Tennessee’s recruiting momentum continued to grow on Monday as the Vols picked up two more commitments.
Willie Bohannon, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound defensive end from Blount High School in Mobile, Ala., and Prentiss Waggner, a 6-2, 180-pound cornerback from Clinton (La.) High School, became the 15th and 16th prospects to say they were committed to play football for the Vols.
Bohannon committed to Kentucky in December but began to waver earlier this month when he took an official visit to UT on Jan. 18.
Waggner said he actually told UT’s coaches of his decision in late December.
“They couldn’t believe me,” Waggner told the News Sentinel. “They seemed more excited than I was … That meant a lot. That meant that they really needed me to help their team.”
Waggner had interest from several other schools, but only visited Minnesota officially. He also considered Ole Miss, North Carolina, Nebraska and Louisiana Tech.
“I was planning on visiting other schools but I thought about it,” Waggner said. “Tennessee’s coaches really cared about me and I knew that was the place for me.
“…I’m really excited about playing in the SEC. All my life I’ve wanted to play in the SEC. I feel like an SEC player because I can play man-to-man coverage.”
After going almost two months without receiving a public commitment from a high school prospect, the Vols have seen four make such announcements since Saturday.
Siegel High School defensive tackle Montori Hughes and Olive Branch (Miss.) High School linebacker Marlon Walls announced their decision this weekend.
UT is expected to sign between 20 and 24 prospects this year.
Josh Ward contributed to this report.
Oregon sends Lady Vols home from…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 84
dfreeman writes:
Awesome news.... Let's keep it rolling!!!
andy112382#209793 writes:
Great news, lets keep it up!! Go Vols!!!
Will be 'fun' to see what the doom'n'gloom crowd says about these guys, who knows what criticism they can dish out....they never cease to amaze me how low they will go.
jevolball7 writes:
Keep on rockin'
utchris writes:
Rivals has us at 15 commitments. This article has us at 14. Do they proof and use spell check at the KNS. It seems like there are flaws with almost every article on here.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
Is sphs_vol's prophecies beginning to come true???
GiveHimSix1387 writes:
Two solid commitments. I never thought I'd be so happy to see a couple of 3*s. GO VOLS!
redneckerson writes:
sphs, if we keep getting these 3* guys, how will we have room for all the 4*s that are going to defect on signing day? Didn't you say 8 or 10 of them? That would mean nothing but 4*s left, right?
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
sphs_vol,
Do you walk around with a permanant smile?
andy112382#209793 writes:
Yea, those darn 3 stars......like Justin Harrell, Tony McDaniel, Brad Cottam, Jerod Mayo, Arian Foster, Anthony Parker, Erik Ainge, Chris Brown, Ramon Foster, Ellix Wilson, Dan Williams, Lucas Taylor, Marsalous Johnson, Daniel Lincoln, Dennis Rogan......
Or how about 2 star morons like Hefney (out of HS), Inky Johnson, and Ryan Karl....
None of those guy can play worth a lick....how dare us spend time recruiting them and waste money on scholarships for them!
*cue rolling of eyes*
(citing scout.com for that info)
I'll take 3 star guys all day long if they are big, tough football players who will bleed orange and play at 110% speed every saturday!
GO VOLS!!!
wyomingvol writes:
...Go Vols@!!...
andy112382#209793 writes:
Just as a side note as far as the recruiting rankings go, based on scout.com, that horrible Ohio St team that has played for the national title (hey, its not their fault the SEC is far superior) the past two years, during the years 2002, '03, '04, '05, '06, and '07....they only had a top 10 class two times.....man, how can you possibly think about winning without a top 10 class every year!
dfreeman writes:
JT Floyd appears to be heading to Michigan, so there's room for one 4*!! That's alright though!! He was considered a soft verbal anyway right?? Great news on these two though!!
cphil writes:
Personally, I don't count any of them until the pen is put to the paper. Bohannon is a classic example. He's committed to UK and UT both in a month's time. I hope we do sign him, but I'll wait till the chicken hatches before I count them.
anthony writes:
i believe we heard Phillip Fulmer saying the other day , "Recruiting is like a box of chocolates, you never know what's you're gonna' get"@#!!!
redneckerson writes:
just a side note andy, the guys who win it rank higher. Ain't nothing wrong with 4* and 5* players and highly ranked classes.
andy112382#209793 writes:
redneckerson, never said anything was wrong with 4 and 5 star guys, so you are preaching to the choir, bud. What I did say is that there is nothing wrong with 3 star guys, either, more examples to list than anyone would ever care to see posted on here, many of which are playing in the NFL right now.
