2021 Recruits: Tennessee's 10 Most Wanted
Tennessee's 2021 recruiting class currently sits at 23 commits, but the Vols are far from finished, and they have several remaining targets on the board. We take a look at the remaining "most wanted" Tennessee targets.
Elite OT Amarius Mims
Mims remains Tennessee's best chance of landing an elite offensive lineman, and he is at a position of need. Tennessee can sell early playing time, but they are battling against heavyweights, and the Vols likely trail Georgia and Alabama with Auburn also in the mix. Mims' relationship with other Tennessee commitments give the Vols a puncher's chance, and they will certainly remain in this recruit until the end.
Elite LB Smael Mondon
Mondon is the number one defensive priority remaining on Tennessee's board. He is elite in all aspects of his game, and he can play multiple positions across the linebacking corps. Mondon has long been considered a Georgia lean, but Tennessee and Auburn have complicated things. A long-standing relationship with ace recruiter Brian Niedermeyer has thrust Tennessee deep into this recruitment. Travis Williams at Auburn is another elite recruiter, and he has a track record of landing coveted Peach State linebackers. Georgia is in a spot where they cannot afford to miss on Mondon, so this recruitment is interesting. Mondon has not tipped his hand on when or if he will actually announce this month as planned, but it appears this recruitment is far from over.
In-state OL William Griffin
Griffin has narrowed his focus to six schools, and the home state Vols are right at the top. Griffin details a strong relationship with the Tennessee staff. Florida, Kentucky, and Louisville appear to be the primary competitors for the Pearl Cohn standout. Tennessee continues to recruit heavily ahead of his scheduled September commitment date, and the Vols will be a factor heading into the announcement. Griffin likes the idea of playing in-state, which helps Tennessee immensely.
Coveted DL Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
Ingram-Dawkins recruitment has been fun to follow already. He originally planned to commit last month, and then he changed his mind and released a new list, and it appears that list could now change. The emergence of LSU and Alabama in his recruitment certainly play a factor, however, industry sources still indicate the Vols remain in a good spot. The biggest question remaining in this recruitment is, how long will it extend?
Elite In-State TE Hudson Wolfe
Wolfe is the top remaining target on the in-state board, and coming out of the Spring, Tennessee was trailing at least a couple of schools. Now, the Vols are surging, and Wolfe could announce a commitment at any time. Ohio State remains a serious contender, and the Buckeyes looked poised to land a commitment from Wolfe in early March. Now, they are battling to slow his recruitment down and convince him to take another visit. Jeremy Pruitt's persistence and Tennessee's need at tight end have been key in Tennessee remaining in this race.
Coveted CB Isaiah Johnson
Johnson has been a cornerback the Vols have honed in over for well over a year. He has recently released a top list of schools, and they made the cut. Tennessee has serious competition in this recruitment, and it appears to be far from over. The allure of playing for Jeremy Pruitt and Derrick Ansley is strong, and the Vols will look to get him back to campus quickly whenever the recruiting dead period ends. Tennessee needs to add another blue-chipper at the position, and Johnson appears to be the best shot. Georgia, LSU, and several others remain in the mix.
North Carolina Edge Rusher Travali Price
Price is a target Tennessee loves off the edge. His frame and athleticism give the Vols plenty of options on how they can use him across the front seven. Tennessee has recruited Price heavily by committee, and they are showing no signs of slowing down. Price made a trip to Knoxville yesterday, of his own accord and made his way around campus with his brother. The campus is not closed to the public, despite recruiting visits being shutdown. He confirmed with VR2 on SI that the trip went very well, and they got to see a lot of things.
Elite DT Payton Page
Page has been a long-time Tennessee target, and he has offers from all over the country. Heading into the Spring, it seemed as if multiple schools had cooled on him, with weight being an issue. That is not the case now. Page has confirmed that Tennessee and Clemson are both battling for him and North Carolina stays in the mix. A summer decision has always been the plan, and a quick relationship with Jimmy Brumbaugh gives the Vols a chance. Industry sources believe Clemson remains the team to beat if they make a strong push for Page, but this one is now much more interesting than it was a few months ago.
Elite Peach State DB Nyland Green
Green is one of the most coveted DB's in the country. He can play all of the secondary positions effectively, and his length and ability in man coverage is raved about. He will likely fit in as a corner at the college level, but his skill set does not limit him in any way on what position he can play. Derrick Ansley has his attention and the Vols are battling back into this recruitment as of late. Sources indicate Green will likely take more visits and Tennessee should get one. Clemson and Georgia remain as the front-runners but do not discount Tennessee in this one just yet.
Florida Safety Terrion Arnold
There is some form of mutual interest here, and the Vols would love to add a guy like this to the back end of their defense. Arnold will likely need to make a trip to Knoxville for Tennessee to become a serious contender, and he is a two-sport athlete which could factor into this as well. His relationship with Kamar Wilcoxson helps Tennessee, but Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Florida State are all legitimate contenders in this one.
Tennessee remains involved with several other targets, such as Georgia CB Javon Bullard, Damarius McGhee, JuCo DB De'Jahn Warren, Auburn Commit Lee Hunter, and Peach State Edge Rusher Khristian Zachary. Diego Pounds a standout out of North Carolina could replace any of these guys on the bottom half of the list and he remains a viable option for Tennessee.