4-Star RB Quavaris Crouch Commits to Tennessee over Clemson, Michigan

The Tennessee Volunteers added one of the best players in the 2019 recruiting class to their future roster Friday when they landed a commitment from Quavaris Crouch.

Per ESPN.com's Tom VanHaaren, Crouch has signed his letter of intent and will enroll in classes early:

According to 247Sports' composite rankings, the 6'2½", 230-pound Crouch is a 4-star prospect and the No. 39 overall player, No. 2 athlete and No. 1 player from the state of North Carolina in his class.

It is no wonder he drew interest from some of the best programs in the country, as Clemson, Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida State, among others, were all listed on 247Sports' college list for him at one point.

While Crouch was listed as an athlete because he played running back and outside linebacker at the high school level, his work in the offensive backfield stands out.

He consistently uses his physicality and strength to power his way between the tackles to pick up critical short-yardage conversions, but he also has the speed to bounce to the outside and outrun an entire defense for a game-changing play.

His high school coach, Sam Greiner, pointed to that combination of speed and physicality and made a head-turning comparison, per Langston Wertz Jr. of the Charlotte Observer:

"And, man, a 4.6 laser is moving. He's 6'2", 225 and the fastest guy on the field, with a willingness to work. He's going to help lead us to the promised land next (season), and he is single-handedly phenomenal.

"I look at Leonard Fournette when he was in high school, and he was the No. 1 overall high school running back, and I think (Crouch) is better than him. I really do."

While living up to those expectations is a tall task for Crouch before he even hits the collegiate level, it is a testament to his overall skill level and ceiling as a running back looking to make a difference for his new team.

If he lives up to that potential, expect Crouch to quickly become a household name among college football fans as he battles for individual recognition and SEC East titles at Tennessee.

While still a notable program, the Volunteers have fallen behind the likes of Florida and Georgia in their own division as well as Alabama, Auburn and LSU in the conference as a whole. The only way to restore their former glory is with consistent success on the recruiting trail when it comes to landing difference-makers who can help carry the team in critical league games.

Crouch is someone who fits that bill.