Five recruiting priorities for the Vols
College football’s early signing period is less than two months away, with the three-day window beginning Dec. 18. Tennessee has 14 players committed to its 2020 recruiting class, which as of Friday ranked 23rd nationally in the 247Sports composite.
Here are five things that should rank as top recruiting priorities for Tennessee.
Lock up the Marietta talent
Without Marietta High School in Georgia, this class wouldn’t be ranked as high as it is. Two of the Vols top three commitments hail from there.
Marietta’s Harrison Bailey pledged to UT on Nov. 29, choosing the Vols over Michigan. He’s the third-ranked prostyle quarterback in the country, according to the 247Sports composite. His teammate, defensive end BJ Ojulari, pledged for Tennessee on Aug. 16. Both are four-star prospects.
Tennessee is going to have to work to keep them both committed, as other schools continue to pursue them. Ojulari’s brother, linebacker Azeez Ojulari, plays for Georgia. Bailey told Govols247 earlier this month that he plays to take official visits to other schools.
Hanging on to Bailey and Ojulari will be considered a success. It could become a coup, though, if the Vols also land Marietta’s Arik Gilbert, a five-star prospect ranked as the nation’s No. 1 tight end. The Vols are in the running, but Georgia is considered the favorite, with Alabama and Clemson also in the mix.
Land another talented defensive lineman
If you’ve watched Tennessee this season, you know the Vols need more talented defensive linemen. Ojulari and four-star defensive tackle Dominic Bailey are the two defensive line commitments in this class. Ojulari might project more as a hybrid linebacker for UT.
Keep an eye on four-star defensive end Jay Hardy from Mccallie School in Chattanooga. He’s the brother of former Vols fullback Kevin Cooper.
Hardy’s top five consists of Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Georgia Tech and Florida. Knoxville Catholic’s Cooper Mays, a four-star offensive lineman committed to UT, is trying to persuade some other in-state prospects to pledge to the Vols, including Hardy.
Get the other Catholic star, too
Five of UT’S 14 commitments are instate prospects. Where it makes sense, the Vols should try to add more. That includes four-star defensive end Tyler Baron, who is Mays’ teammate at Catholic. Baron is the son of Patrick Abernathy, who works in player development on Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt’s staff.
If Baron pledges to UT, he would join safety Keshawn Lawrence to give the Vols two of the state’s top four prospects.
Keep pressing for Georgia commitments
Tennessee has made Georgia its recruiting home away from home during the Pruitt era. The Vols’ 2018 recruiting class had four high school signees from Georgia. The 2019 class had nine.
This year’s class features three players from Georgia, with four-star athlete Jimmy Calloway joining the two Marietta players.
There’s more talent to mine from UT’S top-producing neighboring state. That includes four-star linebacker Len’neth Whitehead from Athens Academy. Tennessee is among his seven finalists. Whitehead is also a standout thrower in track and field.
Get another wide receiver
Tennessee will lose senior wide receivers Marquez Callaway, Jauan Jennings and Tyler Byrd after this season. The Vols have a commitment from three-star wide receiver Jalin Hyatt. Calloway and three-star athlete Darion Williamson also other pledges who could play wide receiver if they don’t wind up on defense.
The Vols shouldn’t cut off their wide receiver recruiting efforts there. Add another.
Flipping five-star LSU commitment Rakim Jarrett or landing four-star Arian Smith – the Vols are in his top eight – would be ideal, but those are far-fetched possibilities, so Tennessee also should work a backup plan.