Tennessee football National Signing Day 2020 primer: Vols live updates
On National Signing Day for 2020, Jeremy Pruitt is still trying to add to Tennessee football’s class. Here are our updates for the Volunteers.
It’s finally here. Tennessee football is trying to put the finishing touches on its 2020 recruiting class, and National Signing Day is the last chance for the Vols to do it. So how will things end up for Jeremy Pruitt’s third class.
Well, Rocky Top entered the day with the No. 11 ranked recruiting class on Rivals nationally. They have multiple targets still on the board, including a few players they are looking to flip and others they are targeting who decommitted and are still in play.
There is also the off-chance that a top prospect, five-star Zachary Evans, commits to Tennessee football, but it’s looking like he will throw a wrench in the process since he can’t sign his LOI today. As a result, there’s a chance the Vols actually aren’t done today.
Anyway, we will be updating this page in realtime throughout the day. Our primer will include a live blog, top targets still on the board and players who have committed and signed. All of the rankings and other things related to each target’s profile comes from Rivals. Here is our 2020 National Signing Day primer for the Vols.
Live blog
1:53 p.m.-Four-star wide receiver Malachi Wideman flips his commitment from the Florida State Seminoles to Tennessee football. Wideman had been committed to FSU since last May but became a more open prospect after the firing of Willie Taggart.
10:08 a.m.-Three-star wide receiver Ger-Cari Caldwell commits to a and signs with the South Carolina Gamecocks. Caldwell, a 6’4″ 193-pound prospect out of Northwestern High School in Rock Hill, S.C., was down to the Vols and Gamecocks, but S.C. was always a major favorite.
9:35 a.m.-Three-star athlete Dee Beckwith commits to and signs with Tennessee football. Beckwith was seen as being down to the Vols and Florida Gators and announced his commitment to the Vols during a signing ceremony.
Top remaining targets
Zachary Evans; Running Back (Can’t sign LOI yet)
5-star; 6’0″ 195 pounds; Houston, Texas; North Shore High School
Stories of the day
Four-star wide receiver Malachi Wideman flips to Vols
After being committed to the Florida State Seminoles for over a year, Malachi Wideman flipped and signed with Jeremy Pruitt and co. on National Signing Day. The 6’5″ 190-pound Florida prospect is an elite athlete and will immediately help fill a need at wideout.
2020 athlete Dee Beckwith commits to Vols
The Vols got National Signing Day started with a commitment from three-star athlete Dee Beckwith. A 6’5″ 215-pound prospect out of Florence High School in Florence, Ala., Beckwith played quarterback and wide receiver in high school but will likely stick to wideout in college.
Signed commitments
Will Albright; Offensive center
2-star; 6’2″ 200 pounds; Greeneville, Tenn.; Greeneville High School
Dominic Bailey; Defensive tackle
4-star; 6’3″ 290 pounds; Baltimore, Md.; St. Frances High School
Harrison Bailey; Quarterback
5-star; 6’4″ 220 pounds; Marietta, Ga.; Marietta High School
Tyler Baron; Strongside defensive end
4-star; 6’4″ 250 pounds; Knoxville, Tenn.; Knoxville Catholic High School
Dee Beckwith; Athlete
3-star; 6’5″ 215 pounds; Florence, Ala.; Florence High School
Jimmy Calloway; Wide receiver
4-star; 5’11” 165 pounds; Morrow, Ga.; Morrow High School
Bryson Eason; Linebacker
4-star; 6’2″ 230 pounds; Memphis, Tenn.; Whitehaven High School
Martavius French; Linebacker
4-star; 6’3″ 235 pounds; Memphis, Tenn.; Whitehaven High School
Tee Hodge; Running back
3-star; 6’2″ 230 pounds; Maryville, Tenn.; Maryville High School
Jimmy Holiday; Athlete
3-star; 6’1″ 180 pounds; Flora, Miss.; Madison Central High School
Jalin Hyatt; Wide receiver
4-star; 6’2″ 170 pounds; Irmo, S.C.; Dutch Fork High School
Morven Joseph; Weakside defensive end
4-star; 6’3″ 211 pounds; Lakeland, Fla.; Lake Gibson High School
Keshawn Lawrence; Safety
4-star; 6’1″ 197 pounds; Nashville, Tenn.; Ensworth High School
Cooper Mays; Offensive center
4-star; 6’3″ 272 pounds; Knoxville, Tenn.; Knoxville Catholic High School
Tamarion McDonald; Linebacker
4-star; 6’2″ 215 pounds; Memphis, Tenn.; Whitehaven High School
Reginald Perry; Strongside defensive end
3-star; 6’5″ 245 pounds; Fairfield, Ala.; Fairfield High School
James Robinson; Offensive guard
3-star; 6’4″ 330 pounds; Montgomery, Ala.; Carver High School
Doneiko Slaughter; Safety
4-star; 6’0″ 180 pounds; Roswell, Ga.; Roswell High School
Jabari Small; All-purpose back
3-star; 5’10” 177 pounds; Eads, Tenn.; Briarcrest High School
Javontez Spraggins; Center
3-star; 6’3″ 300 pounds; East St. Louis, Ill.; East St. Louis High School
Omari Thomas; Defensive tackle
4-star; 6’5″ 301 pounds; Eads, Tenn.; Briarcrest High School
Len’Neth Whitehead; Athlete
3-star; 6’2″ 232 pounds; Athens, Ga.; Athens Academy
Malachi Wideman; Wide receiver
4-star; 6’5″ 190 pounds; Venice, Fla.; Venice High School
Storylines
Biggest position needs for Vols entering National Signing Day
They won’t all be resolved by one National Signing Day with just a few potential prospects left. But UT does have some areas it still needs to focus on. Here are the Vols’ five biggest position needs entering the day.
Five predictions for Vols on National Signing Day
Most of the work was done in the Early Signing Period, but the Vols still have plenty of things that could happen on National Signing Day. Here are our five bold predictions on things that will happen that day.
Ranking Vols National Signing Day targets
There are clear top targets for Tennessee football heading into National Signing Day for 2020. Here is how they stack up against each other when it comes to the importance for Jeremy Pruitt to pursue them.