

WR Xavier Leggette

RB Lee Witherspoon

LB Henry To’oto’to

DL Jaren Handy

DB Jammie Robinson

Postseason All-Star Games

The postseason bowl games in and of themselves are not particularly important, but the week of practice leading up to each of them is often a chance for top prospects to go head to head with better talent then they are used to seeing during the season as well as do peer recruiting, which will be especially important for the Vols.  It’s also a time where under the radar prospects in the Shrine Bowl and AL-MS game can show out and see their recruitments go to another level

NC-SC Shrine Bowl – December 15th

WR Khafre Brown

S Anthony Harris (Vol commit)

Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game

DL Jalil Clemons (Vol commit)

DL Ledarrius Cox (Vol commit)

DL Jaren Handy (Auburn commit)

RB Lee Witherspoon

Under Armour All-America Bowl January 3rd

OL Wanya Morris (Vol commit)

OL Darnell Wright

LB Owen Pappoe

CB Kenyatta Watson

S Tank McCullough (Vol commit)

Army All-America Bowl January 5th

RB Eric Gray

WR Ramel Keyton (Vol commit)

WR Jaden Haselwood

WR Jaylen Ellis

LB Henry To’oto’to

LB Quarvaris Crouch

News and Notes from the weekend

  • There have already been some notable firings across the country (UNC, Texas Tech, among others), and the coaching carousel will continue and as such will shake up recruiting boards as it always does. That will have both positive and negative implications for the Vols and will be something to monitor
  • To that end, there are rumors swirling that Tennessee Offensive Coordinator Tyson Helton will not be back with the Vols next season. Although he is currently on the road recruiting for the Vols, those rumors will likely persist until either he does leave the staff or something very, very definitive happens the other way.  QB commitment Brian Maurer, who Central Florida has been quietly pushing for over the past month or so, would be one to watch if there is a change made
  • Alabama commitment and Vol DL target Justin Eboigbe was in Tuscaloosa on an unofficial visit this past weekend for the Iron Bowl two weeks after taking an unofficial visit to Knoxville for the win over Kentucky. He currently has an OV to Miami on the books for the 12/7 weekend, and his plan all along has been to take his Bama OV the 12/14 weekend which immediately precedes Signing Day, so if the Vols are going to get him back to campus for an OV it will have to be in the next two week
  • Another Iron Bowl visitor was Georgia commitment and bigtime Vol LB target Trezeman Marshall. This originally was going to be an OV but instead was an unofficial visit, meaning the Tide will likely get him back to Tuscaloosa again before Signing Day.  While the Dawgs and the Vols are thought to be his Top 2, Bama obviously is a real threat here
  • Speaking of the Iron Bowl, Auburn’s demolition at the hands of Alabama (join the club) finished off a tumultuous regular season for the Tigers than Tennessee (among others) have continued to try and take advantage of. Everyone knows that Tennessee is in prime position to flip Owen Pappoe from Auburn, but one Tiger commitment that the Vols have been quietly working on for months is DL Jaren Handy from Hattiesburg, MS.  Handy ws first an LSU commitment before flipping to Auburn and has been taking visits to other campuses all season.  He took an UV to Knoxville in the spring and on Sunday tweeted out that he was looking at “Tennessee, LSU, Bama, Florida, and Ole Miss (maybe).”  Look for the Vols to try and get the February signee back on campus for an OV sometime after the early signing period depending on how things go with the rest of the class

One Month from Early Signing Period, Defensive Board Has Elite Prospects at Each Position

Coming out of the Missouri game, Tennessee is 5-5 and has a win or go home matchup against fellow .500 squad Vanderbilt in Neyland West, aka Memorial Stadium in Nashville.  Coach Jeremy Pruitt currently has the #2 recruiting class in the SEC East and 15th nationally, with needs addressed across the roster and positioned for an outstanding finish to their first full class.

Since we looked at the Offensive Board last week, there have been a few happenings on that side of the ball:

RB Eric Gray once again eschewed a visit to Michigan – where he as of this writing is still committed – to take another visit to Knoxville and the Vols are in excellent position to flip him.  He would be an outstanding addition to a roster in desperate need of playmakers, not to mention another stake in the ground for Pruitt and Tennessee in the fertile recruiting area that is Memphis.

