The Tennessee Volunteers failed to meet expectations in 2016, but their 2017 football recruiting class can help turn things around
Not long ago, the talk of the college football world was about the Tennessee Volunteers being back in the National Championship conversation. After getting by just barely in close games early, though, Butch Jones’ group came crashing down to Earth. Now the task is to actually realize those expectations, which will be there after another strong recruiting class leading up through National Signing Day 2017.
Jones’ prize of the 2017 recruiting class for Tennessee is without question in-state offensive tackle prospect, Trey Smith. Smith has the potential, size and talent to start immediately in Knoxville and play well. Jones has never had an issue luring big-time talent to play for the Vols. However, he has struggled to maximize it, which makes the case of Smith all the more interesting.
Also intriguing is how the rest of the Tennessee recruiting class shapes up. While Smith is a five-star talent, he was the lone commit in that regard for the Vols. However, players like running back Ty Chandler and safety Maleik Gray both represent four-star players ranked in the top-100 of the 247 Sports Composite Rankings and players capable of making contributions immediately. Chandle looks to be a speedy star in the backfield while gray is a big, long safety that can be a playmaker over the top for the defense.
Joining these players are a number of other talented young players in the Tennessee football 2017 recruiting class:
Coming into National Signing Day, the high hope would’ve been to land LaBryan Ray. However, the Mobile, AL prospect seemed to be another notch in Nick Saban’s recruiting belt instead.
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Even still, it’s clear that Jones is retooling in Knoxville and doing what he can to bring the talent necessary to compete on a national level into the program. Now it all falls on him to develop these players and make some magic happen.