Hooker: Are Vols getting knocked cold in recruiting?

Florida has turned plenty of heads by landing two of the nation's top players. Quarterback Tim Tebow from Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and wide receiver Percy Harvin from Virginia Beach, Va., committed to the Gators within the past two weeks.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a hotter team in the nation than the Gators as they look to secure the country's top-ranked class.

Florida has 26 commitments for 2006. That means coach Urban Meyer and his staff will be on cruise control until national signing day on Feb. 1.

Georgia also has assembled one of the best classes in the nation, thanks to some hard work last summer. Coach Mark Richt and his staff secured 20 commitments by September, including one from highly touted quarterback Matthew Stafford of Dallas.

The Bulldogs have 24 commitments.

LSU, Alabama and Auburn also have put together impressive classes. Each has more than 15 commitments.

The third tier of SEC recruiting classes includes Tennessee, Ole Miss, Kentucky and Arkansas.

The Vols have plenty of work to do to secure a class that garners national attention. A top-25 class is well within reach but, beyond that, UT will need some good breaks along the way.

UT's 2006 recruiting fortunes may well ride on its official visits in January when the Vols could host about 30 prospects.

UT's 2006 class is fortunate on two fronts.

The Vols have several players honoring earlier commitments for a variety of reasons. Players like Gerald Williams from Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., Walter Fisher from Nashville via Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, Darius Myers from Cordova via Hargrave Military Academy and J.T. Mapu from Hawaii could have an immediate impact next fall and will help the 2006 class' ranking.

The Vols also have benefited from significant carryover from last recruiting season when they were one of the hottest programs in the nation.

UT secured a handful of top-flight prospects before the regular season even began, including lineman Jacque McClendon from Chattanooga.

UT's coaches have spent all week meeting to assess the situation. They undoubtedly discussed prospects once deemed average that have moved up the board due to attrition.

UT's coaches have plenty to overcome given their 5-6 record in 2005. They also are a man short with no wide receivers coach.

Imagine you are a UT coach recruiting a young wide receiver and he asks, "Who is my coach going to be?"

A tough question, made tougher by the competition at the top of the conference.