Tennessee Vol's 2016 National Signing Day Wish List
With a little more than a month until national signing day, this is the time of year when teams begin turning up the heat on their top targets, reassessing their recruiting boards and determining how to fill out their recruiting classes—and Tennessee is no different.
While the Volunteers probably gained a strong amount of momentum with a 45-6 annihilation of Northwestern in the Outback Bowl last week, they aren't exactly sizzling on the recruiting trail right now. A big reason for that is the huge, talented classes that coach Butch Jones brought in the past two years.
But the Vols are setting their sights on several top-shelf targets down the backstretch. Others may pop up with interest, but right now, the recruiting board is pretty well-defined.
As UT expanded its list with interested targets, a couple of recent offers solidified themselves into commitments following the bowl win, as 3-star offensive tackle Nathan Niehaus (a former West Virginia pledge) and Baylen Buchanan (a former Louisville commit) decided they wanted to be Vols.
Those two commitments gave Jones 16 verbal pledges in what is expected to be a class of around 20 or 21 during this cycle.
So what's left for Tennessee?
The Vols are in the thick of the battle for several key players, and they're trying to edge their way in for some other marquee athletes as well. Also, they desperately want to keep the guys they already have in the fold, such as 4-star defensive end Jonathan Kongbo, who may be looking to take visits.
While trying to balance the realistic options with a healthy dose of hope, let's take a look at some players who would make a strong wish list for the Vols in closing out this class.
Nigel Warrior, 4-Star Safety
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The calendar may have already flipped to 2016, but Tennessee's top overall target on the recruiting board remains the same as it's been for months and months in Peachtree Ridge (Georgia) High School safety Nigel Warrior.
With official visits lined up to LSU (Jan. 15), Alabama (Jan. 22) and Tennessee (Jan. 29) leading up to national signing day, and with other schools such as Georgia and Ohio State in the mix for his signature, it's anybody's guess where the dynamic defensive back is going to wind up.
The Vols and Crimson Tide are high in Warrior's 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions, and so many of the experts believe it will come down to those two.
In Tennessee, Warrior would have the family ties of his father Dale Carter, a former All-American defensive back and basically a Vols legend. He has a familiarity with the school that dates back to his younger years, and UT held a firm lead early in Warrior's recruiting process.
While Tennessee provides an up-and-coming option that appears on the verge of competing for bigger and better things, Alabama is already doing that. The Tide will play for the national championship next week, and coach Nick Saban is a noted defensive back developer.
When you throw in new defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt and long-time NFL DBs coach Mel Tucker, also on the UA staff, Warrior probably feels like he can get prepared for the pros in Tuscaloosa as well—even if Tennessee provides a quicker path to playing time.
A star prospect such as Warrior has tons of other options, too, so there will be plenty of drama surrounding the final weeks of his recruitment. Jones has yet to lose a legacy recruit he has desperately wanted, but the Vols face a real battle to sway Warrior.
Can they do it?
Landon Dickerson, 4-Star Offensive Lineman
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At last week's Under Armour All-America Game, 4-star offensive lineman Landon Dickerson didn't do anything to lessen the suspense surrounding his decision on the final few teams that make his dwindling list of potential destinations.
The versatile lineman from Hudson, North Carolina, told GoVols247's Ryan Callahan that it's "fair" to say that the three teams currently standing out to him are Auburn, Florida State and Tennessee.
He's already taken official visits to AU and FSU, and the Vols are battling with Georgia to lock down the final one. Dickerson has been to Tennessee multiple times, but with Alabama and Florida also receiving January visits, it would be tough to see the Vols being the destination if he doesn't head there one more time.
This comment from Callahan's story pretty much reinforces that: "Throughout this, a lot of coaches told me, 'If you think you want to go to school somewhere, or even considering it, you need to take an official there.' So that’s what I’m mostly likely going to base my choice off of."
It sounds like Tennessee definitely needs to convince him to get to Knoxville again.
While Dickerson is the nation's seventh-ranked offensive tackle, according to 247Sports, some teams (such as UT) are recruiting him to play guard. Still, it's Dickerson's versatility that makes him such a coup.
Tennessee has battled for Dickerson's commitment for a long time, and the Vols always have been mentioned among his top group, for the most part. It isn't far from his North Carolina home, and in November, Dickerson took unofficial visits to UT in consecutive weeks.
But none of that matters if the Vols can't close strong. With the offensive line looking like it's on firm footing for the foreseeable future, Tennessee still could use one more elite prospect in this year's cycle.
Dickerson would definitely fit the bill.
Derrick Brown, 5-Star Defensive Tackle
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That last weekend before national signing day is shaping up to be a huge one for the future of the Vols, and it presents a massive opportunity to solidify this year's class with a strong finish.
Tennessee is going to be fishing in some pretty populated seas that weekend, and one player who would qualify as a "big fish" would be 5-star defensive tackle Derrick Brown—if the Vols could lure him to Knoxville.
The 6'4", 318-pound athletic lane-clogger is being coveted by Georgia, Auburn, Alabama, Mississippi State and the Vols. Though Tennessee may be a dark horse in that race, it would be unwise to count UT out. With DT Owen Williams heading to the NFL, Tennessee has a spot ready for Brown to occupy.
In his several unofficial visits to Knoxville, Brown seemingly had a good enough time to reward Tennessee with that final, all-important official visit. With him being there along with other Georgia boys such as Nigel Warrior and Jaleel Laguins, it could create the kind of atmosphere UT needs to pull a Peach State coup.
