Tennessee Football: Early Grades for 2016 Recruiting Class

Stargazers may take one long look at this Tennessee football recruiting class and turn their noses up at a group of 10 players that is currently ranked 12th nationally and fifth in the SEC.

But the bottom line for the Volunteers' 2016 class is that it's not going to be very big and could wind up nowhere near as highly ranked as the previous two classes.

After coach Butch Jones brought in 32 signees in the 2014 cycle and 29 more last year, UT simply has a stacked roster full of underclassmen.

While those two classes—which wound up ranked seventh and fourth, respectively, by the 247Sports composite—will be tough acts to follow, there are several reasons Vols fans shouldn't be concerned about this year's ratings.

Gearing up for a 2017 class that could be big and loaded, the Vols appear poised to take a smaller group. There would simply have to be a lot of attrition from the current roster in order for them to reach the allotted 25 scholarships.

"With Tennessee having signed a couple of large classes over the past two years, I think the Vols definitely plan to have a smaller class in 2016," GoVols247's Ryan Callahan told Bleacher Report.

"Exactly where they will finish still is a bit of a moving target, but I think they would like to sign somewhere around 20, if possible," Callahan continued. "That always could change, though, depending on which players they might have a chance to sign."

Jones outfitted Tennessee with depth and talent at most every position. The only real areas where the Vols need more numbers are running back, receiver, offensive line and safety.

Those are the focal points of the small class.

Name	Position	Measurables	247 Composite Rating
Jarrett Guarantano	QB	6'4", 200 lbs	4-star, No. 6 Pro-Style QB
Marquill Osborne	CB	5'11", 185 lbs	4-star, No. 21 Cornerback
Ryan Johnson	OT	6'6", 277 lbs	4-star, No. 28 Offensive Tackle
Devante Brooks	TE	6'5", 230 lbs	4-star, No. 11 Tight End
Brodarious Hamm	OT	6'5", 320 lbs	4-star, No. 30 Offensive Tackle
Chidi Okonya	SDE	6'6.5", 230 lbs	3-star, No. 19 Strong-side DE
TaDarryl Marshall	ATH	6'0", 180 lbs	3-star, No. 37 Athlete
Corey Henderson	WR	6'1", 170 lbs	3-star, No. 93 Wide Receiver
Dorian Banks	ATH	5'9", 168 lbs	3-star, No. 49 Athlete
Bailey Phillips	CB	5'7", 165 lbs	3-star, No. 84 Cornerback

Secondly, the way Jones had to construct the Vols, shedding some dead weight from the Derek Dooley era and loading up with two overfilled classes, there's a glut of freshman and sophomore players clustered together on the depth chart.

Taking some developmental prospects who have high ceilings but likely will need redshirt years, such as quarterback Jarrett Guarantano and defensive end Chidi Okonya, is a luxury UT can currently afford.

Would the Vols love to have a class of 17 4- and 5-star prospects again this year? Sure. Anybody would. But where and when would they all play?

"I don't think Tennessee intentionally will sign more developmental prospects in this class, but the Vols' current situation could give them the luxury of signing some players who aren't likely to make an immediate impact," Callahan said.

"In the past two classes, they needed players who were ready to play right away," Callahan added. "They couldn't afford to wait on a lot of guys to develop. Now, with Tennessee having some depth at several positions, they don't necessarily have to have a class full of guys who are ready to play on Day 1."

It was a matter of time before the huge classes caught up to Jones and the Vols, and this is the year. Still, UT should wind up with a top-15 class, even if it probably won't include much more than 20 players by the time national signing day arrives next year.

Let's take a look at some early recruiting grades for this year's haul.

Offense: B+

Credit: 247Sports

The prospects Tennessee have collected on the offensive side of the ball thus far are exceptional. The only reason why the Vols are docked is because of who they don't yet have.

Getting commitments from at least two running backs in this cycle is an absolute must.

Jones told GoVols247's Wes Rucker back in February that the position was the biggest need in the 2016 class, and so far, the Vols don't have one.

UT also needs to recruit some speedy, impact wide receivers. Though the Vols have a pledge from Louisiana prospect Corey Henderson, that's just a start. Huge irons remain in the fire, including Mecole Hardman, Diondre Overton, Kyle Davis and JUCO receiver Jeff George.

