Vols Football 2015 Offers: Defensive Ends

2. Kyle Phillips

The state of Tennessee has been churning out more talented players the past few seasons, and the 2015 recruiting cycle is no different. Kyle Phillips of Hillsboro High in Nashville is one of those top prospects Butch Jones hopes to see in orange and white in 2015.

Phillips is a 4-star prospect, the No. 116 overall player, and No. 2 player in the state. He, like Sweat, possesses some elite athleticism for a player who just turned 17. He’s 6-4, 260 lbs, and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds.

As a sophomore, Phillips notched 35 tackles, 12 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 3 fumbled recoveries, and intercepted a ball and ran it back for a touchdown. He only played in 4 games as a junior due to an injury, but he looks to be back at full strength for 2014.

Phillips boasts offers from many top programs, including Alabama, Ole Miss, Auburn, Louisville, Florida, LSU, Michigan State, and many others.Vanderbilt was a leader for Phillips for a while, but it seems as though the Vols have overtaken them and are running away with his recruitment.

In the past year, Phillips has visited the Vols 6 different times. It looks as though Tennessee is in prime position for Phillips, but Alabama and Ole Miss are pursuing him hard. Back on April 7th, Phillips posted his top 10, which included those two and the Vols.

The race to land Phillips will be a hectic one, but right now it looks like the Vols may have a slight advantage. Hanging on to this in-state prospect would be a huge get for Butch Jones and Co.