Andre Harris believes Tennessee can help him reach his ultimate goal.

The offensive lineman from Lovejoy High School in Hampton, Ga., attended UT’s Junior Day on Saturday.

The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Harris is a high priority for the Vols’ 2009 signing class. They signed only two offensive linemen in the 2007 class and three in 2008.

Harris, who holds a scholarship offer from UT, said he’s taken notice to the Vols’ need at his position.

“It’ll be a pretty big factor,” he said. “If you’re needed, you’re most likely going to get playing time if you work hard during camp. I’d like to start as a freshman in college.”

Harris also has scholarship offers from Georgia, Georgia Tech, Maryland and Central Florida. He said he’s received strong interest from Florida, Auburn, Alabama and Clemson.

Harris wants to start as a freshman in order to keep pace with the timeline he’s set out for his football career.

“I have a really big goal in mind,” he said. “If I start as a freshman I could be ready to graduate by my junior year and be ready to leave after my junior year.”

If Harris were to leave college after three years, it would be to pursue a career in the NFL. He said he hopes to play professionally in order to provide a better life for his family.

“Just knowing I could put my mom and dad in a better house,” Harris said of his reasoning. “Everybody in my family would be happier.”

Harris sees UT as a school that can help prepare him for an NFL career. Harris, who said he’s followed the Vols since he was about 6 years old, pointed to UT’s tradition of sending players to the NFL.

“They have great prestige,” he said. “In order to win, you have to have plenty of good players.”

Lovejoy coach Al Hughes believes Harris can fall in that same line of players.

Hughes wasn’t ready to commit to Harris’ three-year college plan, but he does expect his star junior’s potential to lead him to the NFL.

“He’ll play on Sundays,” Hughes said. “Whether he goes in that amount of time, I don’t know. I know if he goes into a program he’ll be in the thick of things.”

Just like when Harris joined the thick of things as a freshman at Lovejoy and won the starting left tackle position.

Hughes said Harris, who hasn’t allowed a sack in his high school career, has the work ethic to prepare himself for the next level.

“He does all the things the right way,” Hughes said. “He’s the kind of guy you have to pinch yourself about. I’ll ask, ‘How do I deserve this?’ ”

Hughes has asked that question before. Two of his former players at Lovejoy — offensive linemen Anthony Parker and Chris Scott — have started a combined 41 games for UT.

Hughes said Harris is further along in his career than Parker and Scott were at the same point.

“He has that tenacity about him,” Hughes said of Harris. “(Parker and Scott) were great kids and great players and great athletes. It took them a little bit longer to mature.”

Harris hopes he matures quickly enough to be ready to start as a freshman in college. He said he knows a spot won’t be given to him.

“It would take a lot of work,” Harris said. “You’re not going to go anywhere and based off talent start as a freshman at a Division I college.”

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.