WR Javonta Payton took his official visit to Mississippi State and committed to the Bulldogs.  While at one point it seemed like he was a Tennessee lean, Payton appears to have made a final decision.  That puts WR Khafre Brown at the front of the list of remaining WR targets – although they will absolutely continue to try for 5-star WR Jadon Haselwood (who took an OV to Florida State this weekend, though the Seminoles are not a real contender in this writer’s mind) – and while Brown isn’t as physically developed as the JUCO product Payton he is a burner (10.7 in the 100-meter dash) and will absolutely improve the speed on the roster.

OL Darnell Wright was thought to be a possible unofficial visitor in Knoxville but once again didn’t make it.  However, the Vols appear to still be in the driver’s seat for the 5-star West Virginia native.  With his season having ended this past Friday, Wright will start to set up his official visits.  The Vols will need to continue to fight for the coveted lineman until he makes a final decision, with Alabama continuing to be the primary competition and UGA and Clemson trying to be players.

ATH Xavier Leggette was left out of the previous piece because Jeremy Pruitt to this point has taken prospects who play on both sides of the ball and put them on Defense.  However, Leggette – who took another unofficial to home-state South Carolina this past weekend – has expressed a clear desire to play WR.  Both the Cocks and the Vols still have official visits left to host Leggette, but his coach recently stated that Tennessee has seemed to show him more love to Carolina to this point.

Below we take a look at the Defensive Board, where the Vols have needs at each position and current commitments Lakia Henry and Ledarrius Cox are still looking around:

Defensive Line/Pass-Rushers

At position where no program can ever have enough bodies, and Tennessee in particular has a need for both quantity and quality, the Vols do in fact have six commitments from Defensive Linemen/Pass-Rushers.  And while the recruiting rankings for the six prospects run the gamut, from this vantage point Tennessee has amassed a group that has a great mix of immediate impact potential and long-term upside.  At the same time, there is still a need to add at least one more player to this list, and Tennessee is recruiting as such.  Interestingly, however, the majority of the players on the list below are committed elsewhere, which will make it that much more difficult to land another impact DL prospect.

DL Justin Eboigbe – An Alabama commitment who visited Knoxville over the summer and then again for an UV for the Kentucky game, the Atlanta-area native has had an outstanding senior season playing both inside and out on the DL.  As of now it remains to be seen if the Vols can get him back to campus again for an OV, and regardless the Tide will host him on the last weekend before Signing Day.  Therefore it goes without saying that this will be a tough pull, but Tennessee has positioned itself as well as one can for a player committed to the national champs

Pass-Rusher Niadre Zouzoua –  Perhaps the most “gettable” prospect on this list, as well as one of the most intriguing, Zouzoua is an early-enrollee JUCO Passrusher who along with his Vol offer (picked up in early October when his film got out) also holds offers from Nebraska, Baylor, Temple, and Rutgers. He’s 6’5, 230-pounds with really nice speed off the edge and right now is scheduled to take his Tennessee OV the December 7th weekend, followed by an OV to Baylor the following weekend that immediately precedes Signing Day. Zouzoua was a multi-sport athlete in high school, playing hoops and running track, so he fits that mold of what Pruitt likes in his signees.  Given the need for pass-rushers on the roster, as well as the struggles in gaining traction with them in this class – not to discount the two current commitments Jalil Clemons and Roman Harrison, both of whom I am very high on – I think Zouzoua could be a guy who if the Vols like what they see on his visit to Knoxville that they pounce on.  Being an early enrollee would allow him to go through spring practice and be ready to immediately join the rotation in 2019.

 

DL Jared Harrison-Hunte  –  At 6’4 and 285 lbs, the New York native is a prospect that has quietly been on Tennessee’s radar for a long time.  Originally scheduled to officially visit Knoxville this past weekend, he’s instead was at Arizona State.  He is now set for a gauntlet of high-profile visits that belie his 3-star ranking, starting with Ohio State this weekend, followed by PSU the following and then Tennessee either December 7th or 14th. A January OV to Michigan State has also been discussed, so whether he signs in December or February appears to be up in the air.  Depending on how things go with Eboigbe in December and of course whether or not he makes it past his OSU and PSU visits, the Vols could really turn the pressure up when/if he makes it to Knoxville.

