Tennessee football recruiting: Vols 2019 Early Signing Period primer

Tennessee football has lots of targets for the 2019 Early Signing Period. Here is our coverage of all Volunteers recruiting during that time.

After a splash Early Signing Period in 2017, Tennessee football is expected to have a bit more mellow of a period in 2018. That doesn’t mean there aren’t guys who are top targets for this class. It just means that things are a bit more subdued given the fact that Jeremy Pruitt has had an entire year to recruit these guys.

The Vols entered the period with the No. 14 ranked recruiting class in the nation, but numerous targets expected to sign with them not just during this period but all the way up to National Signing Day could propel them into the top 5. Pruitt could have a much easier time recruiting if he could get some of those guys now.

In this post, we’re going to continue to update everything that happens in the early signing period. This is our primer, and we’ll look at people who commit during this time while bringing you targets and commitments who signed. So let’s bring you our primer by starting with the Vols’ top targets.

Stories of the day

Jerrod Means commits to, signs with Vols

Tennessee football’s first new edition of the day was three-star wide receiver Jerrod Means. The Lovejoy, Ga., prospect stands at 6’2″ and 200 pounds and is the second wide receiver in the Vols’ 2019 recruiting class. He was committed to the North Carolina Tar Heels until last month. Means’s commitment is Tennessee’s 21st of 2019.

Jalil Clemons flips to Memphis

Three-star defensive end Jalil Clemons out of Starkville High School in Starkville, Miss. flipped his commitment from Tennessee football to the Memphis Tigers on Wednesday. The 6’3″ 240-pound prospect had been committed to the Vols since the summer, so this was a bit of a loss. However, it’s nothing to panic over.

Top available targets

• Eric Gray – 4 Star- RB – Memphis, Tenn.

Targets who signed elsewhere

• Noah Cain – 4 Star – RB – Bradenton, Fla. (Signed with Penn State Nittany Lions)
• Justin Eboigbe – 4 Star – DT – Forest Park, Ga. (Signed with Alabama Crimson Tide)
• Nick Figueroa (JuCo) – 3 Star – DE – Riverside City College; Riverside, Calif. (Signed with USC Trojans
• Jamie Pettway – 3 Star – LB – Albany, Ga. (Signed with Missouri Tigers)

Commitments who signed

• Chris Akporoghene – 4 Star – OL – Bradenton, Fla.
• Aaron Beasley – 3 Star – ATH – Franklin, Ga.
• Sean Brown – 3 Star – TE – Rome, Ga.
• Warren Burrell – 4 Star – DB – Suwanee, Ga.
• Tyus Fields – 4 Star – DB – Charlotte, N.C.
• Roman Harrison – 3 Star – DE – Bainbridge, Ga.
• Ramel Keyton – 4 Star – WR – Marietta, Ga.
• Jackson Lampley – 4 Star – OL – Nashville, Tenn.
• Jackson Lowe – 3 Star – TE – Cartersville, Ga.
• Brian Maurer – 3 Star – QB – Ocala, Fla.
• Melvin McBride – 3 Star – OL – Memphis, Tenn.
• Jaylen McCollough – 4 Star – DB – Powder Springs, Ga.
• Jerrod Means – 3 Star – WR – Lovejoy, Ga.
• Darel Middleton (JuCo) – 3 Star – DT – East Mississippi Community College; Scooba, Miss.
• Wanya Morris – 4 Star – OL – Loganville, Ga.
• Elijah Simmons – 3 Star – DT – Nashville, Tenn
• Savion Williams (JuCo) – 4 Star – DT – Lackawanna College; Scranton, Pa..

Commits who are not expected to sign

• LeDarrius Cox – 3 Star – DT – Mobile, Ala.
• Anthony Harris – 4 Star – DB – Havelock, N.C.
• Lakia Henry (JuCo) – 4 Star – LB – Dodge City Community College; Dodge City, Kan.

Interesting storylines

What happens with Darnell Wright and Quavaris Crouch?

These are the top two Tennessee football targets generating headlines during the early signing period. Neither commitment is expected to be public until National Signing Day. However, there are reports that Darnell Wright, the five-star offensive lineman from West Virginia, could sign early in order to shut down his recruitment. Meanwhile, Quavaris Crouch, the four-star athlete who plays running back and linebacker, is set to let his team know this week who he committed to but not to go public until February. So both players are huge news, and any developments will be interesting to see.

Will the offensive coordinator play a role in the results?

The Vols are still looking for an offensive coordinator to replace Tyson Helton, and not naming one before the Early Signing Period has been concerning to some people. However, there could be some news we don’t know about. While it’ll be hard to read that into recruiting, it’s worth taking a look at and finding out what happens. If the Vols load up on surprise offensive recruits, then watch out for what happens the next week.