SEC Basketball Preview

Last year the SEC rose from its slumber: after placing three teams in the 2017 Elite Eight, the league sent eight to the dance floor last March. Six won in the first round. And then, disappointment.

No. 3 seed Tennessee lost to No. 11 Loyola-Chicago. No. 4 seed Auburn lost to Clemson by 31 points. Only two SEC teams made it through to the Sweet 16, where No. 5 seed Kentucky lost to No. 9 seed Kansas State, and Texas A&M was routed by Michigan after routing North Carolina in the second round.

In KenPom, the league had no teams in the Top 10 but five ranked between 13-29. No one was special, but plenty were really good. And at the bottom, only Ole Miss was ranked outside the Top 100 (108th).

Entering league play in 2019, the league looks a little better in KenPom: still no one in the Top 10, but five teams between 11-20. The AP voters think even more highly of the league’s best: the Vols are third and receiving first-place votes, Auburn and Kentucky sit at 12 and 13, Mississippi State at 17, and Florida is receiving votes.

Those five look like safe bets for the NCAA Tournament; they’re joined by LSU with a Top 35 NET rating and in the most recent Bracket Matrix:

The Vols and a Number One Seed

At this point, chasing the first No. 1 seed in program history is a reasonable goal. Last year we looked at the records of the last No. 1 seed and all four No. 2 seeds since 2012. Six times in the last seven years, the lowest No. 1 seed either had six or seven losses, or was Gonzaga. Only in 2015 (undefeated Kentucky, 32-2 Villanova, 31-3 Wisconsin, 29-4 Duke) have we seen four truly elite No. 1 seeds.

Tennessee already has a leg up on Gonzaga via head-to-head; keep an eye on Nevada at 13-0, but right now the Vols are on pace to be in this conversation all year. KenPom projects Tennessee to win the SEC at 13-5, which would send the Vols to the SEC Tournament at 25-6. Tennessee is one of seven power conference teams projected to go to their conference tournament with between four and seven losses. We’ll see if anyone can separate themselves from the pack, but matching last year’s 13-5 SEC run could be enough to both win the league and get a one seed.

Something else to keep an eye on for the NCAA Tournament: the closest first-and-second-round venue is Columbia, SC. That will also be the closest option for any ACC Champion from North Carolina or Virginia. The bigger prize: the regional final in Louisville. Those same ACC teams would prefer Washington DC, and the Jayhawks would love Kansas City. So you might want to keep an eye on Big Ten teams like Michigan who would also prefer Louisville. The Final Four is in Minneapolis, if you’re into 14-hour drives.

What to Expect From the SEC

Rebuilding/Reloading:

  • South Carolina (5-7, 126 KenPom) – Somehow Chris Silva is still in school, but the Gamecocks have losses to Stony Brook, Providence, Wofford, and Wyoming, plus Michigan and Virginia.
  • Georgia (8-4, 108 KenPom) – Tom Crean’s first team is 319th in turnovers and 310th in turnovers forced.
  • Texas A&M (6-5, 97 KenPom) – A 15-point loss to Texas Southern ended a five-game winning streak after a 1-4 start. The Aggies are one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the country (29.1%).

The Bubble:

  • Missouri (9-3, 72 KenPom) – It’s what you expect from Cuonzo: 322nd in tempo, early struggles against Iowa State, Kansas State, and Temple, but now on a six-game win streak including UCF and Xavier. The Tigers have also benefited from teams shooting just 62.3% from the free throw line against them. Appearing in 2.8% of the Bracket Matrix.
  • Alabama (9-3, 63 KenPom) – Losses to Northeastern and Georgia State, but wins over five Top 100 teams. 6’7″ sophomore Herbert Jones is 34th nationally in free throw rate, and Donta Hall is 28th in true shooting percentage. Appearing in 8.6% of the Bracket Matrix.
  • Vanderbilt (9-3, 59 KenPom) – Lost freshman Darius Garland for the year to a knee injury, but fellow freshman Simi Shittu has done a nice job picking up the slack from the post. The names you know and love are gone (Fisher-Davis, LaChance, Roberson), but these guys are young and get after it inside the arc on both ends. Double-digit losses to NC State and Kansas State, a double-digit win over Arizona State. Bracket Matrix next four out.
  • Arkansas (9-3, 57 KenPom) – Three losses by seven total points to Georgia Tech, Western Kentucky, and Texas in overtime. A one-point win over Indiana is currently their only selling point. Still fast (47th in tempo), but actually more efficient on the defensive end this year. Appearing in 11.4% of the Bracket Matrix.
  • Ole Miss (10-2, 47 KenPom) – The biggest mystery in the league entering conference play. Kermit Davis’s first team lost to Butler and Cincinnati but beat Baylor and San Diego, all in November. In December they went 6-0 against teams rated between 173-301 in KenPom. At Vanderbilt to open league play on Saturday, then play Auburn and Mississippi State the following week, so we’re about to find out a lot more about them. Bracket Matrix first four out.

Might Be Contenders, Might Be On the Bubble

  • LSU (10-3, 40 KenPom) – Will Wade’s team has neutral-site losses to Oklahoma State and Florida State in overtime, plus a six-point loss at Houston. They beat Saint Mary’s on December 15. Much like Tennessee, their SEC schedule is extremely back-loaded: they won’t play any of the next tier until February. Third nationally in steals. Bracket Matrix nine seed.

The Contenders

  • Mississippi State (12-1, 20 KenPom) – It might have taken Ben Howland one more year than Rick Barnes to get them here, but they’re here: a five-point loss to Arizona State on a neutral floor is the only blemish, but they have six wins over Top 100 teams, including a pair of 11-point wins over Clemson and Cincinnati and a 23-point beat down of BYU last time out. Eighteenth in offensive efficiency, 19th in effective FG%, 21st in offensive rebounding percentage. The Brothers Weatherspoon are doing their thing, and point guard Lamar Peters is 13th nationally in assist rate. Bracket Matrix five seed.
  • Florida (8-4, 17 KenPom) – A 21-point loss to Florida State in the opener put them on most people’s back burner. Then they lost close games to Oklahoma, Butler, and Michigan State. But they beat West Virginia by 10, and in a rematch with Butler they won 77-43 (!). KeVaughn Allen is still around, and the Gators are sixth nationally in KenPom defense. We’re in Gainesville on January 12. Bracket Matrix ten seed, but 31.4% of brackets haven’t updated since that beat down of Butler.
  • Kentucky (10-2, 13 KenPom) – Got run over by Duke in the opener, and lost to Seton Hall in overtime. Throw in Quade Green’s transfer, and plenty were hitting the panic button. But the Cats beat North Carolina and won at Louisville by 13. Stanford transfer Reid Travis gives them an unusual veteran presence, and PJ Washington is back too. Freshman Keldon Johnson is shooting 43.2% from the arc. Bracket Matrix five seed.
  • Auburn (11-2, 12 KenPom) – Bruce Pearl’s team is first in the nation in forcing turnovers, first in shot-blocking, and fifth in offensive rebounding percentage. This is now a veteran team, and a healthy one at that: Austin Wiley, Jared Harper, Bryce Brown, Chuma Okeke, and Anfernee McLemore all play their roles well. There’s a six-point loss to Duke and a seven-point loss to NC State, but Pearl still knows how to schedule: wins over Washington, Xavier, Arizona, Dayton, UAB, and Murray State. These guys are plenty tested and plenty good. We’ll only see them once, on the last day of the regular season. Bracket Matrix three seed.
  • Tennessee (11-1, 11 KenPom) – Where do the Vols stand out, other than an overtime loss to Kansas and a win over then-#1 Gonzaga? Tennessee is sixth in KenPom offense and first in the nation in fewest shots blocked. The Vols are good at some of the same stuff from last year – second nationally in assist rate, same cast of characters – but are much improved inside the arc, now 13th nationally in two-point field goal percentage. Lamonte Turner’s health remains a question. The Vols play Florida twice (Jan. 12 and Feb. 9), but don’t face any of the rest of this tier or LSU until February 16. The top No. 2 seed in the Bracket Matrix.

Friday Recruiting Musings

As next week brings All-Star Games, each game includes Vol signees and targets as well, with OL Darnell Wright and ILB Henry To’oto’to the prime prospects at the Under Armour All-America Game and All-American Bowl, respectively.  Tennessee signees OL Wanya Morris and S Jaylen “Tank” McCullough will represent the Vols at the UA Game, while RB Eric Gray, WR Ramel Keyton and OLB Quarvaris Crouch will carry the Tennessee banner at the All-American Bowl, each looking to raise their own respective profiles as well as doing as much peer recruiting as possible.