 

DL Nick Figureoa – A JUCO prospect with a Tennessee offer; Figueroa is a 6’5, 270-pound DE who is originally from California and is playing his JUCO ball there as well.  He’s got a UCLA offer and they could be the favorite, but he’s also got offers from Virginia Tech (11/30 OV) and Georgia Tech.  Not likely a priority at the moment, the Vols could turn back here depending on how things go with other prospects.

DL Kristian Varner – A former Louisville commitment took an unofficial visit to Knoxville for the Missouri game, Varner doesn’t appear to be a priority at the moment despite having a Vol offer for a while.  However, he’s got a large offer list after a nice senior season and the GA native is a nice-looking developmental prospect.

DL Zion Logue/Travon Walker/Nolan Smith – Three UGA commitments, two of whom – Smith and Walker – who took official visits for the Missouri game.  None of them appear to be truly in play for the Vols at this point.

DL Joseph Anderson – South Carolina commitment from Nashville who at one time tried to commit to the Vols but was put on hold.  There have been some rumblings that there could be something brewing here but at this point I don’t put much stock into it unless and until he shows up again in Knoxville.

Inside Linebacker

Perhaps more than any other position on the defense, Inside Linebacker is a position on the current roster that has been exposed during the 2018 season as being in need of a major talent upgrade.  The current ILBs on the roster – with the exception of freshman JJ Peterson (and this is solely based on his rating coming out of high school) – simply don’t have the athletic ability/size combination to both play in space while at the same time matching up against run-heavy offenses.  To this point, however, the Vols only have one ILB commitment, albeit from a bigtime JUCO prospect in Lakia Henry.  The good news is that Tennessee is very much in the mix for some elite level Linebackers who should be able to step in and help immediately in 2019.  None of them are done deals – far from it – but this position in particular could see a December to remember in terms of talent upgrade if things go according to plan.

Owen Pappoe – An Auburn commitment since the spring, Pappoe is an elite athlete who plays for the bigtime Grayson HS program and as such is teammates with Vol OL commit Wanya Morris as well as CB target Kenyatta Watson (more on him below).  Pappoe has been to Knoxville dozens of times since he was in 8th grade, and due to a number of factors, including but far from limited to Auburn’s on-field struggles and the subsequent roar around Gus Malzahn’s long-term if not immediate job insecurity, the Vols have surged here.  Morris being in his ear while the Vols have shown real on-field improvement and the longtime relationships Pappoe has with multiple Vol staffers have also helped.  Although nothing is set in stone, the word is that not only will Pappoe (and hopefully Watson) take an official visit to Tennessee the weekend prior to Signing Day but he is also unlikely to take an official visit to Auburn.  Should those come to pass that would be the strongest sign yet that Pappoe ends up a Vol, and as an early enrollee he would instantly be a frontrunner for early playing time in 2019.

Trezeman Marshall – A UGA commitment, Marshall took his official visit to Tennessee back in the spring before committing to the instate Dawgs.  However, the Vols dogged (pardon the pun) pursuit along with his longstanding relationships with many members of the Tennessee staff got him back to Knoxville this past weekend for another unofficial visit.  Marshall’s status as an elite prospect is certified by the fact that not only is he a UGA commitment coveted by Tennessee but he’s got upcoming visits with the likes of Alabama (this weekend) and Auburn.  Coming out of his visit to Knoxville it sounds like the Vols are neck and neck with the Dawgs, but this one will have some twists and turns before he signs his papers and enrolls at the school of his choice in January.

Henry To’oto’to – Another elite LB prospect on the board, what makes To’oto’to on this list is that he’s not a Southeast prospect but instead is from California.  That said, Tennessee is fighting a familiar foe in Alabama, as both the Vols and the Tide have a De La Salle HS alum on its side, with former Vol great Kevin Simon fighting the good fight for Tennessee.  To’oto’to took unofficials to both schools in the spring/summer, and plans on officially visiting both before signing in February.  West Coast schools such as Oregon and Cal aren’t going quietly, but the Tide are considered the leaders right now with the Vols right behind.  To’oto’to is without a doubt an elite prospect, but both schools have other LBs on the line and how they fare with those prospects could play a role in where To’oto’to ultimately signs.

