Florida Visitor List

It's setting up to be the best environment inside Neyland Stadium in years. A pivotal game that could be the difference in Tennessee making a bowl or sitting at home for a 4th consecutive year, the checkerboard Neyland movement which promises to paint the stadium like never before, and an all-star list of recruiting prospects who will take it all in. It will be big.

A win would mean we simply need to take care of business against Kentucky at home and Vandy on the road (assuming we beat UTC which is a safe assumption) in order to make a bowl and show the world how far this program has progressed in such a short time and how prepared it is to take the next step. 

As I mentioned, it will be a big weekend for recruiting as several prospects Tennessee is chasing will be taking official visits along with several more who will be on unofficial visits. I've compiled a list of who will be there and will just mention briefly that while Ugo Amadi and Kyle Phillips initially planned to be in attendance, they have ultimately decided to attend the Ole Miss/Bama game instead. Here's the list.

2015 Official Visitors

• LB Ricky Deberry
• OT Pat Allen
• DT Kahlil McKenzie (commit)
• RB Johnny Frasier
• CB Mook Reynolds
• DE Darrell Taylor (commit)
• CB Micah Abernathy
• OL Matthew Burrell

Unofficial Visitors

2015

• LB Jerome Baker?
• RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn
• LB Quarte Sapp
• DE De'Andre Walker

Commits

• DE Andrew Butcher 
• DT Shy Tuttle 
• DT Khalil McKenzie
• QB Quinten Dormady
• P Tommy Townsend
• OL Jack Jones
• WR Preston Williams
• LB Austin Smith
• DT Quay Piccou
• OL Chance Hall
• TE Kyle Oliver

2016

• RB Tavien Feaster
• LB Jaleel Laguins
• CB Rontavius Groves
• DB Nigel Warrior
• RB Elijah Holyfield
• LB Daniel Bituli
• OL Drake Jackson
• RB Antonio Williams
• OT Bryce Mathews
• TE Gabe Angel

2017

• ATH Maleik Gray
• RB Ty Chandler

2018

• OL Cade Mays

Visitors for the Opener

It's a big opening weekend for the Tennessee football team and a big opportunity to get recruits on campus with a Sunday day game with no competition from it's rivals for airtime and a vacation from school the following day, being Labor Day. As you would expect, the list is long of both 2015 and 2016 prospects set to take it all in.

2015 Visitors

DE Andrew Butcher (commit)
ATH Joc Bruce (commit)
DE Dylan Jackson (commit)
S Jauan Jennings (commit)
OL Zach Stewart (commit)
RB Rocky Reid (commit)
S Stephen Griffin (commit)
OL Jack Jones (commit)
TE Kyle Oliver (commit)
ATH Vincent Perry
DE Kyle Phillips
DT Shy Tuttle
LB Roquan Smith
CB Ugo Amadi

2016 Visitors

OT Ryan Johnson (commit)
QB Austin Kendall (commit)
CB Donte Vaughn
CB Marquill Osborne
S Joejuan Williams
DT Malik Walker
RB BJ Emmons
CB Mecole Hardman
WR Dillon Mitchell
S Donte Vaughn
RB Moe Neal
RB Antonio Williams
OLB Tariqious Tisdale

2017 Visitors

QB Hunter Johnson

Junior Day March 8th

Spring practice starts Friday and it's another important weekend for recruiting. Here is a list of who is expected in for Junior Day this weekend.

Junior Day March 8

LB Tyler Cooksey
LB Roquan Smith
QB Nick Tiano
QB Tommy Stevens
QB Cole Kotopka
QB Kelly Bryant
QB Joe Burrow
RB Bryce Love
WR Tyron Johnson
WR Van Jefferson
WR Alex Ofodile
WR Jalen McClesky
DT Elijah Taylor
DT Sterling Johnson
DT Tyrell Jacobs
DE Jalen Dalton
DE Russell Ude
DB Cam Ordway
DB Micah Abernathy
OL Venzel Boulware
OL Marquelll Harrell
OL Alex Givens
OL/DL Dylan Jackson (commit)
DE Andrew Butcher (commit)
OL Zach Stewart (commit)
OL Jack Jones (commit)

2016

DL Briston Guidry
DL Malik Walker
TE Jake Hausmann
RB Kareem Walker

Jr. Day 2015 class #1 Feb 15

Watch Emmit Gooden this weekend for a possible commit. Here's a list of everyone planning on being there this weekend for Jr. Day. The guys with a "?" were once scheduled to be here but I'm uncertain if they will make it in.

