Quarterback JT Shrout - Shrout is an intriguing addition. He's the sort of player who checks all the boxes as far as his technique, size, footwork, etc., but his stats don't fill fans with confidence. Shrout only started a single season in high school as a senior, but he did get some work as a backup during his sophomore and junior seasons. For his career, he's accounted for 3,304 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions with 311 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns. At 6-3, 190, Shrout isn't a burner on the run but he can be reasonably effective in creating enough with his legs to take what the defense is giving him. He has pro-level mechanics and an arm that can launch a deep pass. Shrout's high school offensive line wasn't anything particularly great, and he was often left to do work on the move. His receivers also weren't anything special, so he would have to force things at times. Given how many good throws I saw from him with defenders right in his face, it is a bit more difficult to blame him for the fact that he had a low completion percentage and high interception rate. On paper, he's raw. On film and in person, he looks like a future professional quarterback. Given good protection and decent receivers, he could be a quarterback who puts up big numbers.
Running back Jeremy Banks - Talk about a guy who exploded as a senior! Banks had a good but unspectacular junior season. Certainly nothing that would make him an elite recruit. 140 carries, 815 yards, and 16 touchdowns. Good numbers, but really the kind of numbers that make you think SEC talent. Then he had that elite senior campaign. 198 carries, 1,941 yards, and 32 touchdowns. Only 58 more carries, but more than double the yards, nearly 10 yards per carry, and twice the touchdowns. For anyone wondering why he saw the huge jump in his numbers, he split carries with Lincoln University of Missouri freshman running back Harold Lacy, who led LU in touchdowns and was second in rushing yards last season. This past season, Banks ran the show, with the next closest running back in carries having 80 for 707 yards and six touchdowns. At 6-2, 215, Banks is a load with constantly churning legs and better than expected speed. His forty times have been all over the place as far as listings go, but when it comes to playing speed I'd guess he's probably somewhere in the 4.55 range. His poor running at The Opening Regional in New Orleans doesn't line up at all with the speed he shows on film. He's a willing and brutal blocker with the power to rip through arm tackles and the athleticism to leap over guys trying to tackle him low. He fits the new model of running back that Jeremy Pruitt wants to work into the mix with the smaller, faster running backs already on the roster.
Wide receiver Alontae Taylor (EE) - Taylor is the most intriguing name among the early signees. He is an insanely productive athlete who looks to play wide receiver for the Vols. He sincerely did a bit of everything for Coffee County, passing for 1,746 yards, running for 6,000 yards, catching for 479 yards, returning kickoffs to the tune of 172 yards (on just six returns), and tossing in some solid defensive play for good measure. He tossed 10 touchdowns as a passer, and had 75 as a runner, receiver, and returner. He genuinely does it all, and he is somewhat reminiscent of Randall Cobb. He's a true offensive weapon that gives the coaches flexibility to run trick plays. He's not the biggest player. He's not the fastest. He's not the strongest. He's just a playmaker, no matter what position he's playing. At 6-0, 184, he's going to be a good sized receiver, whether he's out wide or in the slot. He's still raw as a receiver, but he's going to be virtually impossible to keep off the field next season. He's just too productive.
Tight end Jacob Warren (EE) - Right now, Warren looks more like a wide receiver than a tight end, but at 6-6, 211 he has room to grow and then some. He has the willingness to work as a blocker and really doesn't have the speed for wideout, but he can easily grow to 240-250 pounds. Over the last two seasons, he had 68 receptions for 1,138 yards and 17 touchdowns. Warren averaged 16.5 yards per reception, so as tight ends go he's definitely a big play threat. He has had a career long reception for 75 yards coming this season. Although he will probably need time to build up his body in order to play tight end, if he can add good weight in a hurry, he could find a way to be a weapon, either at tight end or as a large possession receiver.
Tight end Dominick Wood-Anderson (EE) - This 6-5, 245 pound former high school quarterback joins Tennessee ranked as the #1 tight end coming from the JUCO ranks. He wasn't wildly productive from a pure numbers standpoint, but he was second on Arizona Western in receptions last season and third in yards and touchdowns for a team that didn't pass nearly as much as they ran the ball. He's a dynamic receiver when given the chance to be and a willing and capable blocker. In two seasons, Wood-Anderson had 43 receptions for 476 yards and four touchdowns while helping to pave the way for a strong rushing attack. Alabama's coaches had drawn the comparison to OJ Howard with Wood-Anderson. Vol fans can only hope he can be that productive for the next two seasons.
Offensive lineman Tanner Antonutti - Once a tight end, Antonutti began to make the transition to offensive tackle last season, and at 6-5, 275 pounds he's on his way to growing into the role. He allowed fewer than 5 sacks through his ten games as a senior, so it's clear his athleticism is translating to his new role. It's not hard to find a highlight of him clearing a running lane and moving the defender, and he's not yet at ideal size for the role. He's been working to add good weight, and if he can arrive on campus close around 285, he should at worst be able to help offer some depth on the offensive line.
