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Tennessee football lands 5-star weapon for Nico Iamaleava

By Cody Williams

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (12) looks to pass the ball during Tennessee football’s Orange & White spring game, in Neyland Stadium, Saturday, April 15, 2023.RANK 1 INSTANT FOR PRINT Orangewhite0415 0561 1
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (12) looks to pass the ball during Tennessee football’s Orange & White spring game, in Neyland Stadium, Saturday, April 15, 2023.RANK 1 INSTANT FOR PRINT Orangewhite0415 0561 1 /
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Tennessee football has a 5-star QB in Nico Iamaleava in the building, but now the Vols have added a 5-star weapon with their latest 2024 commitment.

Josh Heupel has created quite an enticing succession plan for Tennessee football at quarterback, which is obviously a pivotal point to the Vols maintaining the rise in success they experienced this past season. Hendon Hooker has made way for the big-tooled Joe Milton, who will almost surely be succeeded by 5-star recruit Nico Iamaleava, who signed in the 2023 recruiting class.

The wide receiver room in Knoxville, however, has a few more questions. While fans are high on the big-play potential of Squirrel White, the Vols are replacing two major weapons from last year with Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman now in the NFL. There are options, but Tennessee football was still looking for a future game-changer.

Heupel and his staff may have just landed him.

On Wednesday, 5-star wide receiver Mike Matthews committed to Tennessee with the Vols beating out Georgia, USC and Clemson on the recruiting trail for the Lilburn, GA native.

https://twitter.com/Hayesfawcett3/status/1681805122999910400

Tennessee football recruiting: Vols land 5-star WR Mike Matthews for 2024

Matthews, the No. 13 overall recruit and No. 4 wide receiver in the 2024 class for the 247Sports Composite Rankings, has been a two-way player at Parkview in high school, starring at both receiver and safety with scouts saying he has all-conference potential at either position. It appears  that the Vols are inclined to have him as part of their high-powered offense, though.

Pairing Matthews, who reportedly ran an 11.47-second 100-meter as a freshman with a 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame, with Iamaleava could be absolutely special in the Tennessee offense, though. With that type of speed and game-breaking athleticism combined with Iamaleava’s cannon for an arm and his overall physical tools in the Heupel system is something to strike fear in the hearts of SEC defenses.

The addition of Matthews to the 2024 Tennessee football recruiting class gives the Vols their first 5-star of the cycle and, subsequently, their highest-ranked player in the class to this point, a class that is currently ranked 15th in the nation for the cycle. With that addition and the potential of Iamaleava, though, don’t expect this to be the last splash that Heupel and Tennessee make for 2024.

Next. College Football Rankings 2023: Projected preseason AP Top 25. dark

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