Though there have been rumors that Auburn leads his list, Brown himself is a quiet recruit that isn't giving much away.
"Really I just gotta kind of sit back and see how things go; talk to my parents," Brown told BamaOnline's Hank South following Alabama's playoff win over Michigan State.
Sure, it's a long shot getting a couple of those guys to commit to the Vols, but Jones has experienced plenty of good fortune in Georgia throughout his young Tennessee career, and he's been recruiting those guys for a long time.
The Vols, along with many other teams, have been enamored with Brown for months. He can be a run-stopping force, and he is also athletic enough to get after quarterbacks.
Getting him to Knoxville would be, perhaps, the biggest victory of the recruiting cycle.
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Marquez Callaway, 4-Star Wide Receiver
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Another of Tennessee's targets who has been relatively quiet throughout the recruiting process is Warner Robins, Georgia, athlete Marquez Callaway.
The 6'2", 175-pound U.S. Army All-American may have his 247Sports Crystal Ball projections nearly split between Tennessee and Georgia, but Tennessee has been a likely destination for him for some time.
Even so, he has scheduled official visits to Mississippi State and Ole Miss the last two weekends of the recruiting cycle. So that may not bode well for Tennessee.
With the Vols desperately needing a speedy playmaker at receiver in this 2016 class, Callaway represents Tennessee's best choice for that, as Mecole Hardman, Velus Jones Jr., Donnie Corley and others appear to be heading elsewhere. UT has to like where it's positioned itself for Callaway in the weeks leading up to signing day.
While several teams like Callaway's upside as a defensive back, the Vols want him on offense where they feel he can be dynamic with the ball. He'll get the opportunity to showcase his talents in this week's U.S. Army All-American Bowl, and his stock could rise even higher than it already is.
Regardless, Tennessee needs Callaway. The Vols will be able to deploy redshirt freshman Vincent Perry in the slot next season, but a guy with Callaway's skill set can find himself getting immediate reps.
Upon arriving for practices in San Antonio, Callaway told GoVol's247 Ryan Callahan that it's a three-team race with the Vols, Rebels and Mississippi State Bulldogs vying for his signature. He also said he had no leaders, though this one feels like UT's to lose.
He'd be a big help right away for Tennessee's receiving corps.
Binjimen Victor, 4-Star Wide Receiver
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With the recruitment of long-time target Mecole Hardman appearing to trend more toward Georgia or Alabama in recent weeks, Tennessee's quest for star receiving talent may be forced to go in another direction.
One player who has flown a bit under the radar the past few months, and who could be a late option, is elite Florida receiver Binjimen Victor.
The 6'3", 176-pound 4-star target from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, seemed a lock for the Gators long ago. But while coach Jim McElwain's team and Ohio State still appear to be his top two, Victor told GoVols247's Ryan Callahan that he planned on giving Tennessee another look—this time officially on Jan. 15.
That would be massive news to land a talent such as Victor on campus in the waning weeks. He has had UF and OSU as leaders at times and nearly committed to Florida, but he took a step back:
"I felt like I was rushing it, so I just took my time," he said. "I felt like I wasn't ready, so I just said I'm going to wait a certain amount of time and I'm going to make my decision."
Convincing Victor to come to Knoxville would be unexpected, to say the least, though, according to Callahan's article, he confirmed he doesn't have any current leaders. The Vols and West Virginia are a pair of schools that would wedge their way back into the race.
Between Victor and Mykel Jones, Tennessee may still have a couple of aces up its sleeve when it comes to wide receiver recruiting. But if you can sway Victor, you definitely take him. He's a top 100 prospect who has a chance to develop into an all-conference-caliber player.
The first step is always getting the coveted recruits on campus. The Vols must make a huge impression on Victor during that official visit.
Antonneous Clayton, 4-Star Defensive End
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Perhaps the most unexpected commitment from this list would come if Florida pledge Antonneous Clayton flipped to Tennessee.
The Dooly County, Georgia, product is the nation's 10th-ranked weak-side defensive end, and he's been committed to the Gators since late October. That hasn't stopped Tennessee and other schools from recruiting him.
At 6'3", 218 pounds, Clayton is a pass-rush specialist and a raw athlete who could stand to gain several pounds before contributing on the next level. But his upside is elite. He's the kind of impact edge-rusher that Tennessee covets to close this class.
Though UT probably holds a better chance of getting the nod from current Duke commit Terrell Lucas or former Florida commit JaQuan Bailey to close out its recruiting class, Clayton appears to be the "big fish" that the Vols are trying to reel in.
They've got to convince him to visit Knoxville first, and that hasn't happened yet.
Clayton stood out in last week's practices for the Under Armour game, being named "Alpha Dog" for Team Armour after the second day of preparation, according to 247Sports' Kevin Ryan. Several teams are still after him, though it would be an upset if Clayton flipped his commitment to anybody else.
Even so, the Vols are trying. If they could somehow secure him while keeping Jonathan Kongbo, that would be about the best possible scenario that the Vols could hope for in their defensive end recruiting.
It's that crazy time of year when you try to get players on campus and let the school and the coaches sell themselves. If the Vols can get Clayton to come, they'll have a shot at flipping him.
All quotes and information gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. All recruiting information gathered from 247Sports, unless otherwise noted.
Brad Shepard covers SEC football and is the Tennessee lead writer for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter @Brad_Shepard.
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