While Wright is considered to be a Vol in everything but the signed LOI, the battle for To’oto’to is likely down to Tennessee and Alabama, and he plans on taking OVs to both in January.  Greg Biggins of 247 Sports reported this week that there is buzz that, contrary to prior consensus opinion, the Vols could be in front at the moment.  However, the Tide will certainly have its share of signees in his ear just like the Vols will, as they have 5 of their own at the game. 

What will be newsworthy coming out of interviews and rumblings during the week at both games is what kind of traction Tennessee really has with targets like WR George Pickens and CB Kair Elam in particular.  Both are 5-star level talents at positions of need for the Vols, especially WR, and the Vols appear to be in position to at least get an OV from each of them.  However, Elam is the nephew of former Florida Gator Matt Elam star and has been to both UF and UGA campuses multiple times while to my knowledge never having been to Knoxville.  So he seems like a severe longshot.  With Pickens, while he is a longtime Auburn commitment for whom may think LSU is at worst a very strong 2nd place, the Tennessee staff obviously has strong ties to his Hoover HS and that recruitment is more of a wildcard, especially with him having already used his OVs to AU and LSU.  Notably, both Pickens and To’oto’to will also be at the Polynesian Bowl (January 19th) along with Tennessee signee Jackson Lampley.

Perhaps the more likely WR possibility who will be at the UA Game is Arjei Henderson, the 4-star former OU (and Oregon) commitment who the Vols visited during the contact period and appears to have real interest in Tennessee.  Henderson has good size at 6’1 and while he has a relatively slender build he possesses the kind of speed lacking in the WR room for Tennessee right now.  is only OV currently scheduled is to FSU the 1/25 weekend, so what he says about the Vols will be illuminating.

FSU DB commitment Travis Jay and Mississippi State DL commitment Charles Moore are the two other prospects to watch at the UA Game, as Tennessee has tried to get involved with Jay and Moore has been an on-again off-again target for the Vols throughout the process.  Odds favor both sticking with their respective commitments come February, but Moore in particular has been quoted as saying that among other January visits he is looking hard at Tennessee for one.  Notably, it has been thought that the Vols backed off Moore due to a subpar senior season; however, he was one of the best DL on the Mississippi side all week leading up to the AL/MS All-Star game, looking more like the prospect he was his junior year. Auburn is probably a stronger contender at the moment though, as his good friend Jared Handy signed with the Tigers already.

Another name to watch as January rolls around and the Vols try to add to their board is DB Jamal Hill.  Hill tore up the spring/summer 2018 camp scene, picking up offers from the likes of Alabama and Michigan among many others.  He also shined at an OSU summer camp despite not earning a Buckeye offer.  However, the chiseled 6’2, 190 lb player’s recruitment seemed to stall out a bit during the season despite a year-long performance that earned him a spot on the Georgia All-Regin 4-AAAAAA team alongside players like Alabama signee Justin Eboigbe and FSU signee Derrick McClendon, as well as Vol WR signee Jerrod Means. Although he likely projects as a physical, hard-hitting safety in college, it was noted by OSU writers that at the Buckeye camp he impressed with his coverage ability, showing the ability to break on the ball as well as closing speed. The speed is real, too, as Hill ran a 10.96 in the 100-meter dash during the spring.  At that length and with that speed, he does fit the mold of a Pruitt CB, and having visited Knoxville for the UF game there is a bit of history in this recruitment.  We’ll see if anything comes up here, but Hill could be an intriguing target and someone whose recruitment heats up in January (Oregon offered last week, for example).

While the odds of Tennessee signing current JUCO LB commitment Lakia Henry look increasingly slim, what happens with the other two unsigned Vol commitments – S Anthony Harris and DL Ledarrius Cox – will play a big role in not only how many spots are available for new additions to the Vol class but also which positions the Tennessee staff prioritizes. 

Harris is a very talented prospect who showed put at Carolina Shrine Bowl practices but elected not to sign with Tennessee in December despite it being unclear which if any schools are pursuing and/or he might have interest in.  Harris has not, however, received an inhome visit from Jeremy Pruitt, nor has he yet taken an OV to Tennessee.  Therefore he could be a blueshirt candidate, making that recruitment that much more interesting.

Cox is a player whose commitment to Tennessee has been viewed as soft since the day he pledged, and many think he is very unlikely to ultimately sign with the Vols.  However, he has maintained as recently as during the AL/MS Game week that he is solid to the Vols despite having January OVs scheduled to both Auburn – long thought to be the #1 flip candidate – and Ole Miss.  He does also has an OV scheduled to Tennessee though (1/18 weekend), so the Vols have a chance to hang on should they want to.  Like Charles Moore above, there have been questions about his senior season and how much Tennessee really does want to keep him; however, he did finish the season strong and earned first team 7A All-State honors and followed it up with multiple noteworthy performances during the aforementioned week of AL/MS Game practices. Given the need at DL for Tennessee it seems likely that the Vols staff will at the very least keep themselves involved here and then decide how hard to push pending what’s going on with other prospects, either DL or otherwise.

Where Can The Vols Improve?

With apologies to our friends from Cookeville, I’m not sure how much is left to learn about the Vols entering conference play. Tomorrow, Tennessee hosts Tennessee Tech: 330th in KenPom, where the Vols are projected to win by 30. From there, we begin at last season’s end: Georgia comes to Knoxville next Saturday to open SEC play.

There’s plenty of consternation about the #3 Vols not being #2 this week, but the Vols already cleared the biggest hurdle to getting to #1 by beating Gonzaga. The rigors of conference play offer plenty of opportunities for Duke, Michigan, and Virginia to stumble, which would not have been the case for the Zags.

Tennessee’s rigors are extraordinarily back-ended this season. Right now there are six SEC teams in the KenPom Top 50, led by the Vols at #11. Tennessee plays Florida (KenPom #27) on January 12 and February 9. Every other match-up with the top of the SEC is in the last seven games:

  • 2/16 at Kentucky (KenPom #15)
  • 2/19 vs Vanderbilt (#62)
  • 2/23 at LSU (#41)
  • 2/27 at Ole Miss (#54)
  • 3/02 vs Kentucky (#15)
  • 3/05 vs Mississippi State (#23)
  • 3/09 at Auburn (#13)

If form holds, a significant chunk of the argument for or against Tennessee will be made down the stretch. Before then, and before the grind of league play begins, here are two ways the Vols can improve:

Create Turnovers

Last year defense was Tennessee’s calling card: sixth in KenPom defensive efficiency and 14th in effective FG% allowed. The offense was good – 36th in KenPom – but the Vols were winning with defense.

This year, the script has flipped: Tennessee is eighth nationally in offense, a number I’m not sure many of us thought the Vols could get to. Meanwhile the defense is good – 31st in KenPom – but hasn’t been Tennessee’s ace card.

Some of the numbers are down, but not alarmingly so: the Vols are still 38th in effective FG% allowed, 63rd in three-point percentage allowed, and continue to excel at shot blocking (38th). The biggest difference so far this year? Last year Tennessee created a turnover on 20.4% of opponent possessions, 53rd nationally. This year? Just 17.9% of opponent possessions, 238th nationally.

The Vols averaged 14.9 turnovers forced in the first seven games, including 16 from Kansas. But in the last four games, the Vols forced only 40 turnovers, including a possession-heavy affair with Memphis.

This leads us to…

Lamonte Turner gets healthy (or the Vols grow playing small ball without him)

I’m still not exactly sure what this means:

Turner, last season’s SEC Sixth Man of the Year, is definitely a component of Tennessee’s best basketball. He’s best known for the big-shot quality that helped the Vols beat Purdue and Kentucky last season; Tennessee clearly has that in Admiral Schofield and the reigning SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams, but Turner provided it in Tennessee’s back court.

But something we may have underestimated about not only Turner, but the graduation of James Daniel: Tennessee can’t pressure opposing guards with the same efficiency right now.

Some of it is just math: the Vols are playing a glorified seven-man rotation right now, getting 32+ minutes from Bone, Schofield, and Williams. Bone only played 23 minutes last year, Schofield and Williams 28. Throw in recurring issues with foul trouble, and your defense has to be a little more tentative (and the offense has been good enough to make up the difference).

