2016 Recruiting Class

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Jordan Smith - Yahoo! Sports

 

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Arkeem Byrd - Yahoo! Sports

 

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Vols offer in-state senior

 

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Quite a busy few 48 hours on the recruiting trail. First off, the Tennessee offer to Nate Johnson out of the Midstate and certainly worth watching. Although, in talking to him tonight he said he would still take official visits to Miami, Northwestern, Vanderbilt and Penn State all in January. He knows that will be a tight squeeze but added he will talk to Tennessee about taking one as well.

-Fortenberry

 

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Also, Zach Azzanni was on the trail for the Vols in South Florida and stopped by American Heritage to check on Brandon Johnson.

-Fortenberry

 

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On Arkeem Byrd, Tennessee offered the Savannah, Ga., and although he had a big-time year as a running back Tennessee has offered as a safety. At around 6-0, 6-1 and 190 pounds, Byrd already has good size and while most of the clips I've seen of him have been at running back, it's evident he has some really nice speed for a guy his size and on the few defensive clips I've seen it is obvious he plays physical.

As for his recruitment, he's already officially visited Colorado State and Minnesota and he told me he will for sure visit Tennessee in January. He mentioned that the offer was big because of the way Willie Martinez presented the plan for him at Tennessee. He admitted he likes running back better but said he wants to go where he can play and it didn't matter what he played at the next level. Wake Forest and Georgia Tech offered and will be in the mix and I won't be surprised if others offer as well. But, he reiterated, he will see Tennessee in January.

-Fortenberry

 

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Tennessee has made some decent inroads into the Detroit, Mich., area recently and that was headlined in the Vols' 2015 recruiting class by running back John Kelly signing with the Vols.

The Tennessee coaching staff is hoping to land several more players from the Motor City in 2016 and its best chances are wide receiver Donnie Corley and defensive back Lavert Hill from Martin Luther King Jr. High School.

Corley took an official visit to Tennessee earlier in the year and advised Hill he needed to check out the Vols, too.

"Donnie just told me -- I talk to him every day -- he told me to hurry up and get down there because I would love it. I listed to him and I came down here," Hill said. "I had been here two summers ago and I had always wanted to get back down here. I talked to mom and told her I wanted to take an official visit down here and she said I could."

Hill saw what his friend and teammate was talking about during his official visit this past weekend and noted the best part about Rocky Top was the people.

"I liked how much the coaches care and how the people are," Hill said. "They treat you pretty good down here."

Hill spent time with head coach Butch Jones and defensive backs coach Willie Martinez.

"(Jones) told me wanted me here and he said he will come up and see me in January," Hill said. "I spent time with (Martinez) a lot. We watched a lot of film and he was telling me about a lot of stuff.

Hill also hung out with fellow four-star defensive back and Tennessee commitment Marquill Osborne and the two seemed to hit it off.

"He was next to me the whole time. I was with him a lot," Hill said. "We became pretty good friends."

After seeing Tennessee up closer for the first time in a while, Hill says the Vols have moved up on the list.

"Now that I've seen it they are pretty high for me," Hill said. "I'm pretty interested in them and I just want to get back down here before I make my decision again."

Hill said he wants his mother to see Tennessee, but he still plans to take more officials in January, most likely to Ohio State, considered a strong contender, and Southern Cal. He added the two instate schools, Michigan and Michigan State, are both recruiting him as well.

For now, Hill said he's not sure when he will make a decision.

"I'm just keeping my options open. I just want to sit down with my mom and go from there," Hill said. "I was going to make a decision at the Army Game, but I'm thinking about doing it later on. But, I don't know about it."

-Fortenberry

 

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Donnie Corley, he won't be deciding Tuesday as he will be in NYC for an Army Bowl promotional thing. Instead, he could do something at the end of the week or delay the decision altogether once again in January.

Either way, expect Tennessee to visit him later in the week as they continue to try and make a move. While the Vols have made a clear push here recently, I still don't have anyone telling me either way what he will do. Most still feel he stays Big10 for whatever that is worth.

-Fortenberry

 

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It will be a signing day decision for four-star Army All-American Jeffery Simmons. The Macon (Miss.) Noxubee County isn't close to ending his recruitment though he has narrowed down his list.

As we approach January, Simmons is focused on five schools, with each of the five likely getting an official visit: Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee. Simmons includes Southern Miss among his favorites as well.

"I'd say Southern Miss is in the picture too," Simmons said. "I kind of like Southern Miss not just because my brother goes there too but they've got a nice program."

Among the five other favorites, Simmons has already taken an official visit to Tennessee.

"It was a great visit," he said. "I really enjoyed myself. It was a great atmosphere."

Simmons also was interested enough in Tennessee that he may not be done visiting Knoxville.

"I really enjoyed Tennessee. I want to get back up there in January and take an unofficial. I want to take another look at it. When I went up there I really enjoyed it."

Though Simmons is still letting the dust settle before he makes any decisions, there have been some coaching changes within his group of favorites. Don't expect that to impact his commitment though.

"I had a relationship more with Coach (Bo) Davis, the D-line coach (than Kirby Smart). To me that was the Nick Saban defense and Coach Smart ran it. Nothing changes."

Simmons had a similar sentiment in regards to Will Muschamp's departure.

"It was [Muschamp's] first year there. I was talking to Coach (Rodney) Garner."

-247

 

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Chance Hall and Darin Kirkland were named to the SEC All-Freshman team.

2015 SEC All-Freshman Football Team

 

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2018 recruit:

 

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Tennessee also spent time with defensive lineman Derrick Brown and with the recent changes at Georgia and Auburn, Tennessee continues to be a team to watch closely.

-Hubbs

 

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Earlier in the week Thigpen met with Nigel Warrior and his family. Nick Saban was also in the house. So, for the Vols, that means they still have Butch Jones' in-home visit as well as an official visit the last weekend of January. But, we'll be honest, it's still hard to get a great feel here. Tennessee is most certainly in the mix, that is for sure.

-Hubbs

 

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Carter isn't the only other name in Georgia to watch out for in terms of the Vols receiving a visit. Linebacker Jaleel Laguins has been very receptive to Tennessee interest the past two weeks and some around his situation are hinting his commitment to Georgia isn't as solid as it once was. Laguins is scheduled to visit LSU this weekend and look for Tennessee to land an official next month.

-Hubbs

 

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Speaking of new names to watch, Tennessee could be in play for Florida receiver Eddie McDoom. Zach Azzanni was in Orlando this week to meet with the playmaker and there seems to be some mutual interest. McDoom has taken an official visit to Michigan but still has four more for January and Tennessee could be a destination depending on what happens at wideout.

-Hubbs

 

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