POSITION BREAKDOWN
» Quarterbacks: 1
» Running backs: 3
» Wide receivers/tight ends: 4
» Offensive linemen: 3
» Defensive linemen: 4
» Linebackers: 5
» Defensive backs: 2
» Kickers: 2
NAMES YOU KNOW
The Mocs signed six who played their prep football in the Chattanooga area. One - Mississippi State transfer Harrison Moon - will likely be asked to make an impact from day one. Coming to Chattanooga because of a desire for playing time, Moon will have the chance to help an offensive line that struggled mightily in 2017. Another Chattanooga-area signee - inside linebacker Ty Boeck - has parents who were athletes at UTC, with his father earning Southern Conference defensive player of the year honors in football; his mom played basketball.
NAMES YOU WILL KNOW
Junior college running back Tyrell Price has the size (6-feet, 220 pounds) and the next-level experience to make an immediate impact at a position that lost its top two runners. He had 24 touchdowns and almost 1,000 yards as a sophomore. Defensive back CaMiron Smith was a three-sport athlete at Trinity Christian in Addison, Texas, winning a state track and field title in the triple jump and earning the most points at the meet. He also led his football team to the state championship game as a freshman and a senior.
NAMES YOU WILL MISS
The Mocs missed out on a pair of prospects, including one who was likely to make an impact - offensive lineman Marquice Robinson, who received an offer last week from Florida Atlantic and signed with the Football Bowl Subdivision program Wednesday. Robinson was an all-state selection in Alabama in 2017, playing at the same school as UTC signee Zach Fox.
Wednesday signees
LB TY BOECK
» 6-2, 215, Soddy-Daisy, Tenn. (Soddy-Daisy)
» The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Boeck - also a two-time state placer in wrestling - was a versatile threat for the Trojans, with 1,355 yards and 20 touchdowns on offense while adding 173 total tackles (six for loss), three sacks and two fumble recoveries this past season. He projects to play inside linebacker for the Mocs. His parents, Troy Boeck and Karin (Beightol) Boeck, were former UTC athletes, with his father a SoCon defensive player of the year.
P/K GABE BORING
» Pikeville, Tenn. (Bledsoe County)
» The 2017 Tennessee Mr. Football kicker of the year, Boring was a two-time all-state pick who averaged 46.8 yards per punt this past season, which was second in the nation, according to MaxPreps.com. He was 6-for-7 on field goals and was selected a third-team All-American by both Chris Sailer and Kohl's.
LB BEN BREWTON
» 6-4, 220, Savannah, Ga. (Beech)
» An all-state defensive lineman, Brewton will be making the change to outside linebacker in the Mocs' 3-4 scheme. He was a two-time all-region selection and had 85 tackles (25 for loss) and 14 sacks as a senior.
K/P THOMAS BURKS
» 6-0, 175, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (Blackman)
» An all-state selection and a semifinalist for Tennessee Mr. Football kicker of the year in 2017, Burks made all 59 extra-point attempts, was 2-for-4 on field goals and averaged 40 yards per punt.
LB DRE BUTLER
» 6-5, 245, Covington, Ga. (Newton)
» Butler - who is projected to play outside linebacker - missed his junior season because of a broken leg, but he came back as a senior to post 50 tackles (20 for loss) and eight sacks. He's also a standout basketball player.
OL ZACH FOX
» 6-