But without Turner, the Vols are leaning heavily on Bone and Jordan Bowden in the traditional guard role. Yves Pons is clearly a disruptor, but trails only John Fulkerson in fouls per 40 minutes. The longer Turner is out, the more important Jalen Johnson becomes. He didn’t play at all in Brooklyn when Turner briefly returned, but since then he’s averaged nine minutes per game.

Remember, Tennessee’s most frequent lineup at the end of last season put Bone, Bowden, and Turner on the floor together with Schofield and Williams. We’re all glad to see Kyle Alexander carrying a heavier load this year, but the Vols really haven’t put anything resembling that three-guard small-ball lineup on the floor (Bone, Bowden, Johnson plus two forwards and no Alexander).

Again: Tennessee is ranked third, beat Gonzaga and went to overtime with Kansas on neutral floors. We’re plenty capable. But there’s still room to grow on the defensive end, with or without Lamonte Turner’s return.

Holiday Weekend Recruiting Thoughts

Tennessee’s Early Signing Period class ranks #13 in the country and #6 in the SEC.  These respective rankings of course do not count the addition of the Aubrey Solomon, who was a 5-star DT in the class of 2017 and has played in both of his seasons at Michigan – the equivalent of the bluest of blue-chip JUCOS is probably understating it.  They do show both the strength of the SEC as well as the difficulty of the league overall (SEC teams hold the Top 4 spots!!!) and the latter ranking could perhaps cause one to view the class as a slight disappointment in a league of 14.  However, a deeper dive gives one more reasons for optimism, especially when viewed from the prism of “How can Tennessee take a big step forward not just in the SEC but more importantly in the SEC East and relative to teams against whom it has struggled mightily of late.”  The Volunteer class is #2 in the SEC East, behind UGA (who sits at #2 overall) and one spot ahead of Florida.  The Gators are the team that Tennessee should expect to compete with in the East, along with UGA, who for now everyone is chasing.  But of course that’s an expectation not based on current rosters or results, as the Vols find themselves looking up in the standings at the likes of South Carolina (#21 overall); Kentucky (#31 overall) , Missouri (#34 overall), and even Vanderbilt (#49 overall).  The fact that that – again even ignoring the addition of Solomon – before what promises to be a fruitful Late Signing Period for the Vols they sit ahead of all of the other SEC East teams is a promising sign.  Digging a bit deeper, the Vols actually signed only one fewer 247 Composite 5 and 4-star players (8) than the rest of the non-Florida SEC East team combined

Another reason to be excited about Tennessee’s early signees is the impressive depth of class.  While you undoubtedly need 5 and 4-star studs like OLB Quarvaris Crouch and OL Wanya Morris (and Solomon) – and 11 of the 19 signees are rated 4-star or higher by one of 247 or Rivals – when you’re rebuilding the roster like Jeremy Pruitt is in Knoxville you also have to have quality all the way down to the bottom of your class’s individual player rankings

Tennessee’s class has, unsurprisingly, no players lower than 3-stars.  But that belies the fact that among Tennessee’s 3-star signees there are players who held legitimate offers from the likes of Clemson (TE Jackson Lowe); Michigan and Texas (OL Chris Akporoghene); Auburn (TE Sean Brown, CB Warren Burrell and LB/S Aaron Beasley); FSU (OL Melvin McBride); and Georgia and Alabama (DL Darrel Middleton).  Tennessee’s 3-star QB signee Brian Maurer – an early enrollee – had West Virginia as his other finalist.  Further, arguably the class’s biggest sleeper is WR Jerrod Means, a prospect who clocked a 4.4 40-yard dash at a UT summer camp at 6’2, 200 lbs and won a spot on Georgia’s All-Region 4-AAAAAA team.  A cursory glance at his HUDL gives one a hint at why other than UNC he might have been fairly lightly recruited – he plays Safety half the time, and among his offensive highlights are a bunch of handoffs for a 7-5 team that was likely trying to get one of its best playmakers the ball any way it could regardless of his future college position.  And finally, NG Elijah Simmons is a 350 pound wrecking ball with the athleticism to dunk a basketball, throw the discus, javelin, and shot put, and return an INT 55 yards for a touchdown.  It’s simply a deep, deep class that has the kind of star power you need at the top but solid-at-worst players all the way down, exactly what Tennessee’s roster needs

At this point the only Defensive Back on the board for Tennessee is Jammie Robinson. Assuming the Vols do want to add another DB to the class and don’t want to put all of their eggs in that basket, don’t be surprised if Tennessee kicks the tires on CB DJ James from Spanish Fort, AL.  James is a Mississippi State commitment who didn’t sign in the early period after getting a late offer from instate Auburn.  He also got offers on Friday from Oregon and Nebraska, indicating that not only do people smell a soft commitment but also might think that the Tigers aren’t necessarily going to be unbeatable.  James visited Tennessee back in the spring and picked up a Vol offer on that visit, and he has a prior relationship from having visited Alabama a few times while Pruitt was the DC there. James has 4 OVs left to take, with his one having already been to Mississippi State.  Expect Bama to also get involved in what could end up being one of the most heated Late Signing Period recruitments of the year

Another player that could be an interesting add to the board should Tennessee wish to add a 5th OL to the class – assuming they land Darnell Wright – is OG Kamaar Bell. Bell, from the same Colquitt County HS in South Georgia that produced DL Ja’Quain Blakeley and 5-star 2018 LB JJ Peterson, is an interior mauler much like OU signee EJ Ndoma-Ogar, who the Vols coveted and made a run at until the end. He holds offers from all of the other SEC big boys including Alabama, Auburn, and Florida, and this past weekend received a tender from FSU and immediately set up a visit for the January 25th weekend, his only one so far. The needs elsewhere could ultimately mitigate the Vols’ interest level, but given the close ties between Tennessee and his high school you might see the Vols throw their hat in the ring and see what transpires

Speaking of former targets that didn’t sign last week, DL Kristian Williams had somewhat surprisingly committed to Minnesota but elected not to sign.  Williams, a 4-star DL on 247 Sports, 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 – and the addition of Solomon could make the addition of another DL a luxury – as well as at other positions, Williams could be a nice find for the Vols come February

Scratch WR Xavier Legette off of Tennessee’s February list after he signed on Friday with homestate South Carolina when the Cocks came through with a full scholarship.  Legette was a Tier II target for the Vols but it is notable that their WR options are now one fewer

Could Bama be filling up, and could that help with stud LB target Henry To’oto’to?  The Tide exited the early signing period with 23 signees, 3 unsigned commitments, and room for ~4-5 more signees.  They are in the Top 2-3 (at worst) for DE Khris Bogle (for whom Tennessee is likely 3rd but perhaps within shouting distance) and CB Marcus Banks, both of whom are set to announce on January 5th at the Army All-America Game.  They’re also major players for DT Ishmael Sopsher; DT Nathan Pickering (another MSU commit); CB Noa PolaGates; DT Jaquaze Sorrells; and DE Jared Harrison-Hunte.  The consensus opinion is that they’ll make room for To’oto’to, and they likely won’t land all of their other targets in the first place.  However, this situation is firmly in play and will be one to watch into January

Tennessee Vols Early Signing Day: Defensive Player Capsules

AARON BEASLEY, 6’1″, 210 SAFETY/ATHLETE, FRANKLIN, GA (HEARD COUNTY HS) 

Tennessee needs secondary help, and the Vols got it in a big way during early signing period, starting with Georgia hard-hitting safety Aaron Beasley. The versatile athlete also could play running back for the Vols, but he’s expected to stick on the back level of the defense. 

Beasley looks like an ideal Pruitt defender, blessed with excellent size and athleticism. His game isn’t speed, but he has good ball skills and a nose for the ball. He also arrives with violence when he gets there. Beasley had offers from teams such as Florida, Florida State, Miami, Auburn, Nebraska and others but built a strong relationship with safeties coach Charles Kelly and winds up in orange.

Tennessee is glad he did. With Nigel Warrior entering his final season, the Vols need to re-load on the back end, and Beasley will be a good pickup to go along with Jaylen McCollough. UT will have a couple of Georgia boys anchoring that level.

WARREN BURRELL, 6’0″, 170 CORNERBACK, SUWANEE, GA (NORTH GWINNETT HS)

Speaking of the Peach State, it was very good to UT in this cycle, and there’s no place that’s more evident than in the defensive backfield. The Vols won a big recruiting battle against SEC East foes when Warren Burrell chose to come to Knoxville rather than go to Florida or South Carolina. That’s a big deal considering both schools beat UT on the field and in good DBs’ living rooms the past year (Jaydon Hill to UF and Jaycee Horn to USCe). 

