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Evaluating Tennessee football’s 2020 recruiting class at dead period: Vols Linebackers

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: A view of the inside of Neyland Stadium during a game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers on September 15, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: A view of the inside of Neyland Stadium during a game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers on September 15, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images) /
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Top prospects for Vols at OLB

Reggie Grimes; 4-star

6’5″ 240 lbs; Mt. Juliet, Tenn.; Mount Juliet High School

The top prospect for Tennessee football in this post, Reggie Grimes is a four-star edge rusher who could become a dominant force. Transferring from Brentwood to Mt. Juliet, Grimes is from right out of the Nashville area, and at 6’5″ 240 pounds, he is the No. 32 ranked player nationally, the No. 5 ranked player at his position and the No. 2 ranked player from within the state.

Simply put, the Vols have to have Grimes. Right now, they’re competing with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Vanderbilt Commodores, South Carolina Gamecocks and LSU Tigers. Alabama is the majority favorite on the Rivals FutureCast and 247Sports Crystal Ball and the plurality favorite on the FanFutureCast. So Jeremy Pruitt has serious work to do to get this necessary prospect.

BJ Ojulari; 4-star

6’3″ 220 lbs; Marietta, Ga.; Marietta High School

While Reggie Grimes is the top-notch desired choice, BJ Ojulari is a nice consolation as another four-star outside linebacker. Coming from the pipeline state of Georgia, Ojulari is a top 200 prospect and the No. 16 ranked player at his position. His 6’3″ 220-pound frame makes him more likely as a pure outside linebacker and not one who can play on the line, but that’s okay.

UT is competing with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, LSU Tigers and Florida Gators to land him. The 247Sports Crystal Ball has UGA as the majority favorites, but UT is the unanimous favorite on the Rivals FutureCast and the majority favorite on the Rivals FanFutureCast. So they are in major play for him.

Brandon Williams; 4-star

6’3″ 225 lbs; New Orleans, La.; Isidore Newman High School

Another top-notch player, Brandon Williams is not in the overall Rivals national ranking, but he is a guy who could play on the line based on him being listed as a weakside defensive end on Rivals. At 6’3″ 225 pounds, the four-star would be a great pickup out of Louisiana.

Williams is down to the Vols, the Florida Gators and the LSU Tigers. There are no favorites on the 247Sports Crystal Ball yet, but UT is indeed the favorite by a plurality on the Rivals FanFutureCast. However, LSU is the unanimous favorite on the Rivals FutureCast. Still, the Vols have a history of pulling coups out of Isidore Newman in New Orleans (Peyton Manning anybody?). So don’t give up.

Kourt Williams; 4-star

6’0″ 215 lbs; Bellflower, Calif.; St. John Bosco High School

The final outside linebacker on this list is a pure outside linebacker and the smallest guy at 6’0″ 215 pounds. He also is the only one not from the South. But Kourt Williams would be a great four-star pickup from the West Coast nonetheless, and remember, Tennessee football just got a surprise California commitment at linebacker this past year in four-star Henry To’oto’o.

Williams appears down to the Vols, Texas A&M Aggies, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oklahoma Sooners, and Penn State Nittany Lions. Ohio State is the unanimous favorite on the Rivals FutureCast and the majority favorite on the FanFuture Cast and the 247Sports Crystal Ball. So getting him is another major uphill climb, but don’t count out Pruitt and the Vols.

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