Tennessee football: 2023 DB class stacked at safety during dead period

Top available targets at DB

Caleb Downs

• Five-star (247Sports, On3); Four-star (Rivals, ESPN)
• 5’11”-6’0″; 180-195 lbs
• Hoschton, Ga.; Mill Creek High School

Jacobe Johnson (Athlete)

• Four-star
• 6’3″ 170-185 lbs
• Mustang, Okla.; Mustang High School

Jordan Matthews

• Four-star
• 6’0″-6’1″; 165-175 lbs
• Baton Rouge, La.; Woodlawn High School

Ja’Keem Jackson

• Four-star
• 6’0″-6’1″; 170-180 lbs
• Kissimmee, Fla.; Osceola High School

Kylin Jackson

• Four-star
• 6’1″-6’2″; 195-200 lbs
• Zachary, La.; Zachary High School

Isaac Smith

• Four-star
• 6’0″-6’2″; 180-200 lbs
• Fulton, Miss.; Itawamba Agricultural School

Jordan Castell

• Four-star (Rivals, On3, ESPN); Three-star (247Sports)
• 6’1″-6’2″; 180-195 lbs
• Winter Garden, Fla.; West Orange High School

Ronan Hanafin (Athlete)

• Four-star (Rivals, 247Sports, ESPN); Three-star (On3)
• 6’2″-6’3″; 200-210 lbs
• Cambridge, Mass.; Buckingham Browne & Nichols High School

Jyaire Hill

• Four-star (247Sports, On3); Three-star (Rivals, ESPN)
• 6’1″-6’2″; 170-180 lbs
• Kankakee, Ill.; Kankakee High School

Jaremiah Anglin Jr.

• Four-star (On3, ESPN); Three-star (Rivals, 247Sports)
• 6’0″-6’2″; 180-185 lbs
• Lake Wales, Fla.; Lake Wales High School

Chris Peal

• Four-star (247Sports, On3, ESPN); Three-star (Rivals)
• 6’0″-6’2″; 175-190 lbs
• Charlotte, N.C.; Providence Day School

Jacoby Davis

• Four-star (ESPN); Three-star (Rivals, On3, 247Sports)
• 5’9″-6’0″; 160-175 lbs
• Houston, Texas; North Shore High School

Ryan Robinson Jr.

• Three-star
• 5’10”-6’0″; 165-170 lbs
• New Orleans, La.; Edna Kerr High School

Amaris Shaw

• Three-star
• 6’0″; 170-175 lbs
• Winter Park, Fla.; Winter Park High School

Jameel Croft

• Three-star
• 6’1″; 165-170 lbs
• Detroit, Mich.; Martin Luther King High School

Deldrick Madison

• Three-star
• 5’11”-6’0″; 175-180 lbs
• Duncanville, Texas; Duncanville High School

Rickey Gibson

• Three-star (Rivals, 247Sports, On3); Unrated (ESPN)
• 5’11”-6’1″; 165-175 lbs
• Trussville, Ala.; Hewitt-Trussville High School

Cameren Fleming

• Three-star (Rivals, 247Sports, ESPN); Unrated (On3)
• 5’11”-6’1″; 185-190 lbs
• Richmond, Va.; Trinity Episcopal School

A.C. Mason-Young

• Three-star (Rivals, On3, 247Sports); Unrated (ESPN)
• 5’11”-6’0″; 170 lbs
• Covington, Tenn.; Covington High School

Max Carroll (Athlete)

• Three-star (Rivals, On3, 247Sports); Unrated (ESPN)
• 6’2″-6’3″; 205 lbs
• Memphis, Tenn.; Briarcrest Christian School

Daiquan White

• Three-star (Rivals, 247Sports); Unrated (On3, ESPN)
• 5’10”-5’11”; 160-170 lbs
• College Park, Ga.; Creekside High School

Kenneth Kelly (Athlete)

• Three-star (Rivals, On3); Unrated (ESPN, 247Sports)
• 6’2″; 180-197 lbs
• Tallahassee, Fla.; Amos P. Godby High School

Lacory Walker

• Three-star (Rivals); Unrated (247Sports, ESPN, On3)
• 5’11”-6’0″; 160 lbs
• Kissimmee, Fla.; Osceola High School

Despite the commitments to Tennessee football so far at safety with just one player being a cornerback, and only partially since he may play receiver, the breakdown of the Vols’ targets still on the trail is about half and half. There are a few athletes and then a solid split of cornerbacks and safeties, so Josh Heupel is focusing on both.

A.C. Mason-Young and Max Carroll are the two in-state prospects, and Carroll could be recruited as a tight end, so we still don’t know how that’s all going to shake out. However, beyond within the state, there are plenty of prospects from Florida, where Heupel has experience coaching, and Georgia, where the Vols are building a pipeline.

Taking all of that into account, UT has a great shot at plenty of the players on this list, even on the safety side, where they have secured a ton of talent. Pay attention to how this all shakes out, as any of these targets are realistic ones going forward.