Tennessee Football is gearing up for a promising future with its 2024 recruiting class, and fans are eager to see what these young athletes can bring to the table.
Tennessee Football season may be several months away, but the Volunteers are already making moves to secure their future success. With the 2024 recruiting class, the Vols are bringing in some of the most promising young talent from across the country. These athletes have the potential to make a huge impact on the team’s performance in the years to come, and fans are buzzing with excitement over what’s to come. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the latest updates on the Vols’ 2024 recruiting class and what it means for the team’s future.
Tennessee Football’s 2024 Recruiting Class Updates.
The Vols 2024 recruiting class currently consists of 11 athletes and consists of both 4-star and 3-star recruits. Tennessee Football currently ranks 9th nationally for their 2024 recruiting class and 5th in the SEC.
All 11 of these recruits are looking to make a name for themselves, so let’s take a closer look before they arrive at Rocky Top…
According to On3 Sports, here are the incoming 2024 Tennessee Football recruits:
- (QB) Jake Merklinger ★★★★:
Background:
Merklinger is a 6-foot-3-inch, 195 lb, QB out of Savannah, Georgia. He attended the Calvary Day School in Savannah and currently holds a $317k NIL value.
Scouting Report:
"“An accurate, mobile passer with a strong feel for the game early on in his high school career. Among the more accurate top quarterbacks in the 2024 cycle, completing over 70 percent of his passes as a sophomore. Comfortable navigating the pocket. Sees the field well, finding open receivers while under pressure. Shows the ability to quickly react and escape from pass rushers. Functional mobility, both in and out of the pocket, is among the best among the top 2024 quarterbacks at this juncture. Can pick up chunks of yards with his legs on designed runs and scrambles.”"
- (ATH) Jonathan Echols ★★★★:
Background:
Echols is a 6-foot-4-inch, 215-pound TE out of Franklin, Georgia. He attended IMG Academy in Florida and currently holds a $117k NIL value.
Scouting Report:
"“A do-it-all athlete who looks to best project as an EDGE prospect long-term. Played multiple positions for his high school, working as a quarterback, receiver, and pass rusher/linebacker. Makes big plays in every phase. Shows high-level play speed in running down plays in pursuit as a defender. Doubles as a playmaker with the ball in his hands on offense. Tested as a plus athlete in the off-season prior to his junior season at 6-foot-3.5, 212 pounds. Transferred to IMG Academy for his junior season. Will need to hammer down a long-term position once he assimilates to the IMG program.”"
- (CB) Kaleb Beasley ★★★★:
Background:
Beasley is a 6-foot, 170-pound CB out of Nashville, Tennessee. He attended Lipscomb Academy and currently holds a $125k NIL value.
Scouting Report:
"“Beasley was silky smooth in coverage and locked down opposing receivers all day. The 6-foot-0.5, 180-pounder is technically advanced for a rising junior. He did a great job of staying in-phase with receivers and made numerous plays on the ball in 1-on-1’s and 7-on-7 including a one-handed interception.”"
- (WR) JJ Harrell ★★★★:
Background:
Harrell is a 6-foot, 185-pound WR out of Sardis, Mississippi. He attended North Panola HS and currently holds a $126k NIL value.
Scouting Report:
Harrell is an athletic weapon of a wide receiver who will be an instant impact on the Volunteer offense once he gets to campus. He chose Tennessee over Alabama, Ole Miss, Florida, and others. It’s starting to become abundantly clear that when it comes to SEC football, rocky top is the place to be.
- (DE) Kallen Lindstrom ★★★★:
Background:
Lindstrom is a 6-foot-6-inch, 240-pound DE out of Springfield, Missouri. He attended Glendale HS and currently holds a $63k NIL value.
Scouting Report according to 247 Sports:
"“Finished junior season with 73 tackles, six TFL, one sack, one fumble recovery, one kick block. 2021: As a sophomore, posted 90 tackles, four TFL, two sacks, and one fumble recovery (returned for TD).”"
- (SS) Marcus Goree ★★★★:
Background:
Goree is a 6-foot-1-inch, 170-pound SS out of Cleveland, Tennessee. He attended Bradley Central HS and currently holds a $62k NIL value
Scouting Report according to 247 Sports:
"“Long fluid athlete that’s positioned primarily at the strong safety position and excels closer to the line of scrimmage. Exhibits good lateral range and closing speed. Shows the ability to play sideline to sideline. Reactionary defender that plays with very little wasted motion and shows the ability to key and diagnose in the short to intermediate part of the field. Strong run support defender. Physical tackler that will strike you at the point of attack. Possesses situational pass rush ability from the second level.”"
- (SS) Edrees Farooq ★★★:
Background:
Farooq is a 5-foot-11-inch, 180-pound SS out of Baltimore, Maryland. He attended ST. Frances Academy and currently holds a $25k NIL value
Scouting Report:
"“Farooq is a three-star prospect, per 247Sports. He’s the 561st ranked player in the country — the 17th ranked player in Maryland. Farooq chose Tennessee over offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, Wisconsin, Ole Miss, Arkansas and several others.”"
- (OT) Gage Ginther ★★★:
Background:
Ginther is a 6-foot-6-inch, 280-pound OT out of Fort Collins, Colorado. He attended Fossil Ridge HS and currently holds an $18.6k NIL value.
- (DL) Carson Gentle ★★★:
Background:
Gentle is a 6-foot-4-inch, 236-pound DL out of Chattanooga, Tennessee. He attended the McCallie School and currently holds an $18.9k NIL value.
- (OT) Jessee Perry ★★★:
Background:
Perry is a 6-foot-6-inch, 275-pound OT out of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He attended Middle Tennessee Christian School and holds a $17.7k NIL value.
- (DL) Jeremias Heard ★★★:
Background:
Heard is a 6-foot-8-inch, 300-pound DL out of Rome, Georgia. He attended Model 9-12 HS and holds a $15.6k NIL value.
Tennessee football is counting on its 11 new recruits to help take the program to the next level. With a mix of top-rated high school players and promising young talent, the 2024 class is poised for a great season.
Follow us @Allfortennessee on Twitter and like our fan page on Facebook for continued coverage of Vols news, updates, and recruiting.