The Class of 2020 defensive lineman from Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa, said he received his first major-conference scholarship offer Wednesday from Tennessee, and it's "definitely a school I'm looking forward to visiting" in the coming months. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound Winfrey received his first offer in November from Florida Atlantic. He said the offer from Tennessee "let off a lot of weight" and made him feel "like I got another chance."
Winfrey learned of his offer from Tennessee during a conversation Wednesday with Vols tight ends coach
Brian Niedermeyer. "He’s a real cool guy," Winfrey said of Niedermeyer, who earlier this month was named the 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year for the 2019 class.
A former standout at Lake Park High School in Roselle, Ill., just outside Chicago, Winfrey said he doesn't know all that much about Tennessee right now. But he expects to learn more about the Vols now that they have become the first Power Five program to extend an offer to him. "Not really familiar with the program," he said. "That’s definitely gonna change." Winfrey said Niedermeyer already has told him that "I could come in and make a difference right away."
As a freshman at Iowa Western, Winfrey recorded 27 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble last season. He said he's currently planning to graduate in December and enroll in January at the college of his choice, where he expects to have three years to play his final two seasons of eligibility.