Quavaris Crouch – At one time considered a Vol lean, despite taking an official visit to Knoxville for the Kentucky game this one appears to be a long shot at the moment as Clemson has taken control.  Anything can happen in recruiting, of course, but at this point I think anyone expects Crouch to end up in the right shade of orange.

Secondary

Although the Vols have 4 DB commitments (maybe 5, depending on Aaron Beasley signing Tennessee and at which position he ends up), they would love to add another if it’s the right prospect.

DB Kenyatta Watson – A Texas commitment and high school teammate of the aforementioned Wanya Morris and Pappoe, Watson has been pretty quiet about his recruitment for a while.  However, there has been a lot of buzz around him and the Vols, and while there have been conflicting reports about whether he attended this past weekend’s Missouri game, it wouldn’t surprise me if he wanted to keep that quiet.  Watson is an elite athlete with great length at 6’2 and could play any position in the secondary. The hope in Knoxville is that he and Pappoe take their final OVs before Signing Day together to Tennessee.  If they do all bets are off, and this will be one to watch until then…

DB Jammie Robinson – Another Georgia native, Robinson is a very nice prospect with offers from South Carolina, Michigan and Tennessee among others and strong interest from the instate Bulldogs pending their needs.  Robinson’s tie to the Vols is Quality Control assistant Shelton Felton, his former high school coach, and he made his first visit to Knoxville for the Florida game.  He hasn’t scheduled an official visit to Tennessee yet – he’s took his OV to South Carolina over the summer – but he’s not signing until February so there isn’t a rush.  Given that timing, it will be interesting to see how things shake out for the Vols with the rest of their board and how hard they pursue Robinson, but he’s a prospect I really like as he’s got all the athletic tools and plays with a real edge.

 

Tennessee Recruiting: Vols Continue Rekindling Old Flames With Jordan Davis Commitment

The biggest recruiting trend so far in the Jeremy Pruitt era at Tennessee is the Vols getting bigger and stronger across the board at every position. If there’s another trend that is continuing on Rocky Top, it’s some old names popping up and popping for the Vols.

It happened when defensive lineman Emmit Gooden committed and ultimately signed with Tennessee in Pruitt’s initial class after being committed to UT as a high school upperclassman before heading to JUCO. He’s been a solid addition to the defensive front so far this season.

Former Vols tight end commitment Darrel Middleton is now a JUCO defensive lineman with offers from Georgia, Alabama and others, and he’s already decided to come home and be part of what Pruitt is building as a cornerstone of the 2019 class. With four senior defensive linemen heading off after this year, Middleton is a big piece of the puzzle in this class.

One of UT’s biggest remaining targets in the class is former mid-state wide receiver JaVonta Payton, who committed to Ole Miss out of high school, failed to qualify, went to JUCO and is now with the Rebels again, though UT is trying to steal him away.

On Tuesday night, yet another “blast from the past” chose to become a Vol. That would be Memphis defensive lineman Jordan Davis, who Tennessee recruited heavily the first time around with former coach Butch Jones. But Davis’ family loved Alabama (and Coach Pruitt) and he signed with the Crimson Tide instead. Davis was the No. 108-ranked player in the nation coming out of high school, according to 247Sports and looked like a potential big-time player at 6’5″, 238 pounds.

The defender failed to qualify, however, and went to Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi, where he re-pledged to UA before backing off that commitment on November 3. He had offers from Tennessee and Mississippi State and ultimately decided Tuesday night he wanted to play for Pruitt.

He made his intentions known with a tweet.

Though there’s still a long time before Davis can suit up for the Vols, he’s a huge get if UT can ultimately get him on campus. He’s still got grade issues and should need the full two years at JUCO. Everybody knows a lot of things can happen in that timeframe with other schools coming calling, but Davis is a guy who seems dialed-in on playing for Pruitt.

Tennessee ace recruiter Brian Niedermeyer alluded to Davis’ commitment with a tweet of his own Tuesday night.

Who knows what all is going to happen with Davis and how he develops between now and 2020. At 240 pounds, he’s got the kind of frame that could add 40-50 pounds and play with his hand down. He also could stay on the second level as a pass-rushing outside linebacker, though a line spot looks most likely.

