A Look at Five Prospects Who Could Be Next to Commit to Tennessee

Tennessee has been red hot on the recruiting trail in the past month. The Vols have added nine commitments since June 19th, and they may not be finished this month. In this article, we take a look at who could be next to commit to Tennessee based on potential decision timelines. 

Stanton Ramil

We start with the top remaining offensive tackle target on the board. Ramil has weighed making a decision on a couple of different time frames, but the possibility of committing to a school this month is not off the table. Sources have indicated the Vols have positioned themselves well in the recruitment of the Under Armour All-American. Ramil measures in at 6'7", 310lbs and has immense upside. His connection with the Tennessee coaching staff is strong, and the Vols exceeded expectations during his June official visit. Tennessee is still battling stiff competition from Michigan State and Penn State, both of who hold a unique geographic benefit. Ramil is a star at powerhouse Thompson in Alabama, but he has only been in the area for a year, as he is originally from New York. Ramil is frequently communicating with multiple staffs and he has done a solid job of keeping everyone guessing at this point.

Nathan Leacock

Leacock left his official visit at the end of the month thinking very highly of the Vols. However, the competition has only heated up in his recruitment as teams have realized he may be closing in on a commitment. Both of the home state programs, North Carolina and North Carolina State, are working tirelessly in this recruitment. And Michigan wants to lure him to Ann Arbor to be their top receiver target in this class. Leacock has an immense amount of untapped potential, so it is easy to see why each team is vying for his commitment. Sources have indicated that a commitment decision could come sooner than later for Leacock, and the Vols certainly have a reason to be confident. The competition is viewed as North Carolina State, but North Carolina has been leaning on established relationships that have Leacock thinking. This would be a significant recruiting win for the Vols.

Ja'Keem Jackson

Out of the prospects mentioned, Jackson may end up being the toughest pull. He likes what he has heard from Tennessee, but Florida is trending well in this recruitment. However, the Vols are not going away easily. Jackson loved his time in Knoxville, and he set his commitment date shortly after checking out of the visit. Jackson will announce his commitment on July 28th, so Tennessee still has time to make up ground in this recruitment, as the standout cornerback remains open to leaving the Sunshine State.

Rickey Gibson

The standout cornerback from Hewitt-Trussville has an interesting recruitment. He was focused on Tennessee and Arkansas heading into his June official visits, and both teams showed well. The Vols have been positioned as the team to beat a couple of times in this recruitment. Since those visits concluded, Gibson has picked up offers from Georgia, Oregon and Penn State. It remains to be seen if this will slow his recruitment down. If he sticks to announcing before his senior season, which has remained a possibility, the Vols could still be the favorite. This is certainly a recruitment worth monitoring.

Hunter Osborne

Staying at Hewitt-Trussville, Gibson's teammate Hunter Osborne is one of the top remaining defensive line targets on Tennessee's board. The Vols have worked long and hard to stay in this battle, and Rodney Garner has his attention. Clemson and Texas are both in this battle, but it is tough to call a favorite. However, each school has a reason to feel confident, and it would be foolish to overlook Alabama at this point. The Crimson Tide has not been as much of a factor in Osborne's recruitment, but a late push could shake things up even more. He has planned to commit in late August for some time, but moving it up to as early as sometime this month is not out of the realm of possibility. If Osborne's recruitment goes into August, it will be interesting to see if a school can get him to campus when the dead period briefly ends later this month.