Tennessee welcomes first recruiting class under Josh Heupel

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — While the Tennessee Volunteers prepare to take on Purdue in the Music City Bowl, National Signing Day on Wednesday will see head coach Josh Heupel will welcome his first recruiting class to Rocky Top since taking over in January.

Despite playing one of the most difficult schedules in the nation, Tennessee surprised in the first year under Heupel with 7 regular season wins. A bowl victory would secure the best start for a first-year Tennessee head coach since Phillip Fulmer in 1993.

With 466 points scored in the 2021 regular season, Heupel and the Vols notched the third-best scoring season in school history. The prolific offense could make Rocky Top an attractive destination for offensive recruits hoping showcase their skills for a potential NFL career.

(3 p.m.) James Pearce- DL

Charlotte-native James Pearce is the top-ranked prospect in the state of North Carolina. On3.com rated him the sixth-best edge rushing prospect in the 2022 class. 247Sports.com, Rivals.com and On3.com all categorized him as a four-star prospect.

(12:14 p.m.) Tayven Jackson- QB

The first QB of Tennessee’s 2022 recruiting class is a consensus four-star prospect who ranks among the top 16 quarterback prospects by major recruiting services, including No. 7 on Rivals.com. Jackson set several school records while leading Center Grove High School to consecutive Class 6A Indiana state championships and participating in both track and basketball. He committed to Tennessee in April after receiving over 20 scholarship offers.

(11 a.m.) Tyre West- DL

This consensus four-star prospect made a stunning announcement Wednesday when he decommitted from Georgia in favor of the Tennessee Volunteers. Rivals.com named the 2021 Georgia Region 1-7A Defensive Player of the Year the 7th-best defensive lineman prospect in the 2022 class and the 9th-best prospect from the state of Georgia. ESPN.com rated West the No. 74 overall in their 2022 recruiting database.

(10:24 a.m.) Brian Grant- OL

Dubbed a “freak athlete” by UTsports.com, this consensus three-star prospect also played basketball and threw shot put and discus for the track and field team. Hailing from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Grant was rated the No. 97 rated prospect in the state of Florida by On3.com and the No. 69 rated offensive tackle prospect nationally by ESPN.com.

(10:06 a.m.) Kaleb Webb- WR

Webb was named the Georgia High School Football Daily 2021 Region 2-7A Player of the Year after a prolific senior season that saw him catch 83 passes for 1,601 yards and 18 touchdowns. Several services rated him the a four-star prospect and among the top 50 wide receiver prospects in the country.

(9:52 a.m.) Joshua Josephs- DE

The rangy defensive end with a verified wingspan of 82-inch wingspan committed to the Vols in November. 247Sports and On3.com rated him a four-star prospect and a top-15 edge rusher prospect in the country. He led North Cobb HS to consecutive Georgia Region 3 championships and was a team captain. Joseph also had offers from Michigan, Penn State and Auburn.

(9:35 a.m.) Chas Nimrod- WR

Standing 6’3″, Nimrod will bring both size and speed to the receiver corps on Rocky Top. He set helped set a Bentonville High School record in the 4×100-meter relay in April before committing to Tennessee in August. All major recruiting services listed him as a top 10 prospect in the state of Arkansas.

(9:27 a.m.) Elijah Herring- LB

While Herring originally hails from Georgia, the three-star recruit spent his final two high school seasons at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

(9:18 a.m.) Dylan Sampson- RB

Sampson turned heads by shattering records at Dutchtown High School in Louisiana set by former Alabama and NFL running back Eddie Lacy. Rivals.com named him the No. 8 overall all-purpose running back by Rivals.com. 247Sports.com listed the Baton Rouge native as the No. 30 overall running back and No. 15 overall prospect in the state of Louisiana.