He was the No. 6 weak side defensive end nationally and the No. 2 overall prospect out of Tennessee coming out of high school, according to 247Sports, and he is exactly the kind of JUCO instant-impact player the Vols will need as they try to fill in the gaps from the past two mediocre classes of the Butch Jones era.

Davis is a big-time player if he continues to develop, make the grades and keeps his head on straight. This is a player UA wants, and the Vols outright beat the Tide, at least for his commitment, even though there’s a long time before his signature goes on paper. Davis looks like a big piece of the future.

With Recruiting Homestretch Beginning, Vols Have Momentum On, Off the Field

Coming into the Kentucky game, a Tennessee program that was 4-5 in Coach Jeremy Pruitt’s inaugural season had the #2 recruiting class in the SEC East and 15th nationally, with ample room to move up and needs addressed at multiple positions.  At the same time, national pundits were talking about a buzz around the Vols as the staff’s recruiting prowess continues to show while the team’s overall improvement and individual player development are apparent.  However, after the Vols dismantled the #11 Cats on both sides of the ball to move to 5-5 and place themselves in firm position to make a bowl and even finish 7-5 (a possible 3-game improvement overall and 4-game SEC improvement), there can be no doubt that Pruitt and Co. have positioned themselves for an outstanding finish to their first full class as they hope to take a step-change leap in terms of improving the roster overall and in particular narrow the talent gap with the elite programs in the country.

With one more home game to go – this weekend against Missouri – and only roughly one month until the early signing period begins on December 19th, Tennessee’s recruiting board continues to get bigger and more importantly the staff is adding more and more elite players to the list.

Below we take a look at the Offensive Board, where the Vols have needs at each position and currently only 7 (maybe 8) of its 20 commitments are on that side of the ball (and TE Jackson Lowe is being heavily pursued by Florida):

OL

Despite hosting Oklahoma commitment EJ Ndoma-Ogar on an official visit for the Alabama game, that one seems like an extreme longshot, especially after his very successful OV to Norman this past weekend.  With the Vols already having an incredibly strong 4-man OL class – headlined by 5-star OT Wanya Morris – at this point it’s basically a one-man OL board consisting of 5-star West Virginia native Darnell Wright.  Wright is ostensibly still considering a few other bigtime programs like OSU and PSU, but in reality this is a Tennessee-Alabama battle with the Vols by all accounts in the pole position.  Wright had even planned to be in Knoxville this past weekend for the UK game but couldn’t get the transportation logistics worked out, but the simple fact that he was trying to get back for his second unofficial of the season – after having been to campus multiple times beforehand and with an OV still to be scheduled – speaks volumes.  At this point, while there is no public commitment and in recruiting things can change on a dime, the recruiting world would be surprised if he doesn’t sign with the Vols.  If and when he does, he would complete an OL class that, like one of Stefon’s night clubs, has everything – multiple 5-star OTs, powerful interior players, and simply talent and numbers at a position in dire need of both.

Offensive Playmakers

Perhaps more than anything else this season, what has been laid bare this season is the Vols dearth of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball.  At RB, the Vols have Ty Chandler – an electric runner and pass-catcher who absolutely fits that bill – and a handful of guys who are solid but unspectacular.  Tim Jordan almost defines that, and not in a bad way per se but simply in the fact that he’s not a starting RB for an SEC contender but excels as a 2nd or 3rd back in a rotation.  Carlin Fils-aime has actually showed flashes of being a playmaker due to his straight line speed and willingness to put his head down when he’s been given opportunities (going back to last year, really), and I’m quite hopeful that he can build on those and be a contributor in the rotation going forward in his career.  Madre London, whatever he’s been this season, will be gone after the season.  And freshman Jeremy Banks’s unfortunate penchant for fumbling combined with the need at LB and his athleticism and physicality (not to mention Pruitt’s track record for moving “athletes” to defense) means he’s likely ticketed for LB starting with bowl practice (crosses fingers).  At the same time, the current commitment list contains no pure RBs, and the only possible RB committed is Aaron Beasley, who not only is also considered a LB/S prospect but as a RB prospect is more of a brusier.  Additionally, Beasley is also still taking visits to other schools.