Getting a couple of those guys could really round out the offensive haul.

So, who do the Vols have on offense thus far besides Henderson? It all starts with the jewel of the class, Guarantano.

The nation's sixth-ranked pro-style quarterback is 6'4", 200 pounds and possesses a cannon for an arm and sub-4.6 speed. He's arguably the best fit for what UT does offensively in the entire recruiting class, and maybe in the past couple of classes.

It's going to be fun watching Guarantano battle current freshman Quinten Dormady in the future because of their elite talent and different skill sets. Jauan Jennings and Sheriron Jones will also be in the mix, so the Vols' quarterback recruiting is set for the foreseeable future.

Moving down to the line, the Vols didn't need many bodies after signing five in 2015, but they did want a couple of prospects who were big but athletic enough to excel in zone-blocking concepts.

Brentwood Academy product Ryan Johnson is exactly what UT needs on the exterior. The 6'6", 277-pound tackle decided to stay near his Brentwood, Tennessee, home to play his college football, and that's big news for the Vols.

Fellow 4-star lineman Brodarious Hamm pledged to UT at the Orange and White Game, and the Georgia product has a quality offer list and versatility to play either guard or tackle on the next level. With that duo, UT can be very selective in choosing another tackle if it so desires.

To go along with Henderson, Tennessee has a commitment from 4-star tight end Devante Brooks of Washington D.C. He is long, lean and athletic, and some schools were recruiting him to play on defense. UT loves his upside at tight end, and he looks like a nice prospect.

Athletes TaDarryl Marshall and Dorian Banks can play on either side of the ball, but both should get initial looks on offense.

Marshall is a dynamic athlete with the ball in his hands and dominated opponents as a dual-threat quarterback at Leeds High School in Alabama. He chose to leave the state despite having offers from Auburn as well as the Crimson Tide.

Banks is on the commitment list, though he's not discussed much. He has been committed to UT since February 2014, but after bouncing around from several high schools, it'll be interesting to see if he ever winds up in Knoxville.

So, the offensive players who Tennessee have lured to Rocky Top so far are stellar. There's just work left to be done on that side of the ball.

Defense: C+

Credit: 247Sports

The Vols' defensive haul perhaps best deserves an "incomplete" rather than the above grade. It's just so early, and they are going to be so selective on that side of the ball, there aren't many surefire defenders committed.

With last week's decision by Atlanta-area defensive end Chidi Okonya, the Vols now have three players in the 2016 class who project to play for coordinator John Jancek.

Though Okonya is a developmental prospect, some of the nation's top programs offered him based on his massive upside. He chose UT over Stanford, Ole Miss, Clemson and Duke, and his high school coach, Terry Herrod, told B/R he believes Okonya can be 260-270 pounds after a redshirt season.

The big defensive end likely won't be able to help right away, but there's no need for him to with all the depth at the position.

North Carolina cornerback Marquill Osborne has elite potential, evidenced by his offer sheet, which includes interest from LSU, Florida and others. If the Vols can hang on to him, he's exactly the kind of tall, athletic cornerback who has thrived in defensive backs coach Willie Martinez's system.

The only other defensive commitment thus far is Bailey Phillips, an undersized defensive back from Texas who is a relative of UT defensive lineman Dimarya Mixon. He committed at a camp last year, and it'll be interesting to see if he sticks with this class.

The 5'7" Phillips is a bit of an uncharacteristic "take" considering the Vols haven't gone after a lot of diminutive corners.

Much like the offensive side of the ball, this grade should change a lot if UT can close the deal with some of its top targets.

Linebacker Daniel Bituli is the state's top-ranked prospect, and he recently told GoVols247's Ryan Callahan the Vols lead for his services and that he's planning to make a decision this summer.

Perhaps the Vols' second-biggest need in this cycle is safety, even though the emergence of Evan Berry this spring to go along with Todd Kelly Jr. alleviates that somewhat.

Nigel Warrior and Joejuan Williams easily are the top two targets at that position, and Warrior is arguably the top target on UT's entire board.

If Tennessee can add those three prospects to its list, it'll be a nice haul on defense.

Quotes and 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.