• LB Darrin Kirkland Jr.
  DE Sterling Johnson
  WR CJ Sanders
  DE Darrian Roseboro
  OT Matthew Burrell
  DT Tim Settle
  LB Keaton Anderson
  WR Carl Tucker Jr.
  OT Austin Clark
  OL Zach Stewart (commit)
  FB/HB Joshua Thomas
  OT Matthew Burrell
  S Stephen Griffin
  DE Kyle Phillips ?
  OT Drew Richmond ?
  ATH Jaason Lewis ?
  CB Duke Shelley
  OLB Dee Smith
  DE Joc Bruce
  CB Cameron Ordway
  DE/OT Dylan Jackson (commit)
  ATH/Slot WR Jaylond Woods (commit)
  RB Keshawn Vaughn
  WR Jayson Stanley
  OLB Jaye Miner
  
  '16 commit CB Dorian Banks
  '16 DE Emmit Gooden (may commit)
  '16 OT Ryan Johnson
  '16 OT Bryce Matthews

National Signing Day 2014 NLIs

First 14 are already enrolled

1. Donatvius Blair
2. Neiko Creamer
3. Daniel Helm
4. Jalen Hurd
5. Jakob Johnson
6. Josh Malone
7. Emmanuel Moseley
8. D'Andre Payne
9. LaVon (Von) Pearson
10. Ray Raulerson
11. Coleman Thomas
12. Owen Williams
13. Ethan Wolf
14. Demarya Mixon 
15. Todd Kelly Jr.
16. Dillon Bates 
17. Vic Wharton
18.  Rashaan Gaulden
19. Derrell Scott 
20. Aaron Medley
21. Gavin Bryant 
22. Treyvon Paulk
23.  DeWayne Hendrix
24. Jashon Robertson
25.  Charles Mosley
26. Derek Barnett 
27. Michael Sawyers 
28. Chris Weatherd 
29. Cortez McDowell 
30. Joe Henderson 
31. Evan Berry
32. Elliot Berry

Top 10 Instate Targets for the 2015 Recruiting Class

The days until Signing Day are now in the single digits and there's little to talk about in
regards to the 2014 class so I thought I'd break down where we stand with some of the top instate targets in the 2015 class. We're in good shape with several top prospects instate so let's take a look at them. I'm looking at the 247 rankings so if you want to follow along, look up our targets and click Tennessee on the right to pull up the list.

1. OT Drew Richmond 4* - Richmond was a frequent visitor on campus this past year and was present for Foundation Day 2014 in addition to taking in the Georgia and Vanderbilt games. He is tight with Charles Mosley which obviously helps the Vols and has been known to chat with some of our prospects on Twitter. Our biggest competition for Richmond is probably Ohio State but we edge them out slightly on the crystal ball.
2. CB Rico McGraw 3* - McGraw committed to Georgia soon after the hire of Jeremy Pruitt as defensive coordinator. Tennessee will not give up though. Expect them to continue to recruit the talented corner.
3.  SDE Kyle Phillips 4* - Phillips is another guy who's fairly familiar with UT's campus as he was also present for Foundation Day as well as taking in the Georgia game. This one is shaping up to be a Vanderbilt/Tennessee battle. Phillips is no stranger to Vandy's campus either. He's been there several times and distance wise is much closer to Nashville than Knoxville. His mother played women's basketball for the Commodores so there is certainly a draw but Tennessee has put itself in good position to battle for the uber-talented defensive end. Tommy Thigpen, our ace recruiter is Phillips' primary recruiter. He doesn't let the good ones get away very often.
4. ATH Juan Jennings 4* - Tennessee has offered this talented athlete though many suspect they like him as an athlete instead of his preferred position of QB. Vandy had offered under the previous staff at QB but it's not clear whether he's in their plans still and if so at what position. Jennings is still wide open and hasn't named any leaders so this one will be interesting to watch.
5. OLB Joshua McMillon 4* - McMillon intends to take his time with his recruitment and really explore his options. One of those options is Tennessee. McMillon visited the Volunteers back in June of last year. He is a Memphis guy and one who Ole Miss has targeted at the top of their wish list. Memphis guys are always a tough pull for the Vols but Butch has Tennessee squarely in the picture for McMillon.
6. ILB Josh Smith 4* -  Josh loves the Vols but his brother is committed to Vanderbilt. I think he's going to be tough to pull away from the Commodores who are just 30 minutes down the road from him but I expect us to try. He's been on campus multiple times both with and without his brother and has friends committed to Tennessee currently.
7. WR Van Jefferson 4* - Jefferson is the son of Titans WR coach Shawn Jefferson. Van resides in Middle Tennessee currently but has no ties necessarily to the area. Tennessee is trying with him but many expect him to go North to Ohio State or possibly even Penn State.
8. OT Jack Jones 4* - Jones is committed to Tennessee.
9. CB Ugo Amadi 3* - Amadi, who is a 4* on Rivals, holds a Tennessee offer and we are currently his favorite. Vandy may try with him but Butch has us in a good spot. Amadi was on Tennessee's campus to take in the Auburn game and came away impressed.
10. OT Zach Stewart 3* - Stewart is committed to Tennessee

Those are really the names you need to know at this time. A couple of guys just out of the top 10 are ATH Jaylond Woods who is committed to Tennessee but I'm hearing may not end up part of the 2015 class and Dylan Jackson who is also committed to Tennessee.