At WR, the Vols have a good core of solid SEC WRs, but even with all of the different strengths that each of the rotation WRs bring to the table, none of them are go-to studs for an SEC contender.  And while all of them should be back next season, after Tennessee signed just one WR in the 2018 class (sleeper Cedric Tillman) it’s 2020 where the cupboard will be empty, and that’s simply a numbers game and not a comment on the talent.  Right now the Vols have 4-star Ramel Keyton committed…and that’s it unless they choose to move do-everything electric ATH prospect Anthony Harris – who is rated as a S prospect but plays QB for his high school- to offense.  Keyton is a very good prospect and is talented enough to compete for immediate playing time.  He’s a high-end SEC playmaker, in my opinion.  But the Vols simply need more of them, and they need them in this class if they want to take another step next season.

The good news is that the Vols have a really nice list of RB/WR – “playmakers” – on their board with whom they are very legitimate players.  And the aforementioned buzz is generally centered on these types of players

RB Eric Gray – Gray is currently committed to Michigan but no one who resides outside of Ann Arbor realistically thinks he’s signing with the Wolverines.  The Memphis native has smashed state records this season and is electric with the ball in his hands.  He’s not a “big” back, but he’s not small at 5’11 and just under 200lbs.  He has good but not great speed but on film runs away from opponents in the open field and at that size can both break tackles and make guys miss.  After there not being a ton of mutual interest in the summer before he committed to UM – he took what seemed like a perfunctory UV to Knoxville – the Vols upped their interest quite a bit once the season started and Gray reciprocated that interest with an OV for the Florida game and then a return visit for the Alabama game.  Distance (and the cold) seems like it’s going to be Michigan’s worst enemy, and Ole Miss (where he has an OV planned in December), and maybe Mississippi State and even Alabama could challenge the Vols here.  The vibe is that Tennessee is in good shape here, but the timing of any decommitment/flip will be very intriguing given the overall numbers issue Tennessee could be facing as well as who else they think they can get at not just the “playmaker” positions but really anywhere else.  The tell will be if he does not get to Ann Arbor this weekend for their final home game, which will mean he won’t have visited the UM campus all season and not since his summer OV.  Gray is an early enrollee so he’ll be making his ultimate choice in the not too distant future, which will clear up a lot of things for the Vols

RB John Emery – A new add to the board, Emery is a 5-star back from LA who was formerly committed to UGA.  Obviously he’s an elite prospect, the kind of player the Vols do not have at all on the roster.  He seemed to have very little interest in the Vols despite his father having started his career in Knoxville, and when he decommitted from the Dawgs most pegged him as a strong LSU lean.  And while LSU might still be there leader, Emery showed up in Neyland Stadium this weekend as an unofficial visitor and left having watched the Vols notch their 2nd Top 15 win of the season and declaring that he would be back in December for an official visit with his entire family.  Emery is the type of prospect who you make room for regardless of what the rest of the class looks like, but given the aforementioned potential issues with numbers in the class he could complicate things for others if the staff thinks they can really land him.  He’s taken no OVs at this point so this recruitment has a ways to go, but the Vols are firmly in the mix in a way that seemed far-fetched as little as 4 days ago

RB Lee Witherspoon – A relatively unknown (or at least underrecruited) prospect, Witherspoon like Gray is putting up video game like numbers for his North Alabama Stevenson HS squad – home of emerging Vol LB Will Ignot.  He’s also a track star and at 6’0 is well put-together for a kid with that kind of speed.  He’s currently got offers from Mississippi State and Virginia Tech, and he’s taken an UV to Starkville this season.  He was supposed to be in Knoxville for the UK game but as of this writing it was unclear if he indeed made it.  While he doesn’t have an offer for the Vols or either of the two big instate schools, he has the look of a prime candidate for a late-cycle surge in his profile.  Whether the Vols choose to try to really insert themselves in this recruitment remains to be seen and could depend on how things are going with the two RBs above as well as the WRs below.  From my amateur viewpoint, however, Witherspoon looks like a dynamite RB prospect and someone is going to be lucky to land him

