Tennessee Football: Volunteers' Top Remaining Recruiting Targets for NSD 2015

Most of Tennessee's top recruiting targets are already in the fold as Volunteers commitments. That's what happens when, for the second year in a row, head coach Butch Jones has compiled a class that is the envy of most programs.

UT currently sits in third place in the recruiting rankings, according to the 247Sports composite. The Vols have 28 pledges, and there are plenty of questions about just how many they'll sign after bringing 32 players into the fold in the 2014 cycle.

Unless there's a lot of attrition before signing day, the Vols could be finished right now and have a sterling haul. Even so, there are still several top players UT would love to add to its class and worry about shaking out the numbers later.

"Now we have to go assemble a top-three, top-four recruiting class—which we will—because we're building, and we have something special and great people," Jones said after UT's TaxSlayer Bowl victory, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press' Patrick Brown.

Getting another running back and an offensive tackle appear to be the top priorities, so this list will be heavy on those positions. Also, you can never have too much team speed, so that's another area Jones is targeting.

While it's possible UT can get back in on a few in-state players such as receiver Van Jefferson, offensive tackle Drew Richmond and safety Rico McGraw, there isn't a ton of buzz surrounding those players with the Vols right now, so we'll stick with the most legit options.

Let's take a look at a few players Jones and his staff would love to sign to really put the finishing touches on another awesome class on Rocky Top.

Offensive Tackle Patrick Allen

Credit: 247Sports

Tennessee was in hot pursuit of Reisterstown, Maryland, offensive tackle Patrick Allen long before he committed to Georgia.

Now, the 6'5", 286-pound lineman is heavily considering the Vols along with the Bulldogs after backing off his commitment following the departure of UGA offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and offensive line coach Will Friend.

The 4-star player would be an ideal fit for what UT wants to do in its zone-blocking scheme concepts, and he'd have the opportunity to step right in and start on a team that desperately needs offensive tackles. He'd also make UT forget about failing to sign Drew Richmond.

Allen is tall, rangy and athletic. He has a very high upside on the outside, and with his long arms, he's got the type of reach that teams covet at the tackle position.

Getting Allen would mean that the Vols were able to sign three linemen in this class who project on the line's exterior, along with Chance Hall and Jack Jones, who are both early enrollees. Still, it's far from over for Allen, who isn't in a hurry to make a decision. 

The 247Sports crystal ball prediction currently favors UT at 51 percent with Georgia not far behind at 44 percent. It's a toss-up now that UGA has hired their assistants, who'll have a chance to re-recruit Allen. Meanwhile, Tennessee's class is filling up, and if he doesn't jump on soon, there may not be a spot for him to land.

Running Back Bryce Love

Credit: 247Sports

Speed, speed, speed.

That's the name of the game for Bryce Love, the 5'10", 180-pound all-purpose running back from Wake Forest, North Carolina, who has been on Tennessee's radar for months. 

Currently, it appears to be a two-team battle for his signature between the Vols and the Stanford Cardinal. Though UT holds an advantage due to proximity, the education Love could receive while playing for the Cardinal makes this anybody's guess.

He seemed awfully excited on Twitter this week when he was accepted to Stanford. The Cardinal is the overwhelming favorite in the 247Sports crystal ball prediction for his signature.

While most probably think that Love would be a luxury for Tennessee (which already has two running back pledges in this class), that isn't necessarily the case. Marlin Lane graduated, and Derrell Scott and Justus Pickett left.

That leaves the Vols with a major void of depth behind the quarterback. Only Jalen Hurd returns to the team from the 2014 roster. Senior transfer Ralph David Abernathy IV, Alvin Kamara and Kendall Bussey are coming in, but they haven't played major roles in the SEC.

Other UT commits such as Jocquez Bruce and Vincent Perry could play running back, but that's not a guarantee.

Getting Love or another runner in this class is vital for depth, and whoever comes to Knoxville could have an immediate impact.

Wide Receiver Ryan Newsome

Credit: 247Sports

Staying on the subject of speed, Texas, wide receiver Ryan Newsome has plenty of it, and with UT looking for a game-breaker on the boundary, he'd be an ideal fit for the system.

The Vols are missing a player who can get the football in space and turn short compeltions into touchdowns. Though Von Pearson can do it, he'll be a senior in 2015 and there isn't a ton of elite speed in the receiving corps besides him.

Newsome is perhaps a bit of a long shot, with the home-state Texas Longhorns in the final three along with the Vols and UCLA Bruins, but he has a friendship with UT commits Darrin Kirkland Jr. and Kahlil McKenzie. He also likes UT receivers coach Zach Azzanni, so the Vols are a bit of a dark horse here.

The 5'8", 170-pound athlete has set an announcement date of Jan. 23, so that's a big date the Vols will circle on their calendar. If he decides he doesn't want to come to Knoxville, that's probably UT's best remaining shot at landing a receiver.

