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National Signing Day 2016: Ranking and grading each SEC football recruiting class

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Feb 3, 2016; Gordo, AL, USA; Gordo High School linebacker Ben Davis fields questions after committing to the Alabama Crimson Tide at the University of Alabama during national signing day at Gordo High School. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 3, 2016; Gordo, AL, USA; Gordo High School linebacker Ben Davis fields questions after committing to the Alabama Crimson Tide at the University of Alabama during national signing day at Gordo High School. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 14, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones during the second half against the North Texas Mean Green at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 24 to 0. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones during the second half against the North Texas Mean Green at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 24 to 0. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

Tennessee took a huge step forward in 2015, and the Vols are one of the teams to beat in 2016. However, after selling early playing time to high school and JUCO prospects for three seasons, and loading up on heavy classes in the process, the Vols don’t have much room for newcomers.

Understandably, the returns for this year’s efforts on the recruiting trail fall well short of the top ten national classes Tennessee produced in 2014 and 2015. Still, the Vols pulled in a top 15 class that will provide additional depth for 2016 and beyond.

Instant Impact Performer: WR Jeff George

There are few weak spots on the Tennessee roster, but one area that could use a boost is the receiving corps. With Marquez North’s early entry to the NFL and Von Pearson out of eligibility, there’s room for 6-foot-5 JUCO transfer Jeff George to step in and play immediately. A possession receiver and good blocker, George isn’t likely to stretch defenses, but he should be a reliable target over the middle of the field.

Late JUCO signee Jonathan Kongbo was huge, and could pay early dividends as well. Among high school prospects, defensive backs Nigel Warrior, Marquill Osborne (an early enrollee) and Tyler Byrd could play their way into the rotation in the secondary.

Underrated Signee: OL Marcus Tatum

One of two undersized, three-star offensive line recruits in the 2016 recruiting class, Marcus Tatum isn’t likely to make an impact in 2016 (or 2017, probably), but has a lot of upside that could make him a key member of the unit as an upperclassman. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, Tatum is a top 500 recruit ranked No. 42 among high school tackles. He and Nathan Niehaus (6-foot-6, 259 pounds) look like tight ends on paper – meaning they will need a redshirt season and a full year in the weight room and dining halls before they can even think about contributing on Saturday.

Unanswered Question: Where is the offensive line depth?

Tennessee returns five offensive linemen that started five games or more in 2015, but only Coleman Thomas and Dylan Wiesman were full-time starters. The Vols must also replace left tackle Kyler Kerbyson and two other seniors with starting experience.

Therefore, it’s a little surprising that Tennessee signed just three new offensive linemen, two of which are listed under 260 pounds and none from junior college.

Complete 2016 Tennessee Football Recruiting Class:

Final Thoughts: It’s not that Tennessee head coach Butch Jones and the Vols’ coaching staff didn’t recruit as well or as hard for 2016 as they did in earlier years, but Jones made the smart decision to load up on his first few classes to fast-track the rebuilding process in Knoxville. It paid off with a strong 2016 campaign, but with smaller numbers of scholarships available now, the margin of error in talent evaluation is much smaller.

Next: Auburn

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