Hamstrung by a myriad of issues, Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer pulled in what is widely thought to be his lowest ranked signing class in his 17-year tenure.

The 18 new Vols ranked 36th in the nation and eighth in the SEC, according to Rivals. Scout ranked UT's class 36th in the nation and 10th in the SEC.

"You never know how all that's going to work out," Fulmer said Wednesday of the rankings. "I don't concern myself with it. We'll evaluate this class in three years, in four years."

Fulmer had plenty of challenges this recruiting season, including coaching turnover, speculation about his job security last fall, January incidents involving his players and local law enforcement and a limited number of scholarships. Rankings, Fulmer said, weren't a concern.

"It's how the guys come and adjust and the character and the work ethic, along with the ability," he said.

Rankings weren't expected to be kind to UT. The Vols were limited in scholarships to offer and were shopping for the kind of athletes that are often undervalued by recruiting services, such as offensive linemen and defensive tackles.

That, however, proved to be a weak excuse. UT only signed three offensive linemen - Carson Anderson from Florence (Ala.) High School, Preston Bailey from Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville and Dallas Thomas from Scotlandville High in Baton Rouge, La. - after missing out on Antoine McClain from Anniston (Ala.) High, who signed with Clemson.

UT also missed out on the highest-rated defensive tackle still on its board, Jeremy Lewis from Palm Beach Lakes High in West Palm Beach, Fla., who signed with Miami.

To simply stay respectable, the Vols relied on in-state talent.

UT signed three of its highest-rated prospects inside the state: Aaron Douglas from Maryville, Rod Wilks from Smyrna and Bailey. The three prospects ranked first, second and sixth in the state, according to The News Sentinel.

UT also relied on some Tennessee ties to land highly regarded linebacker Marlon Walls, who moved to Olive Branch (Miss.) High from Wooddale High in Memphis just before his senior year. Although not as highly touted, the Vols also landed athlete Ben Bartholomew from Montgomery Bell Academy.

Before moving to Mississippi, Walls was rated the fourth-best prospect in Tennessee by the News Sentinel. Bartholomew ranked 12th.

It's hard to imagine where UT's 2008 class would be had it not been for another strong in-state class.

Still, UT was far from closing the borders. Alabama raided the state, pulling offensive lineman Barrett Jones from Evangelical Christian in Memphis, defensive end/linebacker Don'ta Hightower from Marshall County in Lewisburg and athletic ball carrier Chris Jordan from Brentwood Academy.

The News Sentinel ranks those three prospects third, fourth and fifth in the state, respectively.

Once again, North Carolina made headway in Tennessee under coach Butch Davis. After landing receivers Rashad Mason and Brian Gupton from Nashville's Pearl Cohn last year, the Tar Heels secured defensive end Michael McAdoo from Antioch this year. McAdoo is the News Sentinel's 14th best prospect in the state.

More and more often, UT has found itself facing off with Davis since he arrived at Chapel Hill in 2006. Davis was able to beat the Vols for two very highly rated prospects last year: defensive tackle Marvin Austin from Washington, D.C., and receiver Dwight Jones from Burlington, N.C.

The Vols and Tar Heels squared off twice on signing day this year. North Carolina was able to secure defensive end Quinton Coples from Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va., while the Vols landed athlete E.J. Abrams-Ward from Thomasville (N.C.) High.

"The main reason why I picked Tennessee is that it's an outstanding school. I loved it when I came out there," Abrams-Ward said, referring to his official visit in January. "To be able to sit in front of 106,000 people and watch Tennessee win, it's unbelievable."

Abrams-Ward wasn't the only signing-day surprise. UT also landed a previously uncommitted prospect when Thomas announced he would play for the Vols.

Perhaps the biggest surprise from a UT prospect came when Hargrave's Enrique Davis signed with Ole Miss over UT, Auburn, Oregon and Maryland. Far less surprising was the fact that linebacker Jerrell Harris from Gadsden City High in Gadsden, Ala., chose Alabama, as expected.

As with all recruiting classes, only time will tell just how good or bad the 2008 signing class will be. Undoubtedly the class's ranking would benefit if transfers were counted.

Former starting safety Demetrice Morley is already enrolled at UT and ready to return after a season-long absence due to academic shortcomings. And then there's Brandon Warren. The former Alcoa and Florida State star also is trying to improve his academic standing in order to enroll at UT by the summer or possibly the fall.

If those two live up to their proven billing, fans won't have to worry about the 2008 signing class … until at least 2010.

For midterm enrollee Austin Johnson, rankings on Signing Day meant little more than added motivation to impress his new teammates.

"I really don't think it matters," the linebacker from Hickory (N.C.) High said. "I think all of us will probably bond together and come together and show the guys that even though we're not ranked high, we can still play."

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.