Signees from Tennessee's Recruiting Class Who Will Make Biggest Impact in 2015

Tennessee is closing in on the kind of roster that can compete for the SEC East title, but that doesn't mean the players from the 2015 recruiting class will be standing on the sideline.

Far from it, as a matter of fact.

This talent-brimming Volunteers class along with last year's is a big reason for the optimism.

Several stars from this year's haul will be forced to make the gigantic leap from high school phenoms to collegiate cogs. Then, there is the pair of junior college transfers expected to be major players on a team expected to start winning in a big way.

Head coach Butch Jones scoured the nation, getting players from across the country the way Phillip Fulmer did in his heyday. In doing so, the Vols got many of their top targets, and Jones told VolQuest.com's John Brice the haul strengthened UT's brand:

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With this class we had to go coast-to-coast. I think we've proven that Tennessee is a national brand. I think we've proven that we have the respect around the country for what we're building here at Tennessee. We still have a long ways to go. We were in a lot of recruiting battles for these young men…

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While it's nice to see UT recruiting with the big boys again, the Vols are far from an even playing field with the Alabamas, Ohio States and Florida States of the world.

The Vols' fourth-ranked recruiting class is peppered with players who will log significant snaps right away.

As many as half will probably play some sort of roles, and several more have the ability to be studs along the lines of Derek Barnett and Jalen Hurd from last year's class.

Let's take a look at the players who'll provide the biggest impact in 2015.

Defensive Tackle Kahlil McKenzie

Credit: 247Sports

Kahlil McKenzie (left) cheesing with his "baby" brother.

The class trailblazer and arguably the biggest alpha dog of the entire 2015 recruiting class will get plenty of opportunities to back up his swagger as a true freshman.

Kahlil McKenzie—a 6'3", 354-pound beast defensive tackle from Concord, California—is Tennessee's star of the class, a 5-star player who'd probably be in line for a sixth star if they handed them out.

Despite being forced to sit out his senior season after transferring from De La Salle High School, all McKenzie did was dominate every camp he went to. After the hiatus, he showed up at the U.S. Army All-America Bowl and thrived.

McKenzie wound up the sixth-ranked overall player in the country without even playing a snap. If not for Georgia commit Trenton Thompson (the nation's top-ranked player), he'd be the No. 1 defensive tackle.

There are few prospects as much in love with the Vols as McKenzie. His father, Reggie, played for UT and in the NFL before becoming the Oakland Raiders' general manager. His uncle Raleigh also starred at Tennessee before an NFL career.

McKenzie is a legacy who committed to UT at The Opening back in July and was recruited relentlessly ever since.

Given UT's depth deficiencies on the interior of the line, it's hard to envision a scenario in which McKenzie isn't a massive piece to the puzzle on Tennessee's young and talented defense.

Running Back Alvin Kamara

Credit: 247Sports

Alvin Kamara slid under the radar in this recruiting class with his quiet pledge to Tennessee back in the spring and an early enrollment free of fanfare. 

But there's no denying the magnitude of his signature.

With a dynamic season at Hutchinson Community College, the former Alabama player skyrocketed to the top-ranked JUCO player in the country on 247Sports and the second-ranked in the composite rankings.

At 5'10.5", 210 pounds, he has game-breaking speed and the size to run between the tackles. He also has elite change-of-direction that makes him a perfect weapon in Tennessee's power zone-read offense.

The wear and tear of getting so many carries battered freshman Jalen Hurd in 2014, as backups Marlin Lane and Devrin Young battled injuries, leaving Hurd to shoulder most of the load. Kamara will help with that in a huge way.

He will immediately step in and split carries, lending the lightning to Hurd's thunder.

Even better, he has three seasons remaining to complete his three years of eligibility, so he could be ripping off big gains in Knoxville for a long time.

In a class full of superlatives, Kamara belongs right up there at the top of the heap.

He has seemingly matured since his days in Tuscaloosa, and if he keeps the impressive work ethic he has shown thus far, his talent will catapult him into being one of the SEC's most dynamic newcomers.

