2015 Recruiting Class

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Just talked to Mook Reynolds...

He said he and his family really enjoyed the visit. He was impressed by the atmosphere and liked Tennessee's defensive play. He said that Tennessee is on the right track and is close to being a good team. He will officially visit Ole Miss and Virginia Tech and those are the only ones he knows as of right now.

-Fortenberry

 

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Class of 2016 defensive back Nigel Warrior has long known about the Vols. The son of former All-American and All-Pro Dale Carter, Warrior has heard plenty about the Vols.

Saturday, Warrior was in Knoxville with his mom and his dad to see the Vols take on the Gators and left with the Vols continuing to be his early leader.

"Tennessee leads," Warrior said. "I have just always liked Tennessee. From the time I was born, I've been watching Tennessee. I like the campus and how they play defense is how I like to play defense."

The 6-0, 180 pound Warrior is playing safety for his Atlanta Westlake High School team, but sees himself as a cornerback in college and works on his corner skills every day in practice. Saturday, Warrior watched the Vol defense intently.

"I like how they played defense," Warrior said. "They made plays on the ball and I like their aggressive style. I thought they played a great defensive game. Everything was great. The checkerboards in the stands looked awesome and the atmosphere was great.

-VQ

 

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"The defense played great. They just couldn't get the job done in the end," Abernathy explained. "The defense played amazing, the calls were amazing, they were making plays, especially Cam Sutton. He's clearly one of the best defensive backs right now."

"The defense played great and I'm proud of those guys for that even though Tennessee took a loss. But, I will play on the defensive side of the ball so I was amped up to know the philosophy of Tennessee's defense is working right and they are just missing a couple of pieces."

"I know the guys at Buford because we're not that far from them. I know Evan and Elliot Berry because I have been running track with them since elementary school," Abernathy said. "I know Brian Randolph from church and I know a couple more people on the team. I've just been using them as reliable sources of information to make a good decision."

-VQ

Micah Abernathy - Yahoo! Sports

 

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"The defense was very strong, but they are very young so they can only get better as the years go on," DeBerry said. "Now their offense just needs to catch up with their defense so they can be clicking on all cylinders and make the dream work."

"It was great. For them to always have a loyal fan base and to sell out the games it's always great," DeBerry said. "Even though no matter what their record is the fans are always supporting them and behind them. That's great for a university. That's a pro of going to that university, that no matter what the record is you're going to always have loyal fans behind you."

"They see me like a Curt Maggitt. I can play linebacker and get after the passer on third down," DeBerry said.

"The boat ride was great. They had a lot of food on the boat ride and I was getting bigger and bigger by the minute," DeBerry said. "It was a great boat ride and we got to talk to the coaches' families and talked to their wives and we got to see their kids and get that family environment. Then, we got to go to coach Jones' house and see where he lives and he lives in a beautiful home. It was a great experience."

"They're trying to bring Tennessee back and they really want me to be apart of it," DeBerry said. "They really like how I could fit into the defense and the think I can wreak havoc on the defense and coach Jones isn't afraid to play freshmen if they work hard."

"If you come in and work and do the things you're supposed to do you can come in and get some early playing time," DeBerry said. "They're not big on seniority, they are big on whoever comes out there and works hard will get the opportunity to play and I really like that as well."

-VQ

Ricky DeBerry - Yahoo! Sports

 

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3-star RB committed:

Vincent Perry - Yahoo! Sports

 

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3-star DB committed:

Micah Abernathy - Yahoo! Sports

 

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Visiting for the Bama game:

Ryan Newsome - Yahoo! Sports

 

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Visiting for the Bama game:

Ryan Newsome - Yahoo! Sports

Bammer lock.

 

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Bammer lock.

Probably going to Texas, or at least I've heard they lead...supposedly he's fast as hell.