(9:07 a.m.) Marquarius “Squirrel” White- WR

Tennessee fans will be excited by the big play potential of this multi-sport athlete who finished second in the 100 and 200 meter dash at the Alabama state championships. The 5’10” receiver nicknamed ‘Squirrel’ was rate a four-star prospect and the No. 7 overall player in Alabama by On3.com. 247Sports.com, Rivals.com and ESPN.com all rated the Birmingham-native a three-star prospect.

(8:57 a.m.) Cameron Miller- WR

The first in-state recruit for the Vols was a multi-sport athlete from the Memphis Academy of Health Sciences. Miller committed to Tennessee in July before going to become a 2021 Tennessee Mr. Football finalist for Division I Class 2A. Both Rivals.com and ESPN rated him a four-star prospect and the No. 47 wide receiver in the country.

(8:50 a.m.) Justin Williams- RB

After Vols star running back Tiyon Evans entered the transfer portal, Williams has a chance to make an instance impact to Tennessee’s run game. The Dallas, Georgia native was rated a four-star prospect according to the 247Sports Composite, ESPN.com, Rivals.com and On3.com while Rivals.com considered him the No. 11 running back prospect in the entire country. UTsports.com notes he also ran track in high school and boasted a perfect 4.0 GPA.

(8:40 a.m.) Jourdan Thomas- DB

This former quarterback from Montgomery, Alabama was rated a three-star recruit by all major recruiting services. A gifted athlete who ran track in high school, Thomas was rated the No. 30 player in the state of Alabama and No. 57 rated safety in the country by 247Sports.com.

(8:31 a.m.) Desmond “Dee” Williams- DB

Tennessee continues the trend of prospects from the Peach State with this Forsyth-native who spent last year a junior college in Mississippi. Williams spent the past year under the tutelage of coach Ken Karcher, who worked under Tennessee legend Johnny Majors from 1993-1996. 247Sports.com rated him the No. 3 cornerback and No. 8 overall junior college prospect in the country.

(8:24 a.m.) Kalib Perry- LB

A versatile linebacker from Georgetown, Kentucky, Perry was rated a top ten player in the state by On3.com, ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247Sports.com. He committed to Tennessee in July, becoming the first football player from his high school to sign with a Division I program.

(8:18 a.m.) Masai Reddick – OL

The 6’5″, 328-pound offensive tackle was rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports.com, Rivals.com and ESPN.com and a top 30 player in the state of Michigan by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com. Reddick committed to Tennessee in July after playing at Cass Technical High School , a program which has previously produced several NFL offensive lineman.

(8:08 a.m.) Christian Harrison – DB

The son of two-time Super Bowl winner and current NBC NFL analyst Rodney Harrison committed to the Vols in November after fielding 19 Division I offers. Tated a three-star recruit by all major recruiting services, On3.com rated him one of the top 50 players in the state of Georgia.

(7:52 a.m.) Addison Nichols – OL

The Atlanta-native became Tennessee’s first signee rated a consensus four-star prospect by all major recruiting services. 247Sports Composite listed Nichols as the No. 4 interior offensive lineman in the country and a top 15 prospect in the state of Georgia. The versatile athlete who can play both tackle or guard fielded over 30 Division I offers, including eight other SEC programs.

(7:20 a.m.) Maurice “Mo” Clipper Jr. – OL

Mo Clipper Jr, a 6’5″, 300-pound offensive lineman from Alpharetta, Georgia was Tennessee’s first offensive signing of the day. Rated a four-star prospect by ESPN.com, the site rated him the no. 41 overall recruit in the state of Georgia. Though other recruiting services list him as a three-star prospect, Clipper Jr. spurned 17 Division I offers to sign with Tennessee.

(7:09 a.m.) Jordan Phillips – DL

Tennessee’s first commitment of National Signing Day 2021 is three-star defensive tackle Jordan Phillips from Orlando, Florida. The three-sport varsity athlete chose Tennessee over six other SEC schools and has arrived early on Rocky Top to participate in practices ahead of the Music City Bowl.