1. Josh Sweat
The first player on this list is one of the Vols top targets, as well as every college program across the nation. Josh Sweat is being hyped as one of the best defensive end products coming out of high school since Jadeveon Clowney.
How’s that for hype?
Sweat, a consensus 5-star recruit, is the No. 2 overall player in the nation and the No. 1 weak-side defensive end in the country. His services are wanted by virtually every college football team (he currently holds 63 scholarship offers), and with good reason.
Sweat possesses freakish athleticism. He stands tall at 6-5, weighs in at 237 lbs, and still is able to run the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds. If that doesn’t remind you of a certain former South Carolina Gamecock and No. 1 overall NFL draft pick, I don’t know what will.
And he has the numbers to back up his build and speed. As a junior for Oscar Smith High in Chesapeake, Virginia, Sweat amassed 94 tackles, 33 tackles for a loss, 22 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and recovered 2 fumbles.
Sweat, like many other elite high schoolers, is invited and will attend The Opening, the all-star event for premier high school athletes to showcase their abilities.
Being the No. 2 overall player means Sweat has his pick of where he can play college ball. Right now, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Georgia, and Tennessee are standing out among the 60 plus teams that have offered him. He unofficially visited the Vols on June 19th and then Georgia the next day. He’ll be making plenty of visits and be receiving plenty of attention until National Signing Day in February. Expect to hear a lot about him from here on out.