WR Javonta Payton – The Nashville native and former Ole Miss commitment attended the Alabama game in Knoxville as an UV and promptly decommitted from the Black Bears.  And while he hasn’t flipped to Tennessee yet the Vols do appear to be in good shape for the long (6’2) and speedy junior college product, ranked by 247 Sports as the #2 JUCO WR in the country.  Mississippi State appears to be the primary competition at this point, which Florida and UNC working to get involved as well.  In my opinion Payton, who will enroll early wherever he signs, is a plug and play WR who would add the kind of speed the Vols need on the outside.  Given the need for playmakers and Payton’s ability to step in and help right away – he’s an early enrollee so that will help tremendously – it seems like he’s a definite take for the Vols and would allow the Vols to have a “floor” at WR with him and Keyton as they chase another top-flight prospect like the next guy on the list

WR Jadon Haselwood – The player who might embody the current buzz around the Vols as much as any offensive prospect (with LB Owen Pappoe being the other), Haselwood is (another) former UGA 5-star commitment who all of the sudden the Vols appear to be real players with.  He took an UV to Knoxville over the summer but no one really viewed Tennessee as a threat, even after he reneged on his pledge to UGA.  Most have seen Miami – where he took an October OV, and OU (summer OV) as schools at the top of his list, and Auburn got an OV a few weeks ago but not only are the Tigers fading with quite a few top prospects as their season tanks (see Pappoe above) but he actually left that visit early, never a good sign.  UGA won’t go quietly here for the #1 WR in the country and until Jadon actually visits Knoxville again soon color me at least slightly skeptical, but it’s hard to ignore this kind of buzz especially when it’s coming from sources outside of  Tennessee insiders.  My guess is that the Vols would love to get him to campus this weekend as an unofficial visitor for Senior Day and what should be a great atmosphere and then have him come back for an OV closer to Signing Day, so that will be one of the big storylines to watch leading up to the weekend.  In my opinion Haselwood and Emery are the two guys who you not only hold a spot for until they sign elsewhere (or give you a 100% ‘No”) but also are players who none of the other elite schools in their respective recruitments will give up on.  As such, they’re going to be wildcards in this entire class, not just on offense and not just in the “playmaker” category

WR Khafre Brown – The Tarheel native and brother of a freshman on the UNC squad, Brown has been to Knoxville numerous times including an OV for the Florida game and a subsequent visit for the Charlotte game.  Brown is a speedster with solid length though he’s a bit lanky, and at this point it seems like the Vols are not ready to push all their chips in here.  In theory UGA and Michigan are the other two players here but neither appear to be recruiting him all that hard, which leaves Tennessee and North Carolina.  He clearly likes the Vols a lot, but right now I don’t think they’d take him if he wanted in.  I am not sure I would have said that last week, but that was before Emery became at least a somewhat realistic option as well and then the buzz started getting very loud about Haselwood.  Brown is a very good prospect in his own right (he’s a 4-star on all sites, with again, track speed) and should the Vols indeed sign him they’ll be getting a player who might not be an immediate contributor but one who could develop into a very nice SEC WR

WR Jaylen Ellis – A Baylor commitment in theory, Ellis has been scheduled to come to Knoxville unofficially each of the last two weeks but has not made it.  That said, the Army All-American tweeted last week a “Final Six” that included the Vols.  Obviously not a good sign for the Bears, but until Ellis does make it to campus it’s hard to think the Vols are in as good of shape as they are for others on this list.  I’m sure the Vols would like to do the Missouri game OV/December OV trick like they’re hoping for with Haselwood (and have put themselves in position to do with Emery).  If that happens then Ellis will absolutely be a prime prospect on this list, so that will be one to watch this week as well

Next up we’ll take a look at the board on Defense, which like the one above has seen an increase not only in quantity but especially in quality as the season has progressed.  As always numbers will be a factor as the staff sorts through its options, and also as always there will be some turnover on the current commitment list that will help illuminate the entire picture.  But just like on offense, the Vols have put together a strong list of committed prospects on the defensive side of the ball and have also positioned themselves to close with the kinds of players who will get Tennessee back to being a serious contender sooner rather than later

Tennessee Shores Up Offensive Line of the Future With Melvin McBride Commitment

With spots filling up quickly and some big-name targets remaining on the board, Tennessee can afford to be selective with the last few players it takes in this year’s recruiting class.

