Alabama running back Alvin Kamara (26) catches a ball prior to his game against Mississippi in this 2013 photo.KNOXVILLE — The first piece of the University of Tennessee's all-important 2015 recruiting class became official Wednesday.
On the first day junior college players could sign, Alvin Kamara inked his National Letter of Intent to Tennessee on Wednesday, just a few weeks before the former Alabama freshman will join the Vols as an early enrollee.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Georgia native was named a National Junior College Athletic Association All-America on Tuesday after he totaled nearly 1,500 yards and scored 24 touchdowns in just nine games for Hutchinson Community College in Kansas this season.
"Alvin is an extremely competitive kid," running backs coach Robert Gillespie said in Tennessee's release. "He has an explosive element to his game that will allow him to help us immediately. I'm excited to coach him this spring and believe that his addition will create a healthy competition."
Kamara is rated as a five-star prospect by Scout.com, and he's ranked fourth among junior college players by 247sports.
He originally signed with the Crimson Tide out of Norcross High School just outside of Atlanta as the nation's second-ranked all-purpose back and No. 45 overall player in the 2013 class, according to Rivals.com.
As a senior at Norcross, Kamara ran for 2,264 yards and 26 touchdowns while averaging better than 7 yards per carry and caught 22 passes for 286 yards and five touchdowns to earn Class AAAAAA player of the year honors.
Alabama signed four running backs in its 2013 class, and Kamara and Tyren Jones redshirted while Derrick Henry, the team's third-leading rusher in 2013 and second-leading rusher this season, and Altee Tenpenny, saw action as freshmen in a crowded backfield that included T.J. Yeldon, Kenyan Drake and Dee Hart, who transferred and starred at Colorado State this season.
While in Tuscaloosa, Kamara missed a week of practice for what coach Nick Saban called behavioral issues and was suspended for the Sugar Bowl against Oklahoma.
Kamara decided to transfer in January and was arrested in his hometown the following month on charges of driving with a suspended license, not having a driver's license and not wearing a seatbelt.
In June, he committed to Tennessee while in Knoxville on an unofficial visit. Kamara ran for 1,211 yards and 18 touchdowns and caught 18 passes for 219 yards and three more scores in his lone season at Hutchinson. He was back in Knoxville this past weekend for his official visit.
"I am officially a Vol!!!!!!" Kamara posted on his Twitter account late Wednesday morning after signing.
Kamara, who has three seasons of eligibility remaining, is expected to help Tennessee's thin backfield immediately. The Vols signed three backs in 2014, and while Jalen Hurd led Tennessee in rushing this season and has a promising future, the other two freshmen won't return.
Treyvon Paulk was dismissed from the program in September for allegedly punching his ex-girlfriend, and Derrell Scott decided to transfer after getting 11 carries in two games during an injury-riddled first season.
Marlin Lane and Devrin Young are seniors who will play their final games in the Taxslayer Bowl against Iowa on Jan. 2.
Rocky Reid, out of Concord (N.C.), is the other running back commitment in Tennessee's 2015 class, and though athlete Vincent Perry played running back to help Nashville Hillsboro reach the Class 5A state championship game, he's just 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds.
Tennessee reportedly will land Cincinnati graduate transfer Ralph David Abernathy IV, who missed most of this senior season this fall with injuries. He played running back for the Bearcats while current Tennessee coach Butch Jones was there and was Cincinnati's second-leading rusher in 2012. His younger brother, Micah, is a high school cornerback who is committed to the Vols.
The Vols are looking to add a third running back to their 2015 class.
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.