Tennessee’s 2014 Recruiting Class

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Somebody asked for a summary in the recruiting forum and I thought it was meaningful enough to make it into a blog post.

Overview:

The 2013 class was assembled, admirably, in a very short time… Evan Woodbery has been detailing it in a nice piece in the KN($) over the last couple days, I believe.

But Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it left several holes in the roster, as the tremendous overhaul needed is too vast to complete in one recruiting cycle.

So the 2014 class is of extreme importance for Butch Jones and company for several reasons, but fundamentally, it’s ground zero for what Jones is building at Tennessee.

Sifting through the rubble and repairing the instate recruiting relationships nearly FUBAR’d by the previous regime is/was paramount, as is/was the procurement of elite-level out of state prospects needed to upgrade the talent, speed and depth of a roster feeling the drastic effects of four coaches in six years. There is no quick fix. This gon’ take time. And despite a 5-7 season, this class has remained largely safe from the wolves. Jones is selling this group on bringing Tennessee back to the forefront of the college football landscape. (#RiseToTheTop, et cetera, et cetera, yadda, yadda, yadda.)

The gourd-like, hollow rhetoric from past coaches has substance behind it now. The current staff has actually been “relentless” in its “pursuits,” and the fruits of its labors are showing. The ranking of prospects is often a subjective exercise, but Tennessee’s class currently ranks second on Rivals and third on both ESPN and 247Sports, for what that’s worth.

Awkward, mistimed, old-man chest bumps for everyone!

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Per Rivals, Tennessee has 33 committed prospects currently, with three (3) junior college prospects already signed.

2014
5*: 2
4*: 15
3*: 15
unranked: 1

For comparison —

2013
5*: 0
4*: 5 (One of which, Paul Harris, has already defected.)
3*: 15
2*: 1

Building a Big Orange Fence

Tennessee has always and will always have to recruit outside the state borders in order to be competitive. But that doesn’t change the fact that Tennessee also needs to keep its best players at home. This isn’t Georgia, Florida or Texas; there’s not enough talent for everybody to get a slice, so its imperative Tennessee target whom they want and get those kids in Orange and White.

5*s RB Jalen Hurd and WR Josh Malone highlight the crop of instate gets for the Vols this cycle, one that also includes: DBs RaSahaan Gaulden and Todd Kelly, Jr.; DL Derek Barnett and Charles Mosley; ATH Vic Wharton and K Aaron Medley.

Provided the group remains intact, the Vols landed seven of the top 10 prospects in the state with no apparent “misses.”

He Who Hesitates is Lost

“The velocity and intensity by which we attack recruiting will be noticed.”

–Butch Jones

Those that did not believe this statement likely do now. Tennessee has a top class, thanks in part to a blistering start to the cycle. Jones and staff did their work early, securing 19 of its 33 commits during the first seven months of the year. Long gone, it appears, are the summer days wishing for, wondering about and waiting on the recruiting class to take off.

vic and Rashaan, Jae S. Lee — left to right: Rashaan Gaulden, Vic Wharton
Photo Cred: Jae S. Lee

Vic Wharton was the commitment in December, and the Vols snagged four (4) in March, three (3) in April four (4) again in May and five (5) in July. This start allowed the staff to focus resources on uncommitted prospects as well as get a head start on recruiting for the 2015 cycle.

The Needs of the Many

Even if the current class holds, and all the prospects sign with Tennessee, there’s no way to address all the issues on this roster in just one class. But, this class does address some of the more immediate holes on the team.

For the 2014 season, UT must replace every. single. starter. on both the offensive and defensive lines. As of now, UT has seven (7) commits on the DL, including big-framed 4* DeWayne Hendrix and 3* Cory Thomas, along with Brighton’s mammoth 3* Charles Mosley and 4* pass rush specialist Joe Henderson from Ohio.

If there’s a weak link in this class, (other than the absence of a QB) I’d peg it as the offensive line. This is a place where UT likely looks to add one more, if they can do so with a quality player. Juco signee Dontavius Blair looks to step in and provide immediate help at one of the tackles positions, but he’s *likely* the only one of this group that makes an impact in 2014.

TK, Jr., via 247Sports — TK, Jr., flexin’ on em, via 247Sports

Tennessee has 12 commitments for players in its defensive back-seven, injecting much-needed speed and talent into two of the weaker positions groups on the team. Headlined by legacies LB Dillon Bates and DB Todd Kelly, Jr., a lot of these cats in this group will see several snaps on defense, as well Jalen Reeves-Maybin-like time on special teams.

4* and No. 1 overall TE Daniel Helm, and 4* and No. 3 overall junior college player Lavon Pearson should give the Tennessee QB, whomever it may be, two more weapons in the passing game arsenal that needs big-time amelioration.

This isn’t mean to be all-inclusive, just a not-so-brief overview.

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