No one has made Smith a bigger priority than the Vols. He told GoVols247 in late March that Tennessee coach
Jeremy Pruitt had "called me and told me he was going to personally take over my recruitment," and the Vols have stayed in frequent contact with him since then, led by Pruitt, offensive line coach
Will Friend and running backs coach
Jay Graham.
Smith grew up liking North Carolina, and nearby N.C. State has remained a legitimate contender for him. But Tennessee has done the best job of recruiting him to this point, and his first visit with the Vols a little more than three months ago made a strong impression on him. The momentum in his recruitment has shifted toward Tennessee over the past few months, and sources close to his recruitment believe the Vols are in the best shape. Right now, I believe Tennessee is in the driver's seat, especially if he announces a decision on Monday.