Tennessee Football: Summer Enrollees Who Could Make an Immediate Impact

The first round of Tennessee football talent from the 2015 recruiting class already participated in spring practice, and a fair share of newcomers proved they were ready to be depended on.

Soon, 20 more summer enrollees will join them, and they also will carry plenty of clout.

With midterm enrollee running back Alvin Kamara, defensive tackle Shy Tuttle and quarterback Quinten Dormady already gearing up to potentially play significant roles, there should be more prospects with instant-impact ability on the way.

From the class's top-rated prospect—not to mention one of the best in the country—to a couple of players whom the Volunteers desperately need to be ready right away, the group of summer star infusion should be strong.

Defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie—a 5-star lineman who is the nation's sixth-rated overall player, according to the 247Sports Composite ranking—has the natural ability to play immediately. He destroyed the nation's top offensive linemen time after time in elite skill camps and even got UT coach Butch Jones to wear a bucket hat.

With a lack of depth at running back, Tennessee needs John Kelly to be ready to play this year. Also, receiver Preston Williams should be able to help a corps that needs some swagger to it after a down year.

So, with all that talent coming in from UT's fourth-ranked class, let's take a look at the kids who could play quickly on Rocky Top.

John Kelly, 5'10", 203-Pound Running Back

Credit: 247Sports

The running back duo of Kamara and Jalen Hurd has everybody excited around UT, but beyond them, there are tons of question marks at the position.

That's why, following national signing day back in February, Jones noted that the position was the biggest need in the 2016 recruiting class.

You need more than two durable runners to get through the rigors of the SEC, and that's why the Vols expect to bring in senior jitterbug Ralph David Abernathy IV, who is transferring from Cincinnati to play his final season.

But Kelly is a prospect coming in who few are talking about who could help the moment he steps on campus. The Oak Park, Michigan, athlete was recruited by instate power Michigan State and traditional power Michigan to play defensive back. 

Instead, he elected to head south to play for running backs coach Robert Gillespie in UT's offensive backfield. That's huge news for a Vols team that lost commitment Kendall Bussey Jr. to Texas A&M in the week before national signing day.

Kelly was called "one of the more versatile guys" in the 2015 class by 247Sports director of recruiting Steve Wiltfong, per 247Sports' Ryan Callahan.

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It shows you how versatile he is with what high-profile schools recruited him as. You look at Michigan State, who arguably runs out one of the best defenses in the country the last couple years, and they're recruiting him as a safety. Then, other schools turn on the film and they think he's got a chance to make a better impact at running back.

He's a guy that can help your football team out in a variety of ways, whether that's offense, defense, special teams. He's just a gamer. Good size — he's going to walk in the door over 200 pounds. He's quick. He runs pretty well, can catch the football.

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That sounds like the kind of player who can step right in and contribute. And that's great news for the Vols because he'll have to.

Justin Martin, 6'2", 190-Pound Cornerback

Credit: 247Sports

Whether Tennessee ultimately would have lost elite instate cornerback Martin to LSU had defensive coordinator John Chavis not bolted for Texas A&M is a moot point.

But the Vols were in a dogfight with the Tigers (and virtually every other SEC team) for the signature of the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M defensive back right until he committed to Tennessee. When the recruiting process finished, Martin signed with UT and is coming back to the state.

That's massive for the Vols, who are getting a big, fast corner who has an NFL skill set. Rated as the nation's second-ranked JUCO corner, Martin thrilled a lot of people in Knoxville when he signed.

Even though UT's secondary may be the most talented and experienced position group on this year's roster, Martin should challenge to start. That's how good he is.

He'll give Emmanuel Moseley a run for his job this fall, and he's also big enough to play safety or nickelback down the road if needed.

Martin is a versatile athlete with track speed, and he is one of the most overlooked coups of the entire recruiting class.

The best thing about him is he has three years of eligibility remaining, so even if he's raw, he'll have plenty of time to develop under secondary coach Willie Martinez, who covets long, athletic corners.

