Part I: The Path to 2007 signing class

Tennessee's 2007 recruiting class is more than just an average group of prospects. The class is widely considered one of the top five in the nation.

Tennessee's 2007 recruiting class wasn't much of a surprise. As a matter of fact, most signees were well in place months before the letters of intent were ready to be signed. Here are the key events that led up to National Signing Day on Feb. 7.

2006

February

• National Signing Day 2006 is about what one would expect -- recruiting rock bottom in the Phillip Fulmer Era. The 2006 signing class looked exactly as expected, a group complied after a 5-6 season amid extensive coaching changes. Then, it only got worse. Out of 22 commitments, eight prospects weren't enrolled for the fall semester either because of grades or off-field issues. UT's recruiters had a serious challenge: prove to prospects nationwide that UT football would compete at a championship level, and soon.

The 2007 class benefited from two holdovers from 2006: offensive lineman Cody Pope and receiver Brent Vinson. Both signed with UT in 2006 but were deemed academically ineligible and re-signed with UT in 2007.

• Anthony Anderson commits. UT's first commitment is a speedster known for his ability to make plays in space. He's also a versatile player who could play defensive back. UT's strongest position of need begins to be addressed.

March

• Tyler Maples commits. Despite being the best player in the best program in Tennessee, some question UT's offer to the receiver/defensive back. Those doubts are quickly erased when Maples runs a 4.39 in UT's summer camp. Maples follows that up with a fantastic senior season, which leads to another Maryville state championship.

April

• Todd Campbell commits. The receiver proves to be one of UT's most valuable recruiters. He's an early commitment that seems genuinely excited about being a Vol and isn't afraid to share his enthusiasm with other in-state Vol targets.

• Darris Sawtelle commits. Teams that finish the previous season at 5-6 aren't supposed to be able to land one of the nation's best prospects so early in the recruiting process. Sawtelle goes against the grain, committing to UT early, in part, because of a family legacy. His grandfather played at UT in the 1950's. UT's 2007 class has an early hook to hang its recruiting efforts on.

May

• Kevin Cooper commits. Cooper's commitment is another surprising marriage between the Vols and an in-state prospect. Does UT see something special in Cooper or are they intent on laying a foundation of in-state players before the season begins? Or both?

June

• B.J. Coleman commits. At the time, another head-scratcher. Coleman proves to be more talented than most believed based on his senior season and his performance during a postseason all-star event. Still, UT had several athletic quarterbacks on the hook. Are they scared away by a quarterback commitment? There's no question, however, that offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe took a liking to Coleman.

• Daryl Vereen commits. Vereen's showing at a UT camp really got the Vols interested so they offered. The tailback quickly responded with a commitment. Vereen's stature among other prospects grew during his senior season. North Carolina took a strong run late but Vereen stuck by his commitment.

• Art Evans commits. The Vols' focus on improving their secondary begins to pay off. Picking up Evans could prove even more significant if he proves he can play soon. Evans enrolled in January to get on the field soon.

• Josh Hawkins commits. Hawkins athleticism was appealing. So was his willingness to play one of several positions. UT has shown the ability to find the right spot for more than one athletic, in-state prospect.

August

• C.J. Fleming commits. Another defensive back. Noticing a trend? Fleming is known for his athleticism. The Vols were also hoping for another defensive back from Highland Springs, Cris Hill, but he committed to Virginia Tech in December after strongly considering the Vols.

September

• UT hammers California 35-18. The Vols led 35-0 midway through the third quarter. Several prospect said afterward that UT's coaches seem to have resurrected the program after the 2005 disaster.

• Deshaun Barnes commits. The Vols get national exposure on ESPNU when Barnes announces his decision to attend UT over Florida, LSU and Florida State. A hybrid safety/linebacker, his potential is exciting. And UT won a public battle with some other big dogs.

October

• Dennis Rogan commits. Rogan's decision proves that UT has plenty of pull in East Tennessee. The Vols half-heartedly recruited the Fulton running back (that means no scholarship offer) while Virginia Tech and Miami took the lead. Then, the Vols offered when academic concerns had been addressed. Rogan immediately committed.

• Rufus Williams commits. The Vols dip into Florida once again. Williams will turn out to be the second of two UT signees from the Sunshine State. With Williams, UT's goal is clear: find the speed rushing defensive end that UT has lacked since 2005. Williams is UT's first defensive lineman committed in the 2007 class. UT head coach Phillip Fulmer later calls the defensive line, especially defensive tackle, a point of emphasis from this point forward.

