“After Tennessee and Arkansas offered me, I think I have about 14,” Lemon remembered. “I had no offers coming out of high school, so this is all a dream. Tennessee is for sure in the mix, I’m looking into Texas Tech and I speak with Bowling Green and Arkansas a lot, too.”
Joe Osovet is heading up the recruitment with Lemon and the two communicate ‘3-4 times a week.’ Whether it be via text, phone, direct message or Face Time, the 2021 prospect ‘feels wanted’ by the Volunteers.
“There’s tradition and atmosphere in Knoxville – it’s not something you can just recreate in college football,” Lemon said. “I watched Tennessee as a kid growing up and noticed quickly there is nothing like the stadium, crowd and energy there.
“The Vols also have at least a couple – sometimes more – defensive linemen coming out of there. The production coming out of Knoxville is something I’ve noticed and am looking at.”
Though the journey has been long, it’s far from over for Lemon.
The potential is there to be a threat at the next level, but the prospect is currently focused on completing his winter units at Iowa Central to ensure his progress is on track for graduation in the spring.
From there, the defensive end will finally be looking to make an impact on the field – maybe at Neyland Stadium.