That alone should tell you what the coaching staff thinks of Melvin McBride, a 6’4″, 315-pound projected offensive guard from Whitehaven HS in Memphis who pledged to UT over Arkansas, Memphis, Louisville and others on Wednesday.

The Vols already have commitments from 5-star offensive tackle Wanya Morris, 4-star offensive guard/tackle Jackson Lampley and 3-star guard Chris Akporoghene — and they’re right at the top of the list for 5-star tackle Darnell Wright with Alabama. But Pruitt has been upgraded Tennessee’s size in the trenches since he got here.

And, unlike some of the coaches before him, he knows you never turn down a big body who wants to come to your school, especially one who has crazy upside. McBride’s high school coach told 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong that McBride is “scary athletic.” The uber-athletic big man can play along the front on either side of the ball, and he is a basketball standout, too.

In other words, he possesses the kind of size and athleticism that you can’t teach, and it’s exactly what you want along the offensive front.

If you’re Pruitt, you take him now and figure out the numbers later. But McBride is definitely a guy you want in this class, especially considering you want and need to have plenty of able bodies up front.

The Vols are already reportedly improving up front with the additions of JUCO tackle Jahmir Johnson and freshman Jerome Carvin. Another freshman, Ollie Lane, could factor into the equation down the road, and the return of Trey Smith, Chance Hall and the transfer of Brandon Kennedy should help with a unit that was awful a year ago.

But if the Vols can close the deal on Wright, this has the potential to be the best O-line class at Tennessee in a long, long time. McBride figured to be headed to Arkansas recently, but a couple of Memphis-area Vols — Carvin and junior offensive tackle Drew Richmond — reportedly talked with McBride deep into the night and convinced him he needed to wear orange and white.

That’s exactly the kind of peer recruiting you need. In that conversation was a first-year guy who has been given the opportunity to prove himself and shone immediately, placing himself firmly in the mix to start (Carvin), a maligned veteran who has struggled at times throughout his career but still looks like the Game 1 starter at one of the tackle spots as he tries to turn around his career (Richmond) and a guy who will fill the void in the future in McBride.

It speaks volumes for the kind of environment Pruitt and offensive line coach Will Friend fostered since arriving on campus.

Yes, UT now has 20 commitments in a class that wasn’t supposed to reach 25, but there’s a long way between now and national signing day. You never know about defections, flips, mutual parting of ways, injuries or other factors. McBride was a big ol’ bird in hand, and he not only gives the Vols a great athletic big man with a huge upside (he’s only played football one season), he helps Pruitt and Co. get in the door of Whitehaven, a powerhouse in West Tennessee.

His coach thinks he’s a steal.

“Extremely athletic for a man that size — actually, scary athletic for a guy that size,” Whitehaven coach Rodney Saulsberry said, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel‘s Blake Toppmeyer. “Extremely strong, extremely driven and extremely coachable. The kid is a sponge to learning. He wants to get better.”

McBride’s pledge moves Tennessee to No. 10 in the 247Sports Composite rankings, and the Vols are eighth on Rivals.

The Vols need help all over the field in this year’s recruiting cycle, but they have placed a major emphasis on the trenches. McBride is the fourth offensive lineman and the 10th trench man to pledge in this year’s haul.

McBride isn’t the most polished player yet, but he’d be one of the most athletic linemen on UT’s roster. Best of all, he’ll actually have some time to develop like an offensive lineman is supposed to, considering he’s going to be stepping into a situation where UT has some nice-looking young guard prospects like Carvin, K’Rojhn Calbert, Riley Locklear and Ryan Johnson. McBride looks like a definite interior lineman like Akporoghene, and Morris and Lampley could project to tackle.

The Vols are going to have options, and Pruitt has proved so far in spring and fall camps that he wants his guys to learn to play multiple positions so he can always have his best players on the field if there are injuries.

McBride’s athleticism lends itself to future versatility, and while the Razorbacks have come into the state and grabbed a few guys the Vols didn’t prioritize in what is a good year rankings-wise for guys from the Volunteer State, it was good to see Pruitt get a big man he wanted in a head-to-head battle.

The Vols likely are done on the offensive front until Wright makes his decision, and the big man from West Virginia has a spot regardless. It’ll be interesting to see how the final few places in the class shakes out.