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Ranking Tennessee football’s early enrollees for 2022 by potential impact

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West participates in a drill during Tennessee football spring practice at University of Tennessee, Thursday, March 24, 2022.Volspractice0324 1166
Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West participates in a drill during Tennessee football spring practice at University of Tennessee, Thursday, March 24, 2022.Volspractice0324 1166 /
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KNOXVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 11: Detailed view of the checkered endzone at Neyland Stadium during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Chattanooga Mocs on October 11, 2014 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 45-10. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 11: Detailed view of the checkered endzone at Neyland Stadium during a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Chattanooga Mocs on October 11, 2014 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 45-10. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Pick Analysis. Newnan, Ga.. player. 839. Scouting Report. Linebacker. Elijah Herring. 13

6’2″ 227 pounds

The first commitment for Tennessee football’s 2022 class, Elijah Herring, like Brian Grant, is low on this list despite playing a position that has a wide open battle this year. There are fewer players competing at that position as well, which is why Herring is higher on the list than Grant is.

Initially out of Georgia’s Coweta County, which is part of metro Atlanta, Herring is actually an in-state kid who moved to Murfreesboro, Tenn., and graduated from Rutherford County’s Riverdale High School. However, like Grant, Herring was a three-star across the board on the trail. As a result, projected talent hurts him here as much as anything.

More importantly, linebacker is only a position battle because of how bad the production was there last year, but everybody is back. Add in Juwan Mitchell getting healthy, and it’s going to be hard for Herring to make an early impact on the roster at the position.

Kalib Perry is another commitment at linebacker who will arrive on Rocky Top in the summer, and like Herring, he will be a long-term project. Herring has the advantage being the early enrollee, and he may be able to provide some valuable depth, but it’s unlikely he makes any real impact this year given his projections and position.

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