Evaluating the Tennessee Vols Recruiting Class at the Dead Period: Defensive End

Mar 16, 2014; Bristol, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones before the NASCAR Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Top Available Strongside Defensive End Prospects for 2016

Emmit Gooden: Brownsville, Tenn. (Haywood H.S.)

We are back to a homegrown prospect, which has been a staple of the Butch Jones regime since he took over at Tennessee. Own the state. Emmit Gooden is a West Tennessee player, which makes beating out the Mississippi schools and Memphis more difficult than usual, but according to 247 Sports, Tennessee’s biggest challenge right now is LSU.

After that, they are right in the thick of the race for him. Gooden is another four-star on Rivals who is 6’4″ 279 pounds. That makes him very versatile at the position, as he has shown speed, an ability to drop back in coverage, and strength. Picking him up would be huge for the Vols, and this is their best prospect that they should still logically pursue.

Shavar Manuel: Bradenton, Fla. (IMG Academy)

While Emmit Gooden is the best prospect to be excited about from the Vols perspective, Shavar Manuel is the prized bull if they can get him. A five-star on Rivals, Manuel is 6’3″ 262 pounds and knows how to come off double-teams, rush the passer, and stop the run. He is a physical freak who could line up in the middle if needed.

Unfortunately, according to 247 Sports, the Florida prospect is looking at schools a bit further south right now. Florida State is the favorite, and then comes Florida, Alabama, and LSU. Can Tennessee jump those teams? It would be epic if they could.

Cecil Stallings: Atlanta, Ga. (Chamblee Charter H.S.)

This is another three-star prospect on Rivals that the Vols have a great chance at if things go right. Tennessee is in his top three right now, according to 247 Sports, but the Vols have to get the Georgia prospect away from Penn State, Texas A&M, and South Carolina.

Stallings would be a solid pickup for depth if Tennessee snags him, but it could be hard if he is looking for immediate playing time. At 6’4″ 250 pounds, he is definitely a pure defensive end. And he would bring depth more than anything.

Marlon Davidson: Greenville, Ala. (Greenville H.S.)

Another five-star defensive end on Rivals, Tennessee will have to beat out 18 other schools to get Marlon Davidson. And the hardest part will be getting him out of Alabama. The Tide and the Tigers are both in the hunt for him, and after those two are Georgia and Michigan, according to 247 Sports.

But the Vols are in the thick of it and could snag him. Davidson is another versatile lineman at 6’3″ 279 pounds, and the addition of him would do wonders for the program.

Next: Final Take and Prediction