Offensive lineman Jerome Carvin (EE) - 6-4, 330 pounds of road grading offensive guard/right tackle is everything you want from a big bodied blocker. Carvin thrives on doing his job, but he truly thrives on putting the defender on his backside. He's a strong, brutal blocker who always makes a point of finishing the block and keeping his defender out of the play. He may not have enough length to play left tackle, and his future is likely at guard. That said, he could play right tackle if needed. He is somewhat similar to Kyler Kerbyson as far as his versatility is concerned in that he can help out at a few positions as needed. Carvin has a real chance to help this team out right away, and I wouldn't be shocked at all if he happened to be starting at guard when the season begins.
Offensive lineman Ollie Lane (EE) - Lane is a strong interior lineman with decent leverage and a good finish on his blocks. He moves well for his size (6-5, 285) and has the potential to play guard or center. As an early enrollee, he'll be able to get a jump on strength and conditioning as well as transitioning to center if that is ultimately the plan for him. Lane is a guy who could prove to be a steal, in the same way that Brett Kendrick was for the Vols. Don't be surprised if Lane outplays his ranking.
Defensive lineman Greg Emerson (EE) - Emerson is currently the highest ranked defensive signee for the Vols, and highest ranked signee overall. That despite having to sit out his senior season following an injury at The Opening. Emerson is a big, athletic end at 6-3, 280 and is more than capable of fitting in as a 3-4 end and even a 4-3 end when the front shifts. He is big, but having run a 4.84 forty at The Opening before getting hurt he's plenty quick enough to contribute as an end in either scheme. In fact, it's faster than Derek Barnett's forty at the NFL Combine. Emerson might be the signee who committed to Butch Jones who could benefit most from the coaching change because he's completely suited for the new scheme.
Defensive lineman Kingston Harris (EE) - Harris was one of the first players with no relationship with Tennessee's previous staff to jump on board with Pruitt and company. Harris was a productive player for IMG Academy, which is almost like snagging a guy out of the JUCO ranks. That's how IMG runs their show. They're being prepped for the college game. Harris is a big guy at 6-4, 272 and he's probably not going to wow anybody in a Combine setting, but he gives 100% every play. On a defensive line with three 5-star recruits lining up around him, Harris still did more than his fair share of work in two years with the program with 40 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. As a freshman and sophomore at Orlando Christian Prep, he put up 93 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. Harris is probably best suited to play end right now, but as an early enrollee the staff may be able to work on trying to reshape his body to be able to play inside at nose, where his lack of elite athleticism will be less of an issue as a run stuffer. Regardless, as with many early enrollees, he could be a candidate to contribute early.
Defensive lineman Brant Lawless - To say that Brant Lawless was a productive high school defensive lineman is something of an understatement. 159 tackles, 48.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, and 5 fumble recoveries in four seasons. To give some perspective, if rounded out, that's 40 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks per season. Those are numbers that put guys in the NFL. It's hard to say for certain how Lawless might fit in the new defense long-term, but at least next season he's likely to get his start at end at 6-3, 285. Lawless shows the ability to be very disruptive, and that may allow him to stick at end long-term while shifting inside in a 4-3 look. Lawless is someone I'd be willing to say will continue to be a productive defender in his college career.
Linebacker/defensive end Jordan Allen (EE) - How quickly can a player morph into another position? Consider this: as a high school senior, Allen was a wide receiver and defensive back while participating in basketball and track and field as well. Now he heads to Tennessee ranked as the #2 weakside defensive end in the JUCO ranks at 6-5, 230. He started off redshirting at UC Davis before transferring to City College of San Francisco. Last season he had 27 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and 2 pass break ups in nine games played. His athleticism has translated well to his new role, and he looks poised to spend the next three years making plays from the edge as a 3-4 linebacker and 4-3 end.
Punter Paxton Brooks (EE) - A big leg, good hangtime, and the ability to flip the field as well as pin the opponent deep in their own territory. It's become the expectation of Tennessee punters over the past several years, and Brooks seems to check all the boxes of recent excellent punters in Knoxville. Brooks averaged 41.8 yards per punt as a junior and 42.4 yards per punt as a senior despite being a lanky punter at 6-5, 170. Now he's set to enter a collegiate strength and conditioning program that will help him build on his leg strength while receiving coaching to improve his technique overall. Brooks arrives on campus at a time when the Vols are looking to replace their excellent punter Trevor Daniel, who finishes his time at Tennessee with a career 45.9 yard per punt average and 82 punts downed inside the 20 and 76 punts of 50+ yards. Brooks looks to be the next great punter for the Vols, who put their last three punters into the NFL.