Burrell is blessed with long arms and looks great going after the football. He is a glider who intercepted a lot of balls as a senior at a quality high school program at North Gwinnett. It’s not out of the realm of possibility he could wind up a safety, but Burrell’s instincts will help him start his career at cornerback, and he could be a player who slides into the rotation rather quickly if he picks things up. 

He’s a smart guy who will mesh well with the current guys and learn under Pruitt’s tutelage.

QUAVARIS CROUCH, 6’2″, 230 OUTSIDE LINEBACKER/RUNNING BACK, CHARLOTTE, NC (HARDING UNIVERSITY SCHOOL)

Wanya Morris was a huge pickup. Darnell Wright would be massive if he comes to Knoxville. Eric Gray is going to have a lot of flash moments for UT. But it’s hard not to be excited about the star the Vols added on Friday in elite athlete Quavaris Crouch.

You’ve got to remember that the North Carolina product was the top-ranked overall player in the nation according to Rivals.com early in the summer before a hip injury kept him out of his entire senior season. He dropped to a 4-star player, but when he’s healthy, there are few players in the nation who can go beastmode like he can. Crouch was one of the Vols’ top targets from the time Pruitt stepped on campus, and ace recruiter Brian Niedermeyer closed the deal.

For long periods during his recruitment, it looked like Clemson or perhaps Michigan would be his destination, but the Vols stayed relentless and kept building that relationship with him, and it paid off.

Crouch is the kind of player who can help solidify either side of the ball. He’s expressed interest in playing outside linebacker, and the Vols need him there, so he’ll play there for the most part. But he’s also an elite power runner who could get some carries at running back, a spot a lot of teams wanted him to play. Could he play both sides? Who knows? The good news is he’ll be playing for the Vols. He’s just the kind of player UT needs to get “back.”

TYUS FIELDS, 5’10”, 190 CORNERBACK, CORNELIUS, NC (WILLIAM AMOS HOUGH HS)

Though Tyus Fields doesn’t have the long, lanky frame that is typical of a Pruitt-coached defensive back, he has a ton of intangibles that made the Vols go after him hard. They weren’t the only ones, either. UT pulled him over Clemson (where his brother plays), North Carolina, Florida State, North Carolina State and others. 

Pruitt said at his early signing period that Fields is a versatile defender who can play the Star, a cornerback spot or safety. He has great instincts, is a good coverage guy and is a hard-hitter, especially for his size. Fields is one of the highest-rated commitments in UT’s class, and he’s going to be a player who is hard to keep off the field.

With a lot of the tall, lanky DBs the Vols have, Fields is a different kind of player who is going to be a playmaker at a very early stage of UT’s career. He’s a big get for this regime.

ROMAN HARRISON, 6’2″, 235 WEAK-SIDE DEFENSIVE END/OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, BAINBRIDGE, GA (BAINBRIDGE HS)

Harrison is a South Georgia kid who doesn’t play in a heavily recruited area, but that didn’t stop UT from identifying him and signing him early. They may have found one of the biggest steals of the class. Once analysts watched him play, they made him a 4-star player, and he led Bainbridge to the state championship game.

Harrison is a pass-rushing freak who is going to play outside linebacker in Knoxville even though he played nose guard on his high school team. He played there because his coach said he was the biggest kid on the team, and all he did was lead his program to the state title at that position. He’s a guy who is an alpha and a leader, and the Vols are going to benefit from his ability early. A lot of people don’t talk about him, but he’s one of my favorite players in this entire class.

Now with Harrison, Crouch and JJ Peterson at linebacker and with Jeremy Banks moving there full-time, Tennessee is finally going to be athletic enough on the second level to minimize the big plays. It’s about to be an exciting group to watch, and Harrison is going to be right in the thick of things quickly.

JAYLEN MCCOLLOUGH, 6’0″, 194 SAFETY, POWDER SPRINGS, GA (HILLGROVE HS)

Perhaps one of the two most talented prospects on the defensive side of the ball in UT’s class, McCollough was a player the Vols identified early in the cycle. They were thrilled to close the deal on him. Florida State, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, South Carolina and others really wanted him, but he decided to come to Knoxville.

It’s said often, but McCollough has the talent and ability to step in and play right away. He’s an athlete who played a lot both ways for a good high school program, and Pruitt had a relationship with him for many years.

McCollough is the perfect blend of coverage skills and physicality that makes a good safety. He reminds me a lot of Stephon Gilmore, who Tennessee tried to sway to Knoxville but who wound up a star at South Carolina and has played a long time in the NFL. He’s that good, and he can play for a UT team that needs difference-makers right away.

It’s going to be a big deal if the Vols can close the deal on commitment Anthony Harris, who chose not to sign in the early period. If he does, McCollough, Harris and Beasley is an awesome trio who can help fortify the safety corps.

DAREL MIDDLETON, 6’7″, 290 DEFENSIVE LINEMAN, SCOOBA, MS/OAK RIDGE, TN (EAST MISSISSIPPI CC)

Tennessee fans who follow the program and especially recruiting will remember Darel Middleton’s name. Also, high school football fans in East Tennessee will, too. 

Middleton was once an Oak Ridge High School star tight end and defensive end who committed to the Vols as an underclassman before immaturity and off-the-field issues led to his downfall. He got his grades and his life together, went to JUCO and recommitted to Tennessee earlier this year. Then, he went out and struggled during his football season for East Mississippi.

So, what kind of player is the Vols getting? 

It’s unclear. He is a massive body at 6’7″, 290 pounds, and Tennessee simply doesn’t have anybody with that size and athleticism on its roster. But if he doesn’t produce, what does it matter? Maybe he will thrive being back home under the tutelage of Pruitt, Tracy Rocker and Co. Maybe the bright lights of Last Chance U didn’t bring out the best in him.

One thing is certain: The Vols need beef, and they desperately need him to at the very least be a rotational player since they’re losing three seniors. He may be one of the most important players in this class. It’s time for him to live up to his ability and potential.

ELIJAH SIMMONS, 6’0″, 350 DEFENSIVE TACKLE, NASHVILLE, TN (PEARL COHN HS)

Speaking of big dudes, it’s hard to get bigger than tree-fiddy. That’s where Pearl Cohn nose tackle Elijah Simmons currently sits, and Pruitt wants him to drop 25 of those pounds before getting to Knoxville. But that’s a nice problem for the Vols to have considering how much beef they need on the defensive front.

What Simmons has in girth, he doesn’t lose in athleticism. There were videos surfacing this week of him dunking a basketball. That’s a big, healthy man to be doing things like that. The Vols desperately need him to be an instant-impact player. When UT saw him at camp, the Vols virtually offered him on the spot.

It’s surprising Simmons didn’t have a lot of high-level offers, but those never came. Maybe it was because he was locked in with UT once he committed, but it’s probably because he is on the smallish size height-wise when it comes to defensive linemen. If he’d been 6’2″, everybody in the nation would have offered. He’s not, and though he isn’t going to be much of a threat batting down balls at the line of scrimmage, he can be the plug and the anchor UT needs in the middle of that 3-4 defense.

Does he need a year in the strength and conditioning program? It’s unclear, but one thing that is easy to see is that he’s a massive mammal, and there was no wavering on either side. Simmons is somebody UT needed and wanted, and he stuck with his pledge. He is a big piece of the defense moving forward.

SAVION WILLIAMS, 6’4″, 300 DEFENSIVE TACKLE, SCRANTON, PA (LACKAWANNA CC)

One of the biggest commitments for the Vols in this cycle was Williams, who needs to be able to step right in and at least be a rotational guy. UT hopes he can be a starter and a difference-maker. Williams has the size and versatility to be able to play inside or out in a 3-4 scheme, but it’s probable he’ll be a 3-4 defensive end. 

Williams has a lot of power at the point of attack and is a developed player who looks tailor-made to come in and get a lot of meaningful reps. His versatility will help considerably, and though he’s 6’4″, he possesses good bend and can have a low center of gravity. This is a player who is probably a little more advanced at this stage than Emmit Gooden, and Tennessee can expect that he’ll be a big part of the defense right away.

