Some thoughts headed into the penultimate weekend before the February Signing Day
Pruitt Learning Danger of Reaching
As the final two weeks before the February National Signing Day wind down, Tennessee and its fans find themselves in a situation they have never been in before. After signing 19 players in December and then adding two high profile transfers in former 5-stars DL Aubrey Solomon from Michigan and ATH Deangelo Gibbs from UGA, Tennessee finds itself with very few spots to fill and (fortunately) in great shape for some outstanding players. OL Darnell Wright and LBs Henry To’oto’to and Chris Russell all look to be greater than 50/50 shots for the Vols and without a doubt having a spot reserved for them in Knoxville. Those are without a doubt the top choices for Tennessee.
This is a much different position than Coach Jeremy Pruitt and Co. were in at this time last year, as the new staff scrambled to fill its initial class. In the end, Tennessee signed a handful of potential impact players like LB JJ Peterson, DL John Mincey and Kurrott Garland, and S Treveon Flowers. However, after swinging and missing on multiple 5-stars like two California-based DBs that signed with Southern Cal as well as LB Quay Walker (UGA), Tennessee frankly reached for a handful of late signees in DB Kenneth George and WR Cedric Tillman and then grad transfers RB Madre London and QB Keller Chryst. Tillman in particular at least has the measurables to project as an SEC-level contributor at WR, and one could make a case that Chryst was needed given the lack of depth behind Jarrett Guarantano. And let’s be clear, especially in this case hindsight is 20/20, as Guarantano ended up having a good year and stayed healthy enough to where Chryst’s appearances could 100% have been taken by Will McBride without making a difference in a single win or loss in 2018 for Tennessee.
However, because of these personnel decisions – and including the later addition of CB Bryce Thompson to the 2018 class and then the two new transfers Solomon and Gibbs, all no-brainers and potential program changers – Pruitt and Tennessee find themselves likely unable to take some really good players that would like to be Vols:
Memphis DL Kristian Williams in particular is pretty obviously waiting on the green light from Tennessee, and though he has some good alternatives he seems likely to wait until Signing Day before inking with anyone else.
For however Tennessee feels about current DL commitment Leddarrius Cox – and while that’s unclear the real interest from Auburn and Ole Miss shows he’s at least an SEC-level DL – he would like to sign with Tennessee.
Then there’s DB Jammie Robinson, who at worst has Tennessee in the mix with Auburn, South Carolina and Kentucky but absolutely could potentially choose Tennessee as his leader pending scholarship availability.
Even 5-star WR George Pickens, an Auburn commitment who’s still looking around, might not be getting the full-court press from Tennessee that he otherwise would given the lack of spots and the potential that he might not qualify. That remains to be seen of course as he is so damn good.
And finally there’s South Carolina JUCO DL commitment Jahkeem Green (more on him below) who also has some grade concerns but is likely a plug-and-play DL for either Tennessee or South Carolina should he get into school. Volquest.com broke the news that he’ll be OV’ig in Knoxville this weekend, but again with the lack of room it’s to be determined how hard Tennessee can really push. That said, there is some real fear from the Carolina side here.
The good news is that the 2019 class will feature exactly zero reaches, and there isn’t one signee or transfer who you’d definitively trade out for one of the guys left on the board not named Wright/To’oto’to/Russell. It’s quite simply a very good-to-outstanding class that massively upgrades the talent and depth across the 2019 roster as compared to a year ago. Further, should Tennessee end up being able to monkey with the numbers in order to fit more than three signees into this class, the other good news is that the players above are absolutely high quality players that no one will be looking back at in January 2020 lamenting Tennessee taking them.
Similarly, as we first floated a month ago, it seems like the potential for Anthony Harris blueshirting – should he qualify – is very likely. Harris is a bonafide stud while he could play on either side of the ball as a S or a WR the electric athlete has the kind of size and ball skills that Pruitt covets in the secondary. Were the Vols to go that route with Harris and add him to the 2020 class numbers along with Solomon and likely anyone else they add past three more signees, they’d simply be adding another bigtime player to the roster, in stark contrast to reaching for warm bodies.
Pruitt playing chess while Muschamp plays checkers
With the news that Tennessee is bringing in the aforementioned JUCO DL Green, this is yet another prospect for whom Pruitt is playing games with South Carolina coach Will Muschamp. First Pruitt snuck in and stole future All-SEC CB Bryce Thompson out from under Muschamp’s nose. Then, in this cycle Pruitt offered ATH Xavier Leggette, who South Carolina was hoping to blueshirt but was forced to sign in December for fear of Tennessee taking him. Finally, with Green, Carolina was hoping that his longtime commitment would keep others from offering him while they figure out his academic situation and potentially sign someone else with that 2018 spot. However, Pruitt could once again – at worst – be forcing Mushcamp’s hand. At best, because Green is an outstanding JUCO DL with the ability to play at a high level right away in the SEC, Tennessee can use this fact, along with the recent departure of Carolina DL Coach Lance Thompson and the Vols longtime interest (they offered last summer), Tennessee can figure out the numbers enough to sign him and get him into school.
Thoughts on Chris Russell
There’s been lots of speculation about Dyersburg, TN LB Chris Russell, for whom Tennessee entered the picture late relative to Arkansas and who also took an OV to Texas A&M last weekend. The wildest of that speculation is that some think he’s a lock to Arkansas and that Tennessee is in 3rd. I don’t buy it for a second. Here’s why:
Parents like Tennessee: Check
Lives in a very pro-Tennessee town: Check
Vol staff not taking him for granted and working him very hard: Check
Final OV: Check
Easy path to early playing time: Check
While I understand why Arkansas in particular is a factor here, as they boast a well-respected DC in John Chavis and have also been recruiting him longer than just about anyone, I’m willing to predict that – unless Russell commits to Arkansas this weekend and cancels his OV to Tennessee for the following (and final) weekend – he signs with the Vols.