ONUV writes:
stop using scout
www.rivals.com
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Bohannon looks like the real deal. Keep em' coming, Phillip. Snag us another potential DT, in the rough or polished. Like the ancient HS cheer, "hold that line". True then, true today.
Fingers crossed.
jimr07 writes:
TouchdownTN--Have you told coach Fulmer yet your opinion. He is probably waiting to hear from you since you are such an expert at evaluating talent. Please call him today as I am certain he is awaiting your approval.
GreerVol22 writes:
hey Touchdown, did you hear? We stole a Kentucky commit! Are you as giddy as I am?.......not exactly a chest thumper Phil...and if you lose 4*Floyd, who in local SC papers has been firm UT for almost a year, then what have you accomplished?
nivatne writes:
If we close w/ McCain, Ward, and Coples, this class could have TONS of potential. We would for sure be in the Top 25, which I think is more than anyone could have hoped for 2 weeks ago. Let's keep this Big Orange Train rolling!!! Keep em' coming Phil!!!
nivatne writes:
If we close w/ McCain, Ward, and Coples, this class could have TONS of potential. We would for sure be in the Top 25, which I think is more than anyone could have hoped for 2 weeks ago. Let's keep this Big Orange Train rolling!!! Keep em' coming Phil!!!
99gator writes:
y'all need to lay off of tdtn.
y'all are ectatic because some people committed which is good news.
but, i'll ask you all this....for those who follow tennessee recruiting.....were these guys on tenn's radar in the fall of 2007. or did they get on the radar after striking out on some other guys. if some of you are recruiting junkies, like i am, there is a list of guys who it is well known your school is going after. were these guys on it?
some of you could find out they got a commitment from J.P. Connors and you would have no idea who it is.
based on what some of you had said, i expected big news and this is not stealing commitments from other schools and it's not getting julio jones or a big time headlining name either.
best of luck to the 2 new vols. congrats and may your time at tenn be what you hope for.
ATLVOL1 writes:
These guys are solid....bohannon may be the 5th best DE in this class at the end...Waggnercan be special with 15-20 more lbs on him....
Floyd is rated higher than waggner but sounds like a D-bag saying "michigan fans will be happy" so I will take that tradeoff.
These guys sound like good young men instead of flashy pospects like Floyd does.
ATLVOL1 writes:
aGREE 99 GATOR
Ward,Coples,McClaine would put us in top 25 for sure....
I think we will get Coples and lose Ward to UNC and McClaine to Auburn....though I would loike to seem em in Orange.We are in final 2 against their home state schools which are 2 strong programs at this point UNC and Auburn.
If we get Coples and apparently his buddy Davis may come along too that will give us a backfield full of potential as much as UGA and Auburn.
txsvol#372416 writes:
I usually take TDTN's comments with a grain of salt, but, having watched the video of Marcel Dareus last week during a no news day, he's absolutely right on Dareus. He's a beast--on the video's first play, he ragdolled the QB, and the second, this 6' 4" 275# behemoth with 4.95 speed ran down a screen pass receiver 20 yards down the field. The rest of the video was also impressive. I read that he has a brother, and that John Blake, defensive coordinator at North Carolina, was recruiting both. With the scholarships we have available, I'd give a 'twofer' to the brothers, having not even seen the 'other brother,' and so posted last week. Didn't think much of Bohannon's video--just saw him without pads, and the blocker the same, running towards a dummy representing the QB during a workout. Go Vols! SAVol
waterskier3#226480 writes:
all due respect andy112382 but how many bcs bowls have we won with these 3 star recruits??? how many championships have we won with these 3 star recruits? in the sec if your entire class averages 3 stars on signing day you'll average 3-4 losses per year in the sec and guess what we've average 4 losses in the last 3 years... so 3* are ok but to compete for championships we have to have the true studs sign year after year...
I hope phil pulls a great class because 1 great class out of 3 years means to many 3 stars on the field the next two years... equates into average football.... GO VOLS close strong!!!!!!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Well, I'm heartened by Phil's hard work. I was afraid the parade was passing us by. Many on here are positive and that's good.
As I said, habit makes me look at who else wanted these kids. Not very professional, but it tells you what others thought also. Its a downer to look at AJC Top 100 -UT -1 Ga -9. ESPN 150 UT 1- Ga 9. Fla just moved to # 1 in some circles. Bama is having a bear of a year.
Since we face these teams it is a little disturbing at the tasks facing our coaching staff. Beat Bama.
I digress. I'm ready for signing day and warm weather. Beat Bama.
andy112382#209793 writes:
waterskier3, well we did top UGA and UF to win the SEC east and were 9 mins away from topping the eventual national champs in the SEC title game.......that's a start!