Georgia, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina State and others really wanted Williams, but he committed to Tennessee fairly quickly after visiting and stayed strong throughout the process. He’s a guy who saw immediate playing time, and the Vols certainly have that to offer. He should be an important player.

Vols football adds a late trio of elites in Quavaris Crouch, Aubrey Solomon, and Eric Gray

Early Signing Day was a pretty good day for the Vols. They secured 20 players who signed on the dotted line to help Jeremy Pruitt flip the roster from the largely forgettable Butch Jones era.

The past two days have been even better.

The Vols brought in three elite prospects over the past two days, players who possess exactly the kind of star potential necessary to pull them back to the top tier of the SEC. Even though there were whispers about Pruitt’s inability to close following the lackluster late signing period last year and some misses on late-swing prospects this cycle, that narrative is now tired.

Quavaris Crouch provided the biggest splash of the bunch tonight when he chose Tennessee over Clemson and Michigan, stunning the college football world that thought he’d choose one of those elite programs over a UT team that is trying to rebound from a 5-7 season. Instead, things started turning in the Vols’ favor when he visited Knoxville on the final weekend before early signing period after a slam-dunk in-home visit by Pruitt, lead recruiter Brian Niedermeyer, and others.

https://twitter.com/Vol_Football/status/1076307204821737472

Crouch joined 4-star Memphis running back Eric Gray, who chose the Vols on Thursday over Michigan, South Carolina, Ole Miss and others. Also, before Crouch’s massive announcement Friday night, the Vols announced former 5-star recruit and Michigan transfer defensive lineman Aubrey Solomon will play his final two years of eligibility in Knoxville. Though he may have to sit a year due to transfer rules, he’s going to seek a hardship waiver, according to several reports.

Those are big, but Crouch may be the biggest of all the news so far.
Crouch is a 6’3″, 230-pound dynamic two-way athlete who projects as a star on either side of the ball. Though he could probably be one of if not the nation’s top running back prospect, he’ll probably start his career at Tennessee at outside linebacker. He can change the entire face of UT’s defense, and that corps all of a sudden looks a ton more athletic with him, JJ Peterson, Jeremy Banks and Roman Harrison. If the Vols can keep Lakia Henry in the fold, that’s an impressive, physically gifted group.
The recruitment for the big man has been weird, to say the least, but credit the Vols for being relentless and never giving up. That didn’t pay off in trying to lure Bill Norton or Zion Logue, but it did with Wanya Morris, and it did with Crouch. Maybe it’ll do the same with Darnell Wright.

Crouch had Tennessee at the top of his wish list for a long time throughout the summer and leading up to the season before UT went out and struggled in his hometown of Charlotte in the season opener against West Virginia. Not really interested in a rebuild, Crouch started favoring Clemson and Michigan while keeping the Vols on the periphery.

Still, he visited UT during the season and then when he came on the final weekend leading up to the early signing period, it seemed things may be trending in the right direction. The Vols closed the deal, and it’s a huge pull to get him in Tennessee orange.

Could we see some future running back packages for the massive man? It’s certainly possible, but the Vols need to fix the defense, and Crouch can go a long way in doing that. He missed his senior season with a hip injury, but he’s expected to be ready and rolling.

Speaking of running backs, Gray brings elite quickness and vision to the position for the Vols. It’s not out of the question that he can be an immediate starter, even with Ty Chandler and Tim Jordan in the backfield. Yes, he’s that good, and he has that “it” factor UT needs. He’ll be a great backfield mate to those two at the very least. Getting Gray also allows the Vols to go after a bigger back or two in the 2020 cycle.

At 5’10”, 195 pounds, Gray proved he can run between the tackles, but he’s at his best as a one-cut runner who can gain the edge and catch passes in space. If the Vols’ offensive line gets a lot bigger, stronger and better this offseason, Gray can do a lot of things with just a little room, and he has the wiggle to get into the open field. Though he isn’t a burner who’ll outrun everybody, he’s got good speed and will be a difference-maker right away.

Then there’s Solomon, who surprisingly chose Tennessee over a ton of interest from other programs just a week after announcing he’d leave Michigan. The Vols were always going to swing there, especially considering virtually everybody on that defensive staff has a relationship with him. Tracy Rocker recruited him when he was at Georgia, and Solomon was once committed to the Dawgs. Pruitt was his main recruiter at Alabama, and Kevin Sherrer had a relationship with him at UGA as well. Charles Kelly was his primary recruiter at Florida State, so there are a lot of relationships that date back a long time there.

Solomon has two years to play, and it would be a big deal if he could get eligible to play in 2019, especially considering UT must replace Kyle Phillips, Shy Tuttle and Alexis Johnson off that defensive line. You never want to anoint somebody a guaranteed starter, but if Solomon is healthy, he’d be a virtual lock to be inserted into the first team.

Even if UT has to wait another year for him, he’s going to be a valuable cog in that rebuilt defensive front.

It’s obvious that this year of losing did not sit well with Pruitt, who didn’t always wear it well. But he’s gone out and is making a splash in recruiting while trying to change it in a hurry. Nobody is saying the Vols are going to go out and beat Alabama and Georgia in 2019, but it’s vital for the program that they get back to the postseason and start winning more conference games. This trio of players gets them closer to the pack in that regard.

It’s been a big couple of days for Pruitt, the Vols and the future of the program. Now, what about that OC?

Tennessee Got Better on Wednesday, Has a Chance to Get Much Better in February

The Wednesday that kicked off the Early Signing Period was on the one hand disappointing, as Tennessee swung and missed on all of its 50/50 targets.  On the other hand it was also satisfying, as the Vols inked 18 signees and didn’t lose a single commitment.  To its existing commitments the Vols also added WR Jerrod Means, a former UNC commitment who camped in Knoxville during the summer and earned an offer on the spot after running a 4.4 40-yard dash at 6’2. 

On Thursday, Memphis native RB Eric Gray signed with the Vols. Had he signed with most of the class on Wednesday, one can be assured that Vols fans would have felt very differently about how the day went, even though most knew that Gray was coming the very next day.  Gray smashed state records this season while winning his third Tennessee Mr. Football award – the first ever three-time winner.  He’s not a “big” back, but he’s not small at 5’11 and just under 200lbs, and he’s electric with the ball in his hands despite good but not great speed. Gray was a longtime Michigan commitment and had offers from elite programs across the country, and as an early enrollee, he brings the kind of playmaking ability to the Tennessee offense that is sorely lacking.  His signing will also allow the Vols to start ATH Aaron Beasley, who played both RB and S in high school, on defense where his speed and hitting ability will be put to immediate use.

We’ll do a deeper dive on the class once it’s complete in February, but the 19 signees, 10 of whom are early enrollees, without a shadow of a doubt improve the talent on the roster in every respect, from size, speed, and simply overall depth.  Tennessee beat out fellow big boys for most of their signees, further showing the overall quality of the class so far.

Once the fax machines got quiet on Wednesday, the natural question becomes: What’s next, and where do the Vols turn in order to have the kind of finish necessary to consider this the kind of class that takes the program forward?  Below we take a look at the road to early February.

All-Star Game Season

With the first week of January comes both the Under Armour and Army All American Games.  Practices for these present prospects with both a chance to test/prove themselves against the best players in their respective classes – and potentially improve their rankings in the process – all the while doing some peer recruiting.

The Under Armour game will feature two of Tennessee’s top signees and best peer recruiters in OL Wanya Morris and S Jaylen “Tank” McCullough.  In terms of unsigned top Vols targets, OL Darnell Wright and DB Travis Jay highlight the list.  Wright is, as everyone knows, considered to be a heavy Vols lean, to the point that he was cited by a handful of uncommitted prospects this past weekend as unofficially part of the Tennessee OL class.  That said, it can’t hurt to have his close buddy and potential future bookend spending time with him all week.  Jay is an FSU commitment who chose to not sign in the early period and has seen Tennessee coaches before the dead period.  It’s unclear where he sits on Tennessee’s overall board, and at the same time how real his interest in the Vols is (most think he will eventually sign with the Noles), but again just being around two Vols commitments can’t be anything but good for Tennessee.

