Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt was introduced during a timeout at the Vols basketball game on Saturday Mike Wilson/News Sentinel
College football’s new early signing period for high school seniors inking with Division I schools begins Wednesday and continues through Friday.
This will be the first signing class for Jeremy Pruitt, who was hired Dec. 7, although many of UT’s commits are players who pledged while Butch Jones was in charge and remained committed throughout the transition.
More: Early signing period: What you need to know about college football's December signing window
More: Kingston Harris commits to Tennessee Vols after weekend visit
Here are some topics to monitor for Tennessee.
Magic number
Tennessee has 11 commitments to its 2018 class. That’s tied for the fewest pledges in the SEC. A 4-8 season plus a coaching staff transition took a toll on UT’s numbers.
Most of the Vols’ commits are expected to sign during this early period. Tennessee hosted numerous prospects last weekend, so perhaps that’ll yield some rewards as the week unfolds.
If the Vols can sign 15 or more players during this early period, that would be a solid haul, considering the attrition of the past couple months.
Top prospect
Four-star defensive tackle Greg Emerson of North Side High School in Jackson is Tennessee’s top-rated prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He’s scheduled to sign with the Vols on Wednesday.
Emerson joins two other instate prospects, wide receiver Alontae Taylor and defensive tackle Brant Lawless, as Tennessee commits ranked in the 247Sports top 300.
Positions of need
Tennessee would benefit from addressing a few positions of need during this recruiting cycle, whether during the early signing period or during the traditional signing period, which begins Feb. 7.
For starters, the Vols desperately need some offensive line help. Tennessee’s depth was tested up front in 2017. At one point, due to injuries and attrition, UT was down to four available scholarship linemen. The Vols are set to return nine scholarship linemen next season. Three starters depart. Two O-linemen are committed to the class.
The Vols also could use another quarterback. They’re set to return three scholarship QBs – Jarrett Guarantano, Quinten Dormady and Will McBride – in 2018, all of whom started at least one game last season. Three isn’t a bad number if all are healthy and available come next fall, but it leaves no wiggle room for the possibility of a transfer. Tennessee doesn’t have any quarterbacks committed after a pair of QBs decommited last week. Three-star QB JT Shrout, who is committed to California, visited Tennessee last weekend.
More: QBs Adrian Martinez, Michael Penix decommit from 2018 Tennessee Vols football class
A cornerback who can contend for a starting spot immediately also is on the wish list. Tennessee must replace its two starting cornerbacks, Justin Martin and Emmanuel Moseley, plus rotation regular Shaq Wiggins. No cornerbacks are committed to UT.
Eyes on Cordova teammates
A pair of teammates from Cordova High School in Memphis, are worth monitoring Wednesday. Four-star offensive tackle Jerome Carvin and three-star running back Jeremy Banks have Tennessee offers and are uncommitted. The Vols are believed to be firmly in the running for each player. Banks visited Tennessee last weekend.
Juco boost?
Several junior college players were among Tennessee’s visitors last weekend. That included four players from Arizona Western College: four-star tight end Dominick Wood-Anderson (uncommitted), three-star offensive tackle Jahmir Johnson (uncommitted), three-star running back Greg Bell (uncommitted) and three-star wide receiver Jaron Woodyard (Nebraska commit).
Keaton Jones, whose bullying video has gone viral, visited with UT Athletics Director Phil Fulmer and members of the Vols football team on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017. Submitted/ University of Tennessee.
Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt was introduced during a timeout at the Vols basketball game on Saturday Mike Wilson/News Sentinel
Watch a time lapse of University of Tennessee sophomore Kate Luffman painting The Rock to welcome UT Vols new coach Jeremy Pruitt. Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel
University of Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt speaks about who he sees as the Vols' opponents during his introduction ceremony in the Neyland Stadium Peyton Manning Locker Room Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017.
The Tennessee coaching search has gone through a tumultuous week. Angela Gosnell/News Sentinel
Tennessee has named former head football coach Phil Fulmer as the athletics director. Wochit
John Currie is out as the Tennessee athletic director after eight months on the job and one chaotic week of a football coaching search, according to media reports. Angela Gosnell/News Sentinel
Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt has been hired as the next coach at Tennessee. Wochit
More than 100 people gathered outside Neyland Stadium on Nov. 26, then marched on Anderson Training Center to express outrage after reports surfaced that Tennessee is finalizing a deal to hire Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano. Calvin Mattheis
Jauan Jennings on Sunday drove by a crowd who, minutes earlier, had chanted "Free Jauan." The UT Vols released Jennings after he posted a profanity-laced rant to Instagram. He has since apologized. Submitted / Twitter user @witness781
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Jauan Jennings drives by Sunday's protest of Greg Schiano