Look, don't get me wrong, I'll take 4 and 5 star commitments all day long, but I am sick of seeing people immediately bash guys based on solely their star rating if they have 3 or less stars.....don't be so freakin' dependent on the rating the guy has, all of that goes out the window as soon as they hit the practice field in the spring anyway.
GO VOLS!!!
orangebloodgmc writes:
sjt, if we get 'em they are no more than 3-star, but if we lose 'em they are 4's. ;)
GerryOP writes:
Let the good times roll! Let's hope that this is the beginning of a great 7 days of recruiting news!
orangebloodgmc writes:
VolnDothan, there are still some big 'uns out there for which we are still in the running, and you can bet Coach Phil and Co. are quite busy as we speak. Meanwhile we got room for some 2 and 3-stars who may be under the radar of USC and Notre Dame. There's a whole week left before signing day and some of the biggest blue chips only announce on the day of. Take it easy, brotha.
orangebloodgmc writes:
Defensive tackle is not a position that a true freshman typically walks in and takes over, as far as I know.
jimr07 writes:
VolCR--how do you know we are not signing who we want. are you on the inside of things? did coach Fulmer check with you first? I am sure he wants your input.
bernardking writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
GiveHimSix1387 writes:
Once again, recruiting is overrated! My roommate is a Bama fan and he is more excited about football now than he was in the regular season! I would much rather land a top 30 recruiting class than embarrass the SEC and lose to UL Monroe. Lets address our needs in the spring and get who we can. These are 18 yr. old kids so nothing is guaranteed! No matter who we have, Phil and the new staff will have this team prepared to compete for an SEC title! GO VOLS!
orangebloodgmc writes:
And why are we leaving out Bolden? Did I miss some news about him? Brimfield's out there too.
Our dt situation is not what I would like it to be, but I think it is a notch better going into next season than it was beginning this past season. Our db situation should be much better and our lbs as a whole maybe even with last year's, despite losing Mayo.
GreerVol22 writes:
bernard.......what would Ernie say about such language???
THANKYOU4GETTINGRIDOFTHENOTSOSLIMONE writes:
sjt18 can find a way to put a positive spin on anything. He can somehow put a positive spin on the Alabama game last year. He has a Fat Head of CPF above his bed.
bernardking writes:
Where do you think I learned the f-bomb?
volmac72 writes:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008...
Log on, UT is no where in sight ot he top 25. This is a reflection of the coaching staff past experience of handling of top notch recruits. NO SEC championships, No NCs, no mention of even being a serious contender for the last 5 or more years at least. Besides, even if we had a top 10 class, Fulmer's Do Less with More will/would ultimately fizzle out to be a 8,9, 10 win team and AGAIN losing to & being B*&^%$-slapped by Florida, LSU and the likes...HELL no 8,9, 10 is not good enough, A championship every now and then only settles and calms the orange-blood fans, SEC or NC just win one....
easton3 writes:
Rivals5:Super Sleepers
Alfred Jenkins,WR Fla.
Ricky Pemasa, LB Calif.
Bret Jeffcoat, QB Miss.
Jeff Brinson, RB Fla.
Willie Bohannon, DE Ala.
"Bohannon is that hybrid DE/LB that a lot of schools are looking for. He has the athletic ability and speed to be a great pass rusher and the lateral agility to cover backs out in the flats. During the week of the Alabama/Miss all-star classic, he gained the reputation of being a headhunter.
Bohannon recently switched his commitment from Ketucky to Tn and I think the Vols got another instant impact defender from one of their fellow southern states. Look for Bohannon to start out on all coverage teams, and have a opportunity to eventually move into the defensive lineup as a true freshman".
You guys shouldn't trip over the rankings. This kid is a good one. Congrats!!
ROLL TIDE !!!!
Musicman74 writes:
I would rather have a bunch of 3* players, put out a 110% efferton the field, than 4-5* players that only put out 90-95%. When you get a bunch of SUPERSTARS then they think they don't have to put out that much effert to be able to win.And in the SEC if you don't put the effert out you lose. It is hard to predict how good a high school player is anyway. All the ratings are just one persons guess anyway.
You really don't know good someone is until they spet on the football field in college anyway. Look at how many NFL player come from smaller schools. A lot of those players were over looked by the bigger schools. A few years ago schools like Rutgers, Boise State, ect. were everyone pundhing bags. now look at them they are in the top 25 in the polls every year.
Get Real People.
Phil knows what he is doing.