The Army game will have two current signees, and potentially three.  Gray and WR Ramel Keyton will be there, as will OLB Quarvaris Crouch.  While it’s unclear at this very moment what Crouch’s signing plans are, all signs point to him being at worst a strong Tennessee lean and potentially someone who could have signed with the Vols by the time he arrives at practices.  Either way, he will announce on January 5th at the game, which should give the Vols some big-time national publicity were he to announce for Tennessee.  All 2-3 Tennessee signees will most certainly be peer recruiting big-time LB target Henry To’oto’to and OLB Khris Bogle.  The battle for To’oto’to is likely down to Tennessee and Alabama, and the Tide will certainly have its share of signees in his ear as well.  Same for Bogle and Alabama and Miami, his two main contenders, but again just having a presence at the game will be helpful for Tennessee.

February signees: Tier I

With 19 signees Tennessee has anywhere from 4-8 spots depending on room under NCAA regulations that only Jeremy Pruitt is aware of.  The Vols also have three unsigned commitments – DL Ledarrius Cox, LB Lakia Henry, and S Anthony Harris – how hard the staff pursues each of them, and how receptive they each are – will also play a role in how many spots are available for “new” commitments.

That said, there is a clear hierarchy in terms of prospects that Tennessee is currently pursuing, with the seven below making up the first tier:

  1. OLB Quarvaris Crouch
  2. OL Darnell Wright
  3. OLB Khris Bogle
  4. ILB Chris Russell
  5. ILB Henry To’oto’to
  6. DB Jammie Robinson
  7. DB Travis Jay

As mentioned above, Crouch will announce on January 5th and could even have signed by then.  His has been a mercurial recruitment and so it’s not smart to assume he’s a Vols lock until he’s signed his LOI, but right now things look good.  Crouch is an incredibly high-ceiling athlete who could be a terror off the edge.

Wright is also a very heavy Tennessee lean who would give Tennessee five OL signees, two of whom are 5-tars and ranked among the top 20 players in the country. 

Bogle is an edge rusher like Crouch, but he’s someone who, despite having taken multiple visits to Knoxville, is going to be a very tough pull for the Vols.  Hometown Miami is the likely favorite and Alabama is also heavily in the mix, but he definitely likes the Vols so they aren’t totally out of it.  His current plan is to announce at the Army game on January 5th, so we’ll know one way or the other very soon.

Russell is an absolutely imperative add in the late signing period.  An in-state player at a position of immediate need, Russell will get as much attention from Tennessee as the rules allow.  He plans on taking an OV to Tennessee for sure, and Arkansas, Texas A&M, and Auburn are schools we know that will be recruiting him hard until February. 

To’oto’to as mentioned above will be an Alabama-Tennessee battle despite being from California.  Although there are going to be some numbers issues for both schools, it seems that he has a spot at either.  He’s an instant impact player at least for Tennessee given the dire need at the position, so expect him to get a ton of attention from the Vols over the next six weeks.

Robinson is a dynamic playmaker and would add a ton of speed and athleticism to a Tennessee secondary that needs it in spades despite a strong group of DB signees. UT’s tie here is his former high school coach Shelton Felton who is on Tennessee’s staff.  Robinson took a summer OV to South Carolina and one to Kentucky this past weekend, so he’s got three more.  Tennessee will likely get one, and depending on how things go with other top targets he could be someone the Vols push hard for in an effort to simply add another super-talented player regardless of position

Jay is an FSU commitment whose plan all along was to take other OVs in January, and after some of the Vols staff visited him in December he stated that at least both Tennessee and UF would get visits. 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.

February signees: Tier II

Tennessee made an effort to add to its board over the course of December, offering a handful of other players that might be second or even third options at their respective positions:

  1. LB Octavius Brothers
  2. WR Arjei Henderson
  3. WR George Pickens
  4. WR Xavier Legette
  5. WR Dywan Griffin
  6. WR Javonta Payton
  7. RB A’Montae Spivey

Brothers, a former UCF commitment, is a good-looking prospect and plans to OV to Tennessee the weekend of 1/19.  His spot will depend on the status of Lakia Henry’s commitment as well as what’s going on with Russell and To’oto’to.

The fact that there are four WRs on this list shouldn’t be a surprise, as Tennessee only signed two WRs and likely would prefer to add one more if the right one wants to jump in the boat.  Pickens is an Auburn commit who is easily the top prospect of the four, and even though he says he is solid to AU, he also says will take OVs in January, with Tennessee strongly in the mix to get one. Of the four, Payton seems the least likely given that it sounds like he was set to sign with the Vols but due to concerns about his academics – unclear if it’s his inability to be a January enrollee or to actually graduate in May – Tennessee elected not to sign him. 

Spivey is an Arkansas commitment from Alabama who had an outstanding senior season and has gotten additional SEC attention, including at least a little from Tennessee, in December.  It’s unclear how serious the Vols might be about him, but we know that they were trying to add a second RB to go with Gray but just couldn’t get traction with DJ Williams (AU signee) and were too late to the party with Noah Cain (PSU).  

It should also be expected that Tennessee tries to get involved with some prospects who didn’t sign anywhere, whether they are technically committed elsewhere or not.  The Vols staff visited 5-star FSU CB commit Akeem Dent during the open period.  DL Byron Young (from MS) and LB Christian Williams (from AL) are unsigned Alabama commitments who the staff could at least make a call on.  Mark Anthony-Richards and Jamious Griffin are two 4-star RBs who are unsigned, in Griffin’s case despite his commitment to NCSU.  Finally, Tennessee could look further into the JUCO ranks, specifically for DL. Chester Graves is the #2 overall JUCO in the country, and while the Kansas City native is considered a Missouri lean he obviously didn’t sign with the Tigers on Wednesday.  Tony Fair is a former Nebraska DT commit who wasn’t able to sign because of grade concerns, but should he get those in order (sounds like NU couldn’t take the chance that he didn’t pass a ton of hours in one semester) he could be another to look at.  All of the above except Dent – who is likely a longshot – are 100% speculative, but one can be sure that Pruitt and the staff won’t leave any stone unturned.

One other interesting note is that of the four available official visit weekends in January/February, Tennessee will have two afternoon home basketball games, against Alabama on January 19th and against West Virginia on January 26th.  Tennessee will certainly take advantage of what will likely be near sold-out crowds in Thompson Boiling Arena by bringing official visitors to see what kind of fan support Vol Nation brings.  Those kinds of things aren’t going to swing a recruit’s decision one way or the other on their own, but they definitely contribute to a prospect’s enjoyment of his visit.

Much will be cleared up between now and January 5th when Crouch and Bogle, among others, commit.  From there it will be a sprint to the finish for Tennessee to use its remaining spots in this class to take it from good to great and really jumpstart the rebuild for Jeremy Pruitt.

Tennessee Vols Early Signing Day: Offensive Player Capsules

Gameday on Rocky Top looks at the Tennessee Volunteers’ early signees. First up, the offense…

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CHRIS AKPOROGHENE, 6’4″, 294 OFFENSIVE TACKLE, BRADENTON, FL (IMG ACADEMY)

Akporoghene is one of the most intriguing prospects in Tennessee’s entire class. He is a native of Africa whose family moved to Tennessee, and he played his final year of high school at prestigious IMG Academy. Though he is blessed with excellent size and strength, the offensive lineman is very raw and was a bit of a polarizing prospect among the major recruiting services.

Akporoghene is a 4-star prospect according to Rivals, but 247Sports thinks he is a major project and rated him as the nation’s 2,169-ranked player. To be fair, ESPN ranks him somewhere in the middle as the nation’s. No. 61 offensive tackle. He’s only played three years of organized football, so his best days are in front of him. 

The discrepancy of ratings didn’t stop some of the nation’s premiere programs from coming after him. He chose the “home state” Vols over Oregon, Michigan, Mississippi State and others. It will be interesting to see if he can step right in and get reps for a line that needs him, or if he is a developmental guy who will need some time.

SEAN BROWN, 6’5″, 250 TIGHT END, ROME, GA (COOSA HS)

The North Georgia product is an intriguing athlete with a big frame who looks like a quality in-line tight end who can be an asset in the running game. Brown could grow into a number of positions including offensive tackle or defensive end, but he’ll start out at tight end, where several programs came after him.

Brown ultimately chose Tennessee over Auburn among his several offers, and he will be a nice complement in this class to Jackson Lowe, who is more of a receiving tight end. The Vols need a variety of players in that tight end room with Dominick Wood-Anderson entering his final season in Knoxville and a lack of other proven players.

Brown isn’t going to be an exciting player who can break a big play, but he is the kind of tight end necessary in running situations and in two tight-end sets. If he grows into another position, it would meet a need, too. He’s a high-upside prospect with a future in orange.