Kahlil McKenzie, 6'3", 354-Pound Defensive Tackle

Credit: 247Sports

Tuttle topped everybody's expectations this spring as one of the most surprising and impressive bright spots along with line mate Kendal Vickers and offensive tackle Brett Kendrick.

But he was nowhere near UT's highest-rated defensive tackle commitment.

That distinction goes to McKenzie, a legacy prospect and a mammoth of a lineman who feasted on linemen with their hands down across from him.

Many of the nation's top O-line prospects simply can't block him. Had it not been for Georgia commitment Trent Thompson, McKenzie would have been the top-rated defensive tackle in the country. He may be, anyway.

The son of Oakland Raiders general manager (and former Vols standout) Reggie McKenzie and nephew of former UT offensive lineman Raleigh McKenzie looks like he was born to play football. He has been around the game his entire life and has the drive and the talent to go along with his God-given size.

Since UT desperately needs more beef on the interior, McKenzie almost assuredly will be given every opportunity to play. Though he'll have a difficult time breaking in front of Tuttle, Vickers and incumbent starter Danny O'Brien, McKenzie certainly has that ability. 

Many already have anointed him the next great Tennessee lineman, including his head coach.

After not playing during his senior season of high school and injuring his meniscus, McKenzie got too heavy. He has been working to lose weight, and if he comes to Knoxville in shape, there's little that can hold him back.

He may not be a star right away, but he has what it takes to be.

Drew Richmond, 6'5", 310-Pound Offensive Tackle

Credit: 247Sports

The biggest recruiting win for Jones in the last cycle may have come with the 11th-hour flip of Memphis offensive tackle Richmond from Ole Miss.

Not only did getting Richmond to change his mind represent yet another example of Jones keeping the best players within state boundaries, it also gave UT a major prospect at a major position of need.

Jones went into one of the most difficult recruiting battlegrounds in the Southeast and won a key battle, an aspect that wasn't overlooked during his national signing day celebration.

The Vols need impact offensive tackles, and while there were a couple of good prospects already pledged in last year's class, there wasn't an elite player. Richmond gave them that as the nation's third-ranked tackle.

Though Kendrick enjoyed a stellar spring to take a commanding lead as the right tackle starter opposite senior Kyler Kerbyson, Richmond will throw a 310-pound hat into the ring once he arrives on campus. He's athletic, and he is exceptional at the point of attack.

There's no doubt where the Memphis University School standout expects to fit into UT's offensive plan next season.

"I plan on being a starter," he told VolQuest.com's John Brice at the two-minute, 40-second mark of a video filmed this week. "That's all I can say."

That's not easy at the position where he plays; one of the toughest spots in all of college football to crack the starting rotation as a first-year player. The Vols have proven in recent years with Ja'Wuan James, Tiny Richardson and Coleman Thomas that they aren't shy in starting youngsters.

Is Richmond next on the list? He's the same kind of star prospect that James and Richardson were. He appears primed to have a big career in Knoxville, and that may be spent as a wire-to-wire starter.

Preston Williams, 6'4", 191-Pound Wide Receiver

A marquee receiver with a flamboyant personality such as Williams doesn't go to college to stand on the sideline.

That's why it was huge news this week when the Lovejoy High School pass-catcher told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Michael Carvell that his torn knee ligaments suffered last season were healing, and he was going to enroll for the May mini-term at UT.

"I will definitely be playing this year," Williams said.

Well, alrighty then. Sounds like that settles that.

You can bet if Williams plays, he'll do well. He's a long, lean, athletic target with great hands. There's a reason he was the nation's seventh-rated receiver and a 5-star prospect until his injury when he dropped a star.

Though UT has tons of talent at receiver with guys such as Marquez North, Pig Howard, Josh Malone, Jason Croom, Josh Smith and Johnathon Johnson, the Vols have lacked swagger from the position. Williams brings that added, necessary element. 

He's an on-field chatterbox with the game to back it up.

Even if suspended receiver Von Pearson comes back to give Tennessee another uber-talented receiver, Williams can carve a role. He's big, he's talented and he thinks he's going to be ready to go. If so, Williams will be yet another offensive player who'll be a handful for defenders.

Observations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All recruiting information obtained from 247Sports.

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