One of the more intriguing prospects on campus Saturday for Tennessee’s latest Junior Day was 3-star athlete Len’Neth Whitehead. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound prospect from Athens Academy (Ga.) is a legitimate two-sport star, playing middle linebacker on a state championship team while also moonlighting as the nation’s No. 1 prep shot put thrower. Whitehead turned down an opportunity to participate in the Junior Olympics last fall, leading his football team to a title instead.
The Peach State native holds early offers from Tennessee, Michigan and Wake Forest, with Oklahoma, Duke and Kentucky likely to extend scholarships soon. Georgia is also seriously in the mix. “Yesterday was my first time up there. It was cool,” Whitehead said of his Tennessee visit. “The coaches had a nice vibe about them. It was a nice atmosphere. The university, campus, was nice. They’re on a rebuilding path. They’re talking about how the 2020 class is going to be the group that they’re targeting to get them a national championship. I wanted to see the campus and see if it was a fit for me or not.”
Whitehead could play multiple positions in college, but most project him as an inside linebacker. Kevin Sherrer is his main recruiter for the Vols, and the 3-star athlete said Tennessee’s inside linebackers coach told him, “They really like my speed, size and athleticism for that position.” Whitehead and his mother also had the chance to sit-down with head coach Jeremy Pruitt in his office Saturday, learning more about his background and “just chatting it up about his vision” for the program.
Academics are a very important to Whitehead, who plans to study entrepreneurship in college, but he also doesn’t want to give up his Olympic dreams in shot put. While football (and recruiting) are at the forefront of his mind right now, the 2020 prospect said, “My main question to any school or coaches: Can I do both (football and track)? Coach Pruitt told me I could participate in both sports.”
As for what’s next, Whitehead will visit Duke in March and plans on making return trips to Georgia and Tennessee. He’s taking the process slowly, waiting to see if the hometown Bulldogs “offer or not” while also checking out other campuses. “I’ll be back up to Tennessee again,” he said.