ERIC GRAY, 5’10”, 193 RUNNING BACK, MEMPHIS, TN (LAUSANNE COLLEGIATE SCHOOL)

Tennessee got a major boost to the class on the day after early signing period began when Gray chose UT over South Carolina, Texas A&M, Michigan and others earlier today.

The former Wolverines commitment canceled multiple visits to Ann Arbor this season and instead visited Knoxville several times, growing his relationship with lead recruiter David Johnson, coach Jeremy Pruitt and the rest of the staff. With the Vols desperately needing a true runner in this class, Gray fits a major need. He is an explosive player who is a terrific one-cut runner with elusiveness to get into space.

Gray isn’t going to be a blazer in the open field, but he is the type of runner around which you can build an offense and reminds me a lot of the Tennessee Titans’ Dion Lewis. If Gray develops the way he should, he could be an NFL player. I like his ability to run between the tackles and outside as well as catching the ball out of the backfield. He’ll be a nice teammate to Ty Chandler.

RAMEL KEYTON, 6’3″, 185 WIDE RECEIVER, MARIETTA, GA (MARIETTA HS)

Tennessee didn’t load up on elite receivers in this class, but a big, physical target who has the potential to step right in and play also just happened to open up an important pipeline to a hotbed of talent. 

Keyton hails from Marietta High School, and UT already got a head start on the 2020 class by securing its quarterback of the future from that school in Harrison Bailey. There are several other high-caliber Division I players who can help from there, too. Keyton is by no means the least of the bunch. He had a huge year for the program and, like several other targets on Tennessee’s board, chose UT over Auburn. Others such as Alabama, Clemson, Florida and more powerhouses were among his 26 claimed offers.

Keyton isn’t a blazer, but he has great hands, can go up and get the ball and is physical. He has a nice skill set that is comparable to current Vol Jauan Jennings, and it’s not ridiculous to think he’ll be able to slide right into the rotation, especially considering UT needs all the playmakers on offense it can get.

He was one of the biggest coups of the class.

JACKSON LAMPLEY, 6’4″, 300 OFFENSIVE GUARD, NASHVILLE, TN (MONTGOMERY BELL ACADEMY)

One of the first pledges for Pruitt also may wind up as one of the most important. Jackson Lampley is the son of VFL Brad Lampley, so orange is in his blood. He possesses good size and played high school ball for one of the best programs in the state.

I like his violent hands at the point of attack, and he is a strong run blocker who has a nasty streak. Though you always like to see linemen get a year in the strength and conditioning program to get stronger before they’re thrown into the fray, Lampley has the skill set, hands and footwork to step into the rotation. The Vols obviously need players along the offensive front who can make an impact, and Lampley may.

He chose his father’s alma mater over 19 other programs including Auburn, Arkansas, Florida, LSU, Penn State, Texas A&M and others. 

JACKSON LOWE, 6’5″, 235 TIGHT END, CARTERSVILLE, GA (CARTERSVILLE HS)

Lowe committed to the Vols and lead recruiter Brian Niedermeyer early in the process and never wavered, and he was one of the top targets at the position early and stayed that way despite a lot of interest from other top programs, including Alabama, Clemson and Auburn.

He may be just a 3-star player, but he’s an elite prospect who can really stretch the field and provide a spark in the passing game. He is physically developed and ready to step right in and play in an offense needing to do a better job of utilizing the pass-catching tight end. Lowe played for Cartersville High School, where he was a deep playoff participant every year, so he’s used to winning.

Lowe is another win in the Peach State, and the Vols really need for him to make an impact, especially after DWA leaves after the 2019 season. Is Lowe going to be able to give UT some important reps right away? Don’t rule it out.

BRIAN MAURER, 6’3″, 199 PRO-STYLE QUARTERBACK, OCALA, FL (WEST PORT HS)

Tennessee’s search for a quarterback went a while back in the spring, but the Vols ultimately rested on Maurer, the Sunshine State signal-caller who came along a little late in the recruiting cycle but wound up being an Elite 11 player.

The Vols are fortunate to have him.

Maurer is blessed with good arm strength and is also an athletic type who is not statuesque in the pocket. He had a strong senior season and could benefit from a year in the weight room to bulk up. But Maurer looks like a high-upside signal-caller who can do a lot of things with the ball in his hands. Ironically, he visited Ohio State and Tennessee in the same swing, and the Buckeyes chose to take a commitment from Dwan Mathis instead of Maurer. Mathis flipped from OSU to Georgia on early signing day, prompting Maurer to tweet about it and talk about how happy he is with UT.

With Will McBride and Keller Chryst gone, the Vols need quality competition behind center. Jarrett Guarantano did not have a bad redshirt sophomore season, but UT needs better play at that position. If Maurer or rising redshirt freshman JT Shrout can pressure him, it will benefit all parties. It’s also possible the Vols add a transfer at the position. But the door is at least cracked for Maurer to come in and compete. We’ll see if he can take advantage.

MELVIN MCBRIDE, 6’3″, 312 OFFENSIVE GUARD, MEMPHIS, TN (WHITEHAVEN HS)

One of the prospects who had little fanfare before committing to Tennessee is Memphis offensive trenchman McBride. He’s an interesting, massive prospect who could have projected on either side of the line of scrimmage. It appears he’ll start his career in Knoxville on the offensive side where there are mammoth needs for quality players.

He’s a developmental guy who is a great athlete for his size and played just one year of football. Pruitt and Co. love that type of athleticism, and McBride is a former basketball player who has good knee bend, which helps him in pass-blocking leverage. Though he probably needs at least a year to get acclimated to the college game, he is a guy who could be a nice pickup.

McBride didn’t have a slew of major offers, ultimately choosing UT over Arkansas, Memphis, Louisville, Cincinnati and others. This probably isn’t a guy who is going to come in and play right away, but with some time in the S&C program and some coaching, he could be an important asset down the road.

JERROD MEANS, 6’2″, 212 WIDE RECEIVER, HAMPTON, GA (LOVEJOY HS)

The last time Tennessee went into Lovejoy High School – a program several past Vols have hailed from – for a wide receiver, he wound up pretty strong. Unfortunately for UT, it just wasn’t in orange and white. That was Preston Williams, who was a high-profile recruit and Alabama legacy who stuck with Tennessee and earned important reps before transferring out of the program. He wound up at Colorado State, where he was one of the most prolific receivers in the country this season, and he’ll bypass his senior season and head to the NFL.

The Vols passed on JUCO receiver Javonta Payton in favor of Means, who visited Knoxville the final weekend before signing day and signed with the Vols on Wednesday. UT kept that one quiet, unlike last year’s late find as a Georgia receiver (Jordan Young) who committed to the Vols and flipped to Florida State just before signing day. 

Pruitt bragged Means can probably play multiple positions on either side of the ball, but the 6’3″, 213-pound prospect who ran a 4.4 40-yard dash at camp is a player the Vols like as a receiver, so that’s where he’ll start. You can’t teach that kind of speed, and hopefully, he’ll be a weapon quickly.

WANYA MORRIS, 6’6″ 312 OFFENSIVE TACKLE, LOGANVILLE, GA (GRAYSON HS)

Alphabetically, Morris may be the last name on this list, but he’s arguably the offensive cornerstone of the Pruitt era in Knoxville. Morris is a 5-star offensive tackle who had offers from virtually everybody in the country and was the No. 1 draft pick in the Under Armour All-American Game.

The Vols are getting an elite blocker who will probably start out trying to help the Vols solidify the exterior of the offensive line. He chose UT over Auburn, where his buddy Owen Pappoe signed, but Morris could have gone anywhere, really. If Tennessee can team him with Darnell Wright, it will be a heck of a duo to build the offense around for years to come.

When Gray committed, he mentioned a couple of good linemen the Vols have coming in next year – alluding to Morris and (the still-uncommitted) Wright, so if the Vols can close the deal, it’s a couple of players who make other prospects stand up and take notice.

Morris is big and strong and smart, and he’s got the kind of attributes and skill set that translate into early playing time. Obviously, that will have to be earned, but with Tennessee’s O-line situation he has a massive opportunity to fill a major void right away.

Tennessee Vols Early Signing Day: An Uneventful Ending for a Solid Start

Note: Check back in the coming days for offensive and defensive capsules from UT’s early signing period signees.

If you were hoping for a massive bang to end Jeremy Pruitt’s first full recruiting cycle’s early signing period, Wednesday left you flat.

