Tennessee football: Grading Vols 2021 recruiting class

Grading the Tennessee football 2021 recruiting class as Jeremy Pruitt continues to try and get the Vols back to their glory days in Knoxville. 

When Jeremy Pruitt took the head coaching job for Tennessee football, the hope was that he was the right man to get the Vols back to being a legitimate force in the SEC East. To this point, that hasn’t happened. But you also can’t argue with the talent that he’s brought to Knoxville, and that hasn’t changed in the 2021 recruiting class.

The Vols don’t have a 5-star recruit in their class of 22 commits at this point, but they do have 10 4-star players, which should help them in a very nice way. But the question is whether it’s enough to get over the hump.

Bearing that in mind, let’s assess what Tennessee football is bringing in and give the Vols 2021 class a grade. Note: All rankings are via the 247 Sports Composite.

Biggest Tennessee football commit for 2021: Dylan Brooks, WDE

Though Brooks has yet to sign his letter of intent, all signs point to him staying on his way to Knoxville. And as he comes to the Vols, the pass-rusher has some tremendous potential. He’s lanky but has the frame to add muscle easily. With his explosiveness off the edge, combined with some agility, he should be a versatile piece for the Tennessee defense that can develop into a cornerstone player.

Strengths, weaknesses of the 2021 Tennessee football recruiting class

Some fantastic defensive recruits are heading to the Vols, but the big win for this class is grabbing dual-threat quarterback Kaidon Salter out of Cedar Hill, Texas. The 4-star signal-caller gives Tennessee a real shot to develop at a position where they’ve been lacking under Pruitt.

Beyond that, this is a weak and shallow secondary group with only one player at the position entering the fray for the Vols. They have some young, talented players already in tow, but depth with defensive backs is never a bad thing.

Diamond in the rough of the 2021 Tennessee football class: Julian Nixon, WR

Nixon isn’t going to overwhelm anyone with his athleticism or speed, but he may be able to do so with his size with some nice bulk on a 6-foot-3 frame. He could pair well with the bevy of quarterbacks the Vols have on the roster to offer a big-bodied possession target who can get open on multiple levels.

Where does Tennessee football rank in the 2021 recruiting cycle?

While Tennessee might not have a bonafide star in the class, they are still No. 15 in the 2021 recruiting class rankings. Of course, that still puts them at only No. 6 in the loaded SEC.

Tennessee football recruiting grade: B

The Vols are continuing to bring in promising talent on both sides of the ball, but the job for Pruitt now becomes putting that talent in position to succeed and translate that into wins.

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