Defensive End Kyle Phillips

Credit: 247Sports

Winning the battle for Kyle Phillips over LSU and Ole Miss was perhaps one of the two most rewarding, hard-fought victories of the recruiting cycle, along with Drew Richmond.

Not only did it mean securing the battleground of Nashville, but most importantly, it ensured the Vols wouldn't let a major prospect at a major position of need exit stage left.

The 6'3.5", 250-pound strong-side defensive end wowed everybody during the week of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, earning his fifth star on 247Sports and finishing as a composite 4-star player and the nation's fourth-ranked player at his position.

While it'll be difficult for him to earn a starting role with Derek Barnett and Curt Maggitt returning, Phillips will almost certainly carve himself a major niche. He has a college-ready body and possesses the perfect blend of size and speed off the edge.

In traditional 4-3 sets when Maggitt moves to the second level, the Vols should be able to put Phillips on the field with his hand down and wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks.

The best part about Phillips' game right now is he is already enrolled in school and will be able to go through a college weight program.

Though shoulder surgery will keep him from competing this spring, Phillips won't sniff a redshirt. He is too good to watch and will make an impact right away.

Middle Linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr.

Credit: 247Sports

With the middle linebacker position wide open following the departure of perennial All-SEC performer A.J. Johnson, Darrin Kirkland Jr. appeared poised to arrive in Knoxville mid-term and set his sights on starting.

Then, he tore a pectoral muscle and will miss the spring. A setback such as that will be hard to overcome in the race to lead the defense onto the field against Bowling Green.

Even so, the 6'2", 235-pound linebacker from Indianapolis is the ideal player to squeeze into the starting lineup by early season. He was the nation's fifth-ranked inside linebacker and showcased his immense skill set in the U.S. Army All-America Game.

Now, he'll get the opportunity in Knoxville; it'll just have to wait a few months.

When Johnson was forced to sit in the midst of a sexual assault investigation, neither freshman Jakob Johnson or sophomore Kenny Bynum seized control of the position.

This season, they'll be joined in the battle for the starting spot by redshirt freshman Gavin Bryant , who could have a say-so as well. 

Returning redshirt freshman outside linebacker Dillon Bates has the size and agility to slide inside if necessary, and it'll be interesting to see if that's a move the coaches make with depth issues this spring.

Regardless, when Kirkland gets healthy, he is going to be firmly in the mix.

He has the sideline-to-sideline speed that A.J. Johnson never had, and he can also pack a punch in the running game. He arrived in Knoxville with virtually no bad weight and will be hungry come fall.

Will it be enough to overcome those who repped the position in spring? It's going to be an interesting race to watch.

Offensive Tackle Drew Richmond

Credit: 247Sports

Drew Richmond (center) is also a centerpiece of the recruiting class.

It's asking a lot of a freshman to step right in at a position as demanding as offensive tackle and provide an immediate impact—especially in the SEC.

Memphis University School senior (and national signing day flip) Drew Richmond has that ability. At 6'5", 310 pounds, he has the perfect size and athleticism to play tackle in a zone-blocking scheme.

There's a reason why he was the nation's third-ranked player at his position.

For more than two years, head coach Butch Jones recruited Richmond doggedly. When the prospect pledged to Ole Miss back on Sept. 9 and recruited for the Rebels in the following months, UT's chances to stage a rally appeared dire.

But a last-weekend trip to Knoxville and a last-minute decision left Richmond in orange, and now he will have every opportunity to play right away. Barton Simmons, who serves as 247Sports' director of scouting told GoVols247's Ryan Callahan:

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Among their offensive-line commits, (Richmond is) the one guy that you can look at and say, 'Look, that kid can legitimately compete as a freshman.' And I think, as much as that, it’s a further testament to Butch Jones' instate recruiting. I mean, this is just a kid from Memphis that just couldn't resist the instate draw and all the other prospects on campus that he's friends with and the appeal to represent the state of Tennessee.

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Tennessee's tackle situation is in rough shape. The Vols allowed 43 sacks last year (122nd nationally) and lost rugged senior leader Jacob Gilliam to graduation. Though Kyler Kerbyson returns, he is better suited for the interior.