 

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”The visit was good,” said Bryce Love. “It was my first time going for a game and I enjoyed it. I thought they played well, especially for a young team and I feel like coach (Butch) Jones has the program going in the right direction. ”
While on campus, he was able to do a lot.
”I got to see the Vol Walk and meet with the coaches a little bit before the game,” said the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Love. “Coach Jones talked to me about how I would fit in and how they needed someone to come in and add more speed to the offense. I also spoke with (running backs) coach (Robert) Gillespie and (linebackers) coach (Tommy) Thigpen.
”We also had a chance to drive around campus. It’s a really beautiful place and it’s not far from home. It’s a really nice setting and the people are great.”
While he enjoyed the whole trip, Love admitted a couple of things really got his attention.
”One of the things that really stood out for me was the atmosphere,” he said. “The stadium was crazy. It’s huge. The crowd was also really good. I liked how the coaches and players interacted, too.”
The Wake Forest playmaker plans to return to Rocky Top.
”The visit definitely helped Tennessee,” said Love, who has already taken an official visit to Virginia Tech. “I’m going to take an official there. It will probably be sometime in December or January.”
Besides Tennessee, Love said Stanford is the only school he know he will take an official visit to at this time.

Scout.com - College and High School Football, Basketball, Recruiting, NFL, and MLB Front Page

 

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Visiting for the UK game:

https://rivals.yahoo.com/tennessee/...yton-155532;_ylt=AiO1HK1qxjAmMNJRcUVPAquqt5B4

 

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https://rivals.yahoo.com/tennessee/football/recruiting/player-Corey-Dauphine-142814

 

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"About a month ago, we had been talking for a long time, but about a month and a half ago I reached out to them and let them know about my situation and they were very excited about it but numbers-wise it just wasn't working out," Kirkland Jr. explained. "But, after a couple of weeks went by and they figured some things out they are excited about me and want me to be a Vol."

"Coach Jones has done a great jobs of recruiting me throughout the whole process. The staff is one of my best relationships I've had throughout this process as well," Kirkland said. "I'm just excited to get back down there to Knoxville and enjoy the visit with my family. Right now they are definitely a school that I'm really considering moving forward."

"It's really just coach Jones," Kirkland said on what he really likes about the Vols. "He's been a guy that has been recruiting me since last December when they offered me and he's been a guy that I've built a great relationship with through this whole process along with coach (Tommy) Thigpen, coach (Steve) Strpling and coach (John) Jancek. They've all been very personal with me and my family and they are just great guys to be around.

"I visited twice throughout the process and I loved it both times so I'm just excited to get down there and experience my first football game at Tennessee. I think I'll really enjoy it.

-VQ

Darrin Kirkland Jr. - Yahoo! Sports

 

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Just hung up with Amadi after he left to go back home to Nashville from his official visit this weekend.

He was hosted by Josh Malone and made it clear that the Midstate players' success this season, particularly so many guys he grew up with and has trained with for years with In Full Motion/Playmakers Academy with Buck Fitzgerald, Ced Wilson and those guys, had definitely resonated with him.

He also made clear he sees it as an honor and very telling that Butch Jones has taken the lead role in his recruitment and that Tennessee's coaches spent a lot of time with him this weekend explaining how Amadi can be an impact player next season --- not just on defense but on special teams as we previously noted.

Amadi's stats back this up; he had four total kickoff and punt returns for TDs this season, averaging 29 yards per kickoff return and 35 yards on five punt returns before teams just stopped kicking his direction.

"That Coach Butch is really recruiting me, it
means he actually wants me, he's serious. I feel like they're
letting me know I'm a missing piece for them next year to be good like they want to be. It gives me a lot to think about it," Amadi told us.

He said he may return to Knoxville next weekend for the Missouri game on an unofficial visit, and he is a midterm enrollee so he wants to have the process settled in early December.

Ugo Amadi - Yahoo! Sports

 

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New names are beginning to pop up across the state as players finish their season and one 2016 name that has intrigued a number of teams, including Tennessee, is Jackson linebacker Austin Parker.

The 6-foot-1, 225-pound junior linebacker from Jackson Central-Merry High School visited Tennessee for the first time ever this past weekend came away amazed.

"I've been to a lot of stadium but Neyland is the biggest stadium I've been to in my entire life. It was amazing," Parker said. "We got to go on the field and I was looking up and it was just amazing."

During his first trip on Rocky Top Parker was able take in the Vols' facilities before the game and liked what he saw.

"I had a tour of the Anderson Training Facility and the thing I like the most about that is the indoor practice field. I really like their facilities," Parker said.

Parker said from his first impression of Tennessee he feels like it's a program that takes care of their players and improves them.

