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Tennessee football: Five underrated signees in 2021 recruiting class

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: A view of the outside of Neyland Stadium before 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 outside of Neyland Stadium before 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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Sep 1, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Tennessee Volunteers helmet is seen pregame before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Tennessee Volunteers helmet is seen pregame before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /

Pilot Mountain, N.C.. 3. player. 839. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Defensive lineman. Isaac Washington

East Surry High School

Given his size right now, there’s a chance Isaac Washington could play defensive end. His status as a bit of a tweener, standing between 6’3″ and 6’4″ and weighing between 265 to 285 pounds, could be why he was a three-star across the board and one of the lowest rated prospects to commit to Tennessee football. However, his potential is clearly there.

Depending on the system Josh Heupel wants to run, slightly undersized defensive tackles could be of huge value. As a result, Washington may thrive in the middle. He would have played end up front in Jeremy Pruitt’s 3-4 scheme, though, so it’s hard to know exactly where he’ll land. The North Carolina prospect clearly provides some value, though.

Washington has experience playing tight end as well as defensive end. That level of versatility has given him a solid amount of speed, clocking in a 4.9 40-yard dash, according to NCSA.org. The quickness alone could be enough to make him an elite pass-rusher if he plays on the edge.

If he needs to put on weight to play in the middle, well, that’s nothing a good conditioning program can’t fix. The North Carolina product was a rising star last year but didn’t have a chance to reach the next level because of COVID shutting down the season in 2020.

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