Also, Dontavius Blair has significant buzz surrounding him coming out of his redshirt season, but nothing is a given that he will ever live up to expectations.

The opportunity is staring Richmond firmly in the face. Yes, it's a tall task to start right away at tackle, but Richmond isn't an ordinary prospect.

Cornerback Justin Martin

Credit: 247Sports

When class superlatives are being thrown around with regard to Tennessee, few mention JUCO cornerback Justin Martin.

Yet he's the fastest, most athletic member of Tennessee's recruiting class. And at 6'2", 190 pounds, the former Nashville product and Overton High standout who went to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M has the size-speed combo to be special.

GoVols247's Ryan Callahan noted just how much of a priority Martin was for the Vols. He chose UT over LSU, Texas A&M, Auburn and others:

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Martin…had been a high priority for the Vols since he was at Overton High School in Nashville, Tenn., more than a year ago. UT put together a plan to get him out of junior college within three full semesters, and Martin now is on his way to Tennessee, where he should have every opportunity to earn early playing time despite being a bit raw as a cornerback.

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Martin also can return kicks, and the Vols haven't had a JUCO defensive back with his elite upside in a long time.

He may even have Dale Carter potential, possessing that rare blend of size and athleticism. Carter was a standout JUCO player for the Vols back in the early 1990s before becoming an NFL all-pro.

With UT needing depth in the secondary, Martin should step in and immediately battle rising sophomore Emmanuel Moseley for the starting cornerback spot opposite Cameron Sutton.

Martin has three years to play at UT, but with his athleticism, he could be a candidate to jump to the NFL sooner rather than later.

Defensive Tackle Shy Tuttle

Credit: 247Sports

Any other year, Shy Tuttle would be most teams' defensive tackle centerpiece as the ninth-ranked player at the position in the country.

But with Kahlil McKenzie also in this class, Tuttle sometimes is a bit of a forgotten man.

At 6'3", 320 pounds, the soft-spoken Lexington, North Carolina, native arrived in Knoxville mid-term carrying a little bad weight. He's going to benefit drastically from getting a collegiate weight program a semester early.

Once strength-and-conditioning coach Dave Lawson gets hold of him, though, the finished product can be a difference-maker right away for the Vols.

Tennessee has only Danny O'Brien, Owen Williams and Dimarya Mixon returning at tackle. The Vols need bodies, and they need impact potential. Tuttle is nimble for his size and can be molded into a really good role player for UT.

Eventually, he may even become an all-conference player. But he has little choice but to be in the rotation this year. The Vols need him.

Once McKenzie gets to town, he'll get hold of Tuttle and help plant the mean streak necessary to dominate in the trenches in the SEC.

Tuttle probably won't have the luxury to benefit from a redshirt season, so he is probably on the fast track to being able to contribute right away. If he puts everything together, he'll fill a big role in 2015.

Punter Tommy Townsend

Credit: 247Sports

Nobody has as clear of a path to playing time as punter Tommy Townsend.

The Orlando punter chose Tennessee over several offers when the Vols made him a top priority early on. With Matt Darr out of eligibility, Townsend will enter fall camp the only punter on UT's roster on scholarship.

Trevor Daniel and Ryan Ault could be dark horses to go from walk-on to starter, and placekicker Aaron Medley punted some in high school, but Townsend was brought on to win the job. He comes from a family of specialists as his brother, Johnny, is currently a punter at Florida.

The 6'1", 168-pound punter is the seventh-ranked player at his position, according to the 247Sports Composite. His family has vacation land near Knoxville, so he is familiar with the area and wanted to be a Vol from the beginning.

Townsend punted in the U.S. Army All-America Bowl, and he has a big leg that needs to develop consistency.

It's pretty obvious the opportunity that awaits him in Knoxville. GoVols247's Ryan Callahan named him the freshman most likely to start this year. That means there's little room for error. 

The Vols need Townsend to be good, and they need it quickly.

All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports composite rankings unless otherwise noted. All stats gathered from CFBStats.com, unless otherwise noted.

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