GO VOLS!!!!!
bigbluevol writes:
Volmac, we got b%$# slapped by Florida once. LSU has beaten us the last two years by a combined 11 points. 2006 we lost to Florida by 1 point. Don't act like we're just perpetually getting it handed to us by these teams.
ATLVOL1 writes:
CHECK THIS OUT FROM ESPN RECRUITING:
WE ARE #1 WITH THIS KID....
Leon Mackey
DT | 6'4" 280
Hometown: Newark, DE
School: Hargrave Military Academy
Region: Atlantic Status: Undeclared
You are signed into Insider and have access to the exclusive recruiting content below.
Last Updated: 11/8/2007 Data provided by Scouts, Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scouts Grade: 77
Position Rank: DT #35
Considering: 1-Tennessee , 2-N.C. State , 3-Pittsburgh , 4-Temple , 5-Buffalo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evaluation: Mackey is an interesting prospect with good upside. He looks on film to have good size and nice athleticism to match. At this point he is a bit of a swing guy that goes back and forth between the defensive end and tackle position. He could play that role in college, but looking at his size as a junior you have to believe he will develop into a full time tackle at the college level. He has a good get-off and flashes the ability to quickly burst out of his stance at times. He displays good strength and an effort to play in a football position. He has the ability to take on and hold his ground versus single and double team blocks. He flashes the ability to use his hands to create some separation and shed. He is at this point inconsistent with his weapons and needs to become more violent with them. He has the tools to be a disruptive defender that can get penetration, but needs to be more explosive. He is can be a bit slow off the ball at times and this will hurt him. Despite good size and strength he will allow a blocker to get into him and push him off the line of scrimmage. He also can be adequate at shedding from blocks. He does a good job of protecting his legs and not being cut, but some of that has to do with him not really firing out of his stance. He moves well for a player his size. He has good speed when he opens up and solid lateral movement. While can move he seems to play hesitant at times. He will almost make himself look stiff. He has a good motor and you can tell there is effort being given, but too often it looks like he is over thinking the play. You would like to see him do less thinking and more just letting his ability take over. He is a solid wrap-up tackler. He is an adequate pass rusher. He can bull and generate some push. He needs to work on developing some moves to help him get by blockers and keep his pads down. Mackey has good ability, but is a bit raw at this point. He needs to keep developing as a player and squeeze the most out of his natural talent. Also as he enters college the level of play will increase. Mackey has good potential and can be a good college player if he can let loose and get more from his ability.
Notes: Transferred from Christiana (Newark, Del.) to Hargrave Military Academy for senior year...
orangebloodgmc writes:
VolCR, my bad if I overlooked that you were referring to who would be at dt in 2009. I agree with you that that should have been our biggest priority this recruiting season. But bottom line is that its not over yet.
ATLVOL1 writes:
Ok ESPN has mackey with UT #1, scout has him out of the running, so...
thesavageorange writes:
hiresanders ,Bohannon:We also beat Alabama ,Auburn,and Ole Miss.Waggner:We also beat Nebraska,Florida,Auburn,Ole Miss,and N Carolina.They had just previously chose KY and Minn.It's not like they wer not wanted by other good schools.
thesavageorange writes:
In all honesty I think we need to close on Savage ,and maybe Everett.Both are listed at DT, although Savage played mostly DE in HS.Everett isn't a weight gain project at 6'4 300lbs.Everyone knows we need DT's , and these might be our best shots.I hate to say it ,but I think Marcel Dareus is Bama bound.
1974Vol writes:
It is extremely difficult to evaluate HS linemen and project how they might perform in the SEC. None of them come in ready to play. About the best you can do is get kids with a big enough frame and that have some natural quickness and athleticism. Good grades and a good upbringing should factor in as well. Doesn't matter how good you are if you can't stay in school. Recruiting class evaluations are skewed towards skilled players especially QB's. Top ranked schools are always loaded at QB, TB & WR. Nebraska never had highly rated classes and Coach Osborne won a few games. I hope the Vols are trending away from loading up on 4-5 highly ranked TB's and more towards recruiting more numbers in line prospects and then developing them. Clemson in the Danny Ford years, Osborne at Nebraska, Gene Stallings at Alabama all focused on recruiting good linemen, or at least got ones they could develop. The Vols top classes always revolved around getting a couple of highly touted QB's. (i.e.Manning & the Texas kid) You can't play but one QB, but you can play as many DT's as you have good ones. Devote more of the numbers to DT's and DE's. Then move the ones not quick enough to the O side of the ball. Recruit 10-12 big boys a year. Its amazing how much better your QB's and TB's play when your line dominates. Made Jay Barker the winningest QB in the SEC during his 4 years at Bama, and no one ever mistook Jay for a Manning.
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