You’d think with all the hype surrounding the Tennessee football program, the Volunteers would be one of the hottest teams on the recruiting trail.
Though coach Butch Jones has rebuilt UT through exceptional work throughout his first four classes, the Vols haven’t gotten off to the greatest start in the 2017 cycle. Tennessee is currently ranked 36th nationally and has five 3-star prospects and one lone 4-star, per 247Sports.
There’s plenty of time to turn that around.
While Jones’ hard work in living rooms and in building relationships hasn’t manifested in commitments just yet, the Vols are right in the thick of things for a lot of coveted prospects.
Plus, at least a couple of the 3-star prospects currently committed to Tennessee are sought-after players. Cornerback Cheyenne Labruzza is a Louisiana product with an LSU offer, and Mississippi tight end Chase Rogers received a Mississippi State offer soon after he committed to UT.
Some movement will occur from the players already on Tennessee’s commitment list, and with a slew of in-state players who are highly ranked and with the ability to sign a full class of 25, there’s plenty of leeway remaining to shoot up the rankings.
It’s still early in the recruiting process, and as Jones proved last year with his torrid final couple of days before national signing day, it isn’t always how you start but how you finish.
With a whole lot of targets remaining, let’s take a look at one of the top names at each position the Vols have zeroed in on who not only have expressed interest in them but are realistic possibilities.
Here are the top UT targets at every position.