• Lennon Creer commits. Although Creer can't exactly remember the date, the tailback secretly committed to UT around late October.

November

• Savion Frazier commits. Frazier is recruited to be the type of speedy linebacker that UT has thrived on. He also considered Duke, Marshall, Louisville and Virginia Tech.

• Gerald Jones commits. Jones' announcement signals the beginning of UT's strong push towards a top-five class. After only considering Texas Tech, the U.S. Army All-American receiver is so smitten with UT, he quickly commits. Rumors swirl that Jones has second thoughts late in the process but he shows great pride in being a Vol during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and no dissension is ever substantiated.

• Donald Langley commits. The second defensive lineman in two weeks. UT's class is getting beefier. Langley picks the Vols over Penn State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.

• Rumors begin to swirl that UT may lead for Dwight Jones services, especially if North Carolina replaces its coaching staff. Indeed, UNC fires John Bunting. The Vols appear to be in great shape for the most highly touted receiver from North Carolina despite his February 2006 commitment to the Tar Heels.

December

• The Vols receive an Outback Bowl bid, meaning UT is back in a Jan. 1 bowl and will receive all the publicity that goes with such an event. It seems for the entire month of December that UT is on course for a 10-win season.

• Kenny O'Neal commits. Maybe UT is feeling confident that its past off-field issues are a distant memory. Or maybe the Vols just need a receiver that can play NOW. Either way, the Vols take a player dismissed by Florida State after a junior college stopover.

• DeAngelo Willingham commits. The Vols land a junior college defensive back in hopes of quickly replacing three of four starters lost from last year. However, one commitment doesn't mean UT is done in the category of quick fix defensive backs.

• Chris Walker commits. Walker is a huge pickup for the Vols. Walker is often overlooked because the top prospect in the state, Chris Donald, is also a west Tennessean. Walker, however, is rated the fourth best prospect in Tennessee by the News Sentinel and clearly a top priority for UT.

• Eric Berry commits. It seemed like Berry would be a Vol for months but rarely do players so highly rated commit with so little fanfare. Of all the high school players in UT's 2007 class, Berry is the most likely to play immediately. And to snare the nation's best defensive back for a program is in dire need of defensive backs? Well, it's almost too good to be true for Vol fans.

• Harrison Smith commits to Notre Dame. Smith proves to be the News Sentinel's highest rated player in Tennessee that doesn't pick UT. He's No. 3 in the state. The Vols land three of the top four and six of the state's top ten prospects.

• Rolando Melancon and Darnius Moore commit on Christmas night. As UT's coaches are flying to Tampa, Fla. for the Outback Bowl, they get word that two prospects have decided to offer them a special Christmas present: their commitments. Melancon is UT's third defensive tackle of 2007. Moore, a versatile athlete, provides some insight to teammate Lennon Creer's decision. Moore tries to throw off other media by saying he's not committed. It worked. He confused others but was always on board with UT.

2007

January

• The Vols look listless in the Outback Bowl against Penn State. Could that negatively affect recruiting? One would think so, but that doesn't prove to be the case.

• William Brimfield commits. Defensive tackle is no longer a concern when Brimfield becomes UT's third defensive tackle of the 2007 class and the second in two weeks.

• The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is ripe with potential Vols. Five eventual signees (Berry, linebacker Chris Donald, Jones, defensive lineman Ben Martin and receiver Ahmad Paige) participate in the nation's most elite all-star event. Donald and Martin commit to be Vols during the game. UT also receives positive publicity from highly-touted defensive tackle Marvin Austin. Austin, the talk of the event, eventually commits to North Carolina but speaks glowingly of UT.

• Nevin McKenzie commits. UT "superserves" its need for junior college defensive backs when it lands McKenzie. Now, the Vols not only have immediate help in the secondary, they have competition among two: McKenzie and Willingham.

February

• Lennon Creer commits. The Vols land one of the most highly touted prospects in Texas and, surely, its quietest. Creer, a tailback, didn't do much talking in the fall but his summer comments about UT's lure rang true. Moore also confirmed he was committed to UT.

• Cory Hall commits. The Vols and Hall finally work it out. Prep school or junior college is likely in Hall's future but he picks that (and a chance at UT) over immediately enrolling at Marshall or MTSU.

• National Signing Day arrives. UT picks up two more highly touted prospects when Paige and defensive end Rae Sykes sign to be Vols. The Vols end 2007 with 32 signees, ten more than 2006. The Vols end up losing out on Alabama receiver Marquise Maze and Dwight Jones. Jones was convinced UT was the right school to attend until a last second reversal.