In-state pass-catcher Van Jefferson is an outside shot, but the Georgia commit is heavily considering Ole Miss as well.

Newsome is an important player in this class. It'll still be an exceptional haul if he's not a part of it, but gaining a pledge from him would ensure that Butch Jones has added a home run threat to his arsenal of offensive weapons.

Running Back John Kelly

Credit: 247Sports

A late arrival on Tennessee's radar is Michigan running back John Kelly, who is scheduled to visit Knoxville on Jan. 16.

Running backs coach Robert Gillespie is his lead recruiter, and with UT definitely wanting to get another runner in the fold in this cycle, Kelly is a guy they like a lot. He has the size at 5'10", 194 pounds, and he has some sneaky quickness for a big running back. He's really a quality all-around back.

New Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is kicking the tires on Kelly, who seems to currently favor Michigan State and Minnesota. 

UT just offered him on Nov. 26, and to pull Kelly from Big Ten country would be a major coup. It's possible he's even the top running back target on Tennessee's list with the amount of interest the Vols have shown him in recent weeks.

GoVols247's Ryan Callahan (subscription required) included the Oak Park native among his key official visitors during the month of January. According to Callahan: "Michigan and Michigan State also could be major factors in his final decision, but his visit to UT next weekend looms large for the Vols as they look to add another running back to their class."

With several irons in the fire at the position, UT should add a running back to its stable down the stretch. Which one will it be?

Offensive Tackle Tyree St. Louis

Credit: 247Sports

Way back early in this year's recruiting cycle, Bradenton, Florida, offensive tackle Tyree St. Louis was extremely high on the Tennessee Vols.

As the process wore on, he eventually committed to the Miami Hurricanes. Now, with uncertainly surrounding The U, St. Louis is at least open to other options and is expected to visit Tennessee in January as well as Florida, now under new head coach Jim McElwain.

UT needs another offensive tackle in this class, and while it probably has a better shot at landing Patrick Allen, St. Louis would be a nice pull.

He's only a 3-star prospect, but that doesn't change the fact that he had a really strong week of practice at the Under Armour All-American Game, and he possesses the ability to step in and play.

Tennessee has immediate playing time to sell. With just Kyler Kerbyson returning on the outside and former tackle Coleman Thomas looking more like he'll be a center in the future, UT needs exterior linemen. Dontavius Blair is another player who could factor into the rotation.

But freshmen will have opportunities to crack the rotation, and if St. Louis ever makes it to Knoxville, it would at least give UT the chance to flip him.

Outside Linebacker Quart'e Sapp

Credit: 247Sports

For months, Quart'e Sapp has been penciled into many Tennessee mock classes. The quiet outside linebacker with the big playmaking ability has long referred to the Vols as one of his favorites.

But here we are less than a month until national signing day, and the Atlanta-area recruit remains uncommitted. 

Now, the 6'1.5", 200-pound do-it-all athlete isn't guaranteed a spot in UT's final class. It'll be interesting to see whether the Vols determine they need an elite player at a position that seems well-stocked or meet needs at other spots with spaces running out in the class.

GoVols247's Ryan Callahan said of Sapp:

"

…[T]he Vols have been widely viewed as the favorite to land him since he visited them for the first time to attend one of their junior days more than 10 months ago. With limited space available in Tennessee’s class, which now features 28 commitments, there’s no guarantee the Vols will have room for another linebacker. But he undoubtedly remains their best bet — and perhaps their only true target — at the position, and he still appears to be leaning toward Tennessee heading into his scheduled official visit to Knoxville the weekend of Jan. 16.

"

Sapp is fast, very good in coverage and is a strong tackler as well. The 4-star player is being recruited by Miami, Arkansas, North Carolina, and perhaps Texas A&M could get in the picture as well.

It's going to be interesting down the stretch to see where, and if, he fits in this class.

Running Back Jaason Lewis

Credit: 247Sports

Flash back a year ago, and 6'2", 247-pound Virginia Beach athlete Jaason Lewis was expected to be one of Tennessee's first commitments of the 2015 recruiting class.

He loved linebackers coach and his lead recruiter Tommy Thigpen, and UT was the clear-cut early leader. Then, Lewis visited UCLA and committed soon afterward. Since then, he flipped to Arizona State, to which he is currently pledged.

Now, all these months later, he is expected to give UT a last look in the final week of January, which would give the Vols a chance to pluck him away from the Sun Devils the way they did Joshua Dobbs two years ago in the 11th hour.

It's no secret that UT is on the market for another running back, and there are several on the list. Lewis would give the Vols a big, bruising back who can also play positions such as wide receiver and linebacker if it doesn't work out getting handoffs.

Can Tennessee steal him? Will there even be room? There aren't very many moving parts in these past few weeks, but the Vols are looking for some very vital pieces.

All recruiting information from 247Sports composite rankings, unless otherwise noted. 

Brad Shepard covers SEC football and is the Tennessee Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter @Brad_Shepard.