Donald Langley's official visit to Tennessee last weekend has made the Vols the team to beat in the battle for the standout defensive tackle.

The 6-foot-2, 295-pound Langley, from Seneca Valley High School in Germantown, Md., said his trip to UT was unlike anything he's ever experienced.

"It was awesome," he said. "It was one of the best things I've ever done in my life."

Langley said watching UT play Florida at Neyland Stadium made the biggest impression.

"As soon as they opened that 'T' and they rushed out it was amazing," he said. "It's somewhere I'd like to play."

Langley said he expected to see plenty of fan support for UT, but he was surprised by the fans' hospitality toward an unknown visitor.

"When I got there and I saw that much orange, tailgating, everything, I never thought it would be that good," he said. "The entire town, they don't know who you are, but they treat you like you're family."

Langley will visit Michigan State this weekend and Texas A&M on Sept. 30. He said he will probably use another official visit on Oklahoma. He's also considering Penn State and Notre Dame.

Langley, who plans to graduate in December and enroll in college in January, said he follows the SEC over other conferences because of its competition level.

"I watch all the games because there's nothing like SEC football," he said. "The SEC is such a hard conference that you can't really go undefeated. Anybody that comes out on top of the SEC is probably one of the top three teams in the country."

Langley said he's impressed by the aggressive style of defense in the SEC.

Although UT's defense surrendered two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to Florida, Langley said he enjoyed watching the Vols pressure Florida quarterback Chris Leak.

"Every play he was on the ground," Langley said. "Even if he got the pass off and got a big completion, by the end of the play he was on the ground. It was a fly-around, hard-nosed, get-to-the-ball, pin-your-ears-back defense, and that's what I like."

Langley said he's taken notice to defensive tackles coach Dan Brooks' ability to prepare his players for the NFL. Langley said he's not concerned about reaching the NFL, but he wants a coach that will push him.

"If I go to the NFL, hooray for me," he said. "If I don't, that's fine. That's not a big thing for me right now. As long as I have a coach that's a hard-nosed coach and can teach me, I'll be fine."

Langley said he wants to begin college in January so he can get a jump start on his freshman season. He said UT is looking for immediate help at defensive tackle, something he can provide.

"I know if I go there I can make an impact my freshman year," he said. "I can guarantee that."