If you hoped the Vols would gain ground in the arms race that is the rough-and-tumble SEC, Wednesday left you frustrated.

But there’s no real reason to feel anything but optimistic as Pruitt and Tennessee enter the next phase of this recruiting cycle leading up to February’s final signing day of the cycle. The Vols currently have the nation’s 17th-ranked recruiting class with 20 pledges, according to the 247Sports Composite ratings. That’s only good for seventh in the SEC behind Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, LSU, Auburn and Florida.

While that’s not good enough for the Vols to close the gap, there are plenty of monstrous fish left in this Big Orange ocean. It all starts tomorrow as all eyes on Rocky Top rest on the decision of 4-star Memphis running back Eric Gray, who likely favors UT and is a big piece of the puzzle for a Vols team needing help at offensive skill positions. Gray’s pledge on Thursday would put the Vols ahead of Florida with the same number of commits and vault them into second in the SEC East in the recruiting rankings.

That’s not an awful step forward, especially for a 5-7 program.

Throw in 5-star offensive tackle Darnell Wright — whom the Vols currently sit in a steady lead — and high 4-star linebacker Quavarius Crouch, who UT must battle Clemson for until his announcement on January 5, and there are a few needle-movers who can help the aesthetics of the class. Other vitally important needs can be met if 4-star safety Anthony Harris and 4-star JUCO linebacker Lakia Henry remain Vols and Tennessee can convince another couple of marquee players to jump onboard.

If those things happen, a class that will rank between 10-15 is possible, and that’s a big deal — even if there were at times over the past few weeks hope that Pruitt would close stronger, much the way he helped Alabama, Florida State and Georgia do during his time as a defensive coordinator at those programs.

There is plenty of good and bad for the Vols about this signing cycle, and we’d be remiss not to cover it all. So, here we go…

The Good

Tennessee met major, vital needs at offensive line and in the defensive backfield during this recruiting cycle, and it’s not out of the realm of possibility a lot of the guys coming in will find their way into the rotation — if not the starting lineup — right away.

The class’s bell cow is 5-star offensive tackle Wanya Morris, who UT beat out Auburn and others for. He’s an athletic big man who’ll start out at tackle for a team desperately needing to shore up a unit that’s been historically horrible the past two years. If you want to pinpoint the biggest reason for this two-year debacle (and really for the decade of futility) look no further than the offensive front and the lack of development at that area.

Morris is a future star-in-the-making, and the Vols may need him to start in 2019 and take his lumps, depending on the health of Trey Smith.

Jackson Lampley is a Tennessee legacy and a 4-star offensive guard, and he could potentially help right away; Melvin McBride is a 3-star offensive lineman from Memphis who fills a need even if he’s a developmental player; and Chris Akporoghene is a player some sites [such as Rivals] rates as a 4-star talent. Those guys are vitally important to Pruitt turning around the program.

Another area where the Vols desperately needed help and got it was a defensive backfield that lacked athleticism in 2018. Yes, the emergence of true freshmen Alontae Taylor, Bryce Thompson and Trevon Flowers was encouraging, but there was little depth behind them. Between the unsigned Harris and 4-stars Jaylen McCullough and Tyus Fields, 3-star cornerback Warren Burrell and safety Aaron Beasley [both of which are 4-star prospects on other sites] the Vols got a whole lot longer, deeper and more athletic on the back end.

That’s two major wins for the Vols in areas of great need, and if Wright adds his name to the list of pledges and UT goes and perhaps gets another DB, it’s a great year in two areas. It was always going to be more than just a one-year rebuild, anyway.

The Bad

When you consider just how many high-profile kids Tennessee brought on visits the past few weeks, none of those guys ultimately chose to come to Knoxville. It was eerily reminiscent of last year’s late cycle, when Pruitt brought in all those 5-star defensive backs, only to watch them fall off the board to rivals and programs out West.

Wednesday saw Norton and Logue head to Georgia, Anderson stick with South Carolina, JUCO defensive end Nick Figueroa stay out west and play for USC, Justin Eboigbe choosing not to flip from Alabama to UT, Jaylen Ellis committing to Baylor despite a last-week visit, and so on.

There’s nothing wrong with Pruitt swinging for some fences. But the Vols simply aren’t Georgia and Alabama right now, and there comes a point in time where you back off and settle for ground-rule doubles rather than hope for slap singles and stolen bases later.

That make sense? If you catch my drift, Pruitt needs to remain his relentless self on the recruiting trail, but the Vols can’t afford to round out the class with fallback plans, and if you have to back off the elite players to sign more “very good” players, you identify that need in enough time to get the job done. It’s a hard balance, and, quite frankly, it’s one Pruitt hasn’t been great at lately.

Tennessee probably knows it can’t compete with Alabama and Georgia on Saturdays if it doesn’t compete with them in prospects’ living rooms. But the bottom line is, while Pruitt has won a few of those battles, he’s getting his butt whipped for the most part against the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs.

Join the club. So is everybody else, after all. But it’s disappointing to UT fans who want to get back to elite status and thought it would by hiring an elite recruiter. Pruitt is learning some tough lessons, and the Vols need to show some improvement on the field first.

The Ugly

If you’re like me and love Tennessee getting Tennessee boys to play for the Vols, this year wasn’t for you. It’s going to be hard for me to forgive Pruitt for that one, especially considering some of the “settles” that happened late in the class.

UT flat-out missed on Bill Norton and Zion Logue — two Volunteer State prospects who followed Cade Mays’ lead from a year ago and decided they wanted to play for the rival Georgia Bulldogs instead of Tennessee despite Pruitt trying hard to flip them. Logue seemed to have a sour demeanor toward the Vols from the jump, and Norton never could quite overcome the fact he was smitten with the Dawgs, even though UT’s head coach made him a pet project throughout the cycle.

In the Vols’ undying love for those two prospects, they let an excellent player who would have loved to be a Vol early in the cycle in Murfreesboro’s Joseph Anderson go elsewhere. Now, UT gets to face him in a Gamecocks uniform for the next four years, and a late push wasn’t enough to sway him back. That one’s going to sting.

Receiver Trey Knox wasn’t a priority at times during the cycle, and he chose Arkansas. Meanwhile, the Vols settled for Jerrod Means on Wednesday — the only “new” player who signed with UT on Wednesday who wasn’t previously committed. That’s not a knock on Means who is a 6’2″ pass-catcher who possesses quality speed — something Knox doesn’t have — but you have to wonder if UT deciding against pursuing those guys and others like Woodi Washington (Oklahoma) and Lance Wilhoite (Oregon) won’t sting later.

The Wrap

It’s important to note a few things about Wednesday.

First, the most important victory for Pruitt’s program came when strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald elected not to return to his alma mater of Maryland to join Mike Locksley’s staff with the Terrapins when it looked like he would just a day before. 

The revolving door of UT’s program and strength and conditioning in particular has led to uneven results, weak players and inconsistency. Fitzgerald is a huge part of what Pruitt wants to achieve, and he’s being paid handsomely. For him to stick around is vital to the players already on the roster and for the Vols getting bigger and stronger and turning things around in 2019. So, that’s the biggest recruiting win of the early signing period.

Wrapping things up, it’s easy for Tennessee fans to talk about Alabama and Georgia because they sit at the pinnacle of the conference — and all of college football, really — right now. It sucks to see LSU and Texas A&M have such massive years on the recruiting trail while the Vols middle around with a good — but not great — class (at least on paper).

But it’s important to remember where UT is as a program. It’s not OK to lose to Vanderbilt and Missouri, and that’s what the Vols are doing lately. Tennessee has to get where they’re beating those programs first.

Then, South Carolina, Florida and others like them come next.

Then, maybe you can set your sights on Alabama and Georgia.

It’s sobering, but it’s the reality. Getting a class with more strength, size,  bulk and athleticism perhaps gets UT closer to that first and second steps, though the Vols are nowhere near that other tier. Ultimately getting to any of those next tiers and out of the SEC cellar will rely on Pruitt’s ability to develop players, Fitzgerald’s ability to transform these dudes into SEC players and, ultimately, UT’s ability to identify those next-level players who can help teams win games.

Mizzou had one in Drew Lock, and Vanderbilt had one in Kyle Shurmur, and even though those guys didn’t elevate those programs to championship-caliber, they got them past Tennessee. It’s Pruitt’s charge to find the guys who can make the same impact for the Vols in those games and in others on the plain above.

Are those guys in this class?

We’ll see soon enough.