Tennessee football’s five most underrated signees in 2022 class

Riverdale's linebacker Elijah Herring (31) talks with DNJ preps writer Cecil Joyce after Riverdale beat Siegel 35-0 on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021.37 Riverdale V Siegel Football
Riverdale's linebacker Elijah Herring (31) talks with DNJ preps writer Cecil Joyce after Riverdale beat Siegel 35-0 on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021.37 Riverdale V Siegel Football /
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Linebacker. Murfreesboro, Tenn.. 1. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. player. 839. Elijah Herring

Riverdale High School

Related Story. Ranking every position group in Vols' 2022 class with grades. light

The first commitment for Tennessee football in 2022, Elijah Herring is another linebacker. Like Kalib Perry, he is a three-star across the board. However, unlike Perry, he is locked in at purely playing linebacker given what he has shown at the position so far.

Standing at 6’2″ and weighing in the range of 220 to 230 pounds, the in-state prospect out of Rutherford County rose up a lot of people’s list after his play spiked his senior year. However, his rating stayed the same, which probably has something to do with him not drawing as much interest given how solidly committed he is to the Vols.

There is concern about how much ground he can cover with his length, but with his experience playing tight end and with his 4.5 40-time, that shouldn’t be an issue. Speed and versatility will likely take Herring a long way towards becoming an elite prospect for UT.

Next. Vols' 2021 highlights: Top 10 plays of the season. dark

Given Tennessee football’s issues at linebacker, even with everybody returning, Herring could get a quicker look than people think. He’s got the size to stop the run and the experience to play in coverage. Speed will help him with his lateral moves as well, so it’s really hard to see any downside. This guy is a perfect fit for Tim Banks’ system.