Vols Basketball: 4 Players to Watch in Recruiting

Mar 28, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers cheerleaders and mascot perform in the second half in the semifinals of the midwest regional of the 2014 NCAA Mens Basketball Championship tournament against the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

1. Tariq Owens

Donnie Tyndall has said he values lean, athletic big men to run his style of offense. A player like Tariq Owens would fit into Tyndall’s scheme perfectly.

Owens is rated as high as a 4-star forward by Scout.com, and they also rank him as a Top-100 prospect in their 2014 recruiting class rankings. He was formerly a signee for the University of Ohio, but they recently granted him a release from his Letter of Intent after he requested one after Ohio’s head coach, Jim Christian, left for Boston College.

What’s more, Owens is believed to have had a bit of a growth spurt as well. According to his father, Owens is no longer 6-foot-8 like his recruiting profile states. He claims his son now stands just half an inch shy of 6-11.

Owens is scheduled to visit the Vols on May 15th, and adding his long, lean frame would mean a lot for the upcoming season.