"It seems like they want to take care of you. They have a nutrition plan for you," Parker said. "They showed us pictures of players and how their bodies have changed since they've been there."

Before the game Parker also met with Tennessee assistant coach Steve Stripling, who recruits the Jackson area, as the two begin to build a relationship.

"I met with coach Stripling and I talked with him for a little while. He seemed like a stern coach. He was friendly, but he was straight to the point," Parker said. "He wasn't the type of coach to beat around the bush. We talked for a while and he told me he wants me to come back in the spring and we will talk about academics."

Then, during the Vols' 50-16 defeat of Kentucky, Parker said it was one of the best atmospheres he's ever visited.

"It was great. I think they said there were more than 100,000 people there. That was great. I don't even know how to describe it," Parker said.

Parker finished his junior season with 117 tackles, four sacks and four forced fumbles.

Can't find a Rivals profile.

Edit: nvm, found it.

http://sports.yahoo.com/tennessee/football/recruiting/player-Austin-Parker-168773

 

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Sounds like Cecil Cherry is as good as gone.

 

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"It's really a great place," said Slayton, who is being recruited by Tennessee as a wide receiver. "You can tell there's been a lot of work put into the school and they have a great alumni base and they've really given back and helped build up nice football facilities. The overall campus was nice too and it was a good trip."

"The coaches were all really knowledgeable and you could tell they knew what they were talking about," Slayton said. "The team was cool, too. I was with Evan Berry as my host and obviously Elliot was around a lot too and they're both cool guys and we had fun. I went into the locker room and everyone was really excited and it seems like a cool atmosphere to be a part of on game day. "

"I don't know how much having Micah there will factor into my decision but it's a part of the reason we went on the visit," Slayton said. "Their family is close with mine and his mom and dad really wanted me to go and see what Tennessee had to offer before I made my decision. So out of respect to them and their family and everything plus I wanted to go anyway so I decided, why not?"

"I had heard how nice the facilities where and how great the resources for student-athletes are," Slayton said. "But you don't really understand until you get up there and see it. I say I was most surprised by that.

-Rivals

https://rivals.yahoo.com/tennessee/...yton-155532;_ylt=AiO1HK1qxjAmMNJRcUVPAquqt5B4

 

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Right now, I'm not too sure how hard Tennessee is pushing. I think there's a reason his visit is that last weekend in January because they could know going into it just where they are on the board with numbers, etc.

-VQ

Adam McLean - Yahoo! Sports

 

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Tennessee Volunteers Football, Basketball, and Recruiting Front Page

Since decommiting from Michigan on Nov. 6, four-star linebacker Darrin Kirkland has named a top five of Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas, and USC.
Thus far, Ole Miss and Oklahoma have received official visits from the nation's No. 6 ranked middle linebacker the class of 2015.
"Ole Miss was great, it really felt like a home down there," Kirkland said. "Coach (Tom) Allen is a great guy and does a good job of recruiting me. Oklahoma, my dad and I had a great time down there. They were very welcoming, and I had a good time getting to know some the recruits like (wide receiver) Ryan Newsome."
This upcoming weekend, the 6-foot-1 1/2, 228-pound linebacker will take an official visit to Tennessee.
"I really like the staff and the opportunity I have there," Kirkland said. "I like the class they have right now. I'm comfortable there, having visited once last winter and once in the spring, so I'm really looking forward to it. Guys like Kahlil McKenzie and Jack Jones are recruiting me pretty hard for them."
Following his visit to see the Vols, Kirkland will head to Texas for an official visit on Dec. 6.
"I love the staff, Coach (Vance) Bedford and Coach (Charlie) Strong do a great job," Kirkland said. "They were my first actually junior day visit at Louisville. Coach Bedford was at my school today, and he's excited for us to come down and he's looking forward to building upon the relationship we have."
Finally, Kirkland will visit Southern Cal the weekend of Dec. 12, a date that was finalized on Monday.
"I'm headed there by myself," Kirkland said. "I'm very much looking forward to it and meeting the staff."
Kirkland will head to San Antonio, Texas on Dec. 28 for the Army Bowl to be played on Jan. 3, when he'll announce his commitment on live television.
"It's an honor to be playing in this game," Kirkland said. "Ever since I was kid, I grew up wanting to be play in a game like this, so it's a dream come true."