After a slow start to the summer that had some Tennessee fans concerned about the recruiting class, the Vols have completely turned things around over the last two days. Tennessee landed four-star in-state tight end Malik Howard over several powerhouse programs, and Josh Heupel and Rodney Garner have followed that up with another major addition.
Tennessee is pulling out all the stops for David Gabriel Georges, with help from a Vols legend
That said, the Vols landed one of the best JUCO players in the country, as Christian Mays has chosen Tennessee over Arkansas and Mississippi State. Defensive line recruiting had been a bit quiet, but Tennessee quickly turned that around with a massive defensive tackle who can plug right into the middle of Jim Knowles’ defense. The 6-foot-5, 285-pound defensive tackle has the size and physicality to make an immediate impact.
Tennessee lands a massive defensive tackle
I mean a 6'4" and nearly 300 pound defensive tackle? Sign me up. Tennessee has always loved big defensive linemen under Rodney Garner, especially those who also possess athleticism. Surprisingly, for such a big player, Mays has a lot of quickness. In his freshman highlights at Northeast Mississippi C.C., the first play shows him chasing down a running back 50 yards downfield on a swing pass. That kind of effort and speed doesn’t go unnoticed. He has the first-step power that Garner loves and can attack the middle of the offensive line. Even if Mays doesn’t develop into a full-time starter, the worst-case scenario is that he eats up multiple blockers to help clean up plays in the run game.
As of right now, Mays isn’t ranked by the major recruiting services, but he’ll probably be rated fairly highly with his offer sheet, which is already impressive, with SEC programs such as Auburn, Arkansas, and Mississippi State offering. In eight games last season, he recorded 17 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, and 1 sack. Those are solid numbers for a freshman defensive lineman playing against quality competition.
What Vols fans should appreciate is that Mays is more game-ready than a high school freshman, but he also doesn’t cost nearly as much as many portal lineman. This is a really good high-upside addition for Tennessee. Plus, the Vols have had success with former JUCO players before. Do the names Alvin Kamara, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Joey Aguilar ring a bell? It’s always worth taking a shot on talented players, no matter where they come from.
With the visits wrapping up at this point on Sunday, I wouldn’t be shocked if we have more good news in the immediate future. Tennessee and Josh Heupel have always done a good job of building on these big recruiting weekends and creating a domino effect of commitments. I’m pumped about this one and wouldn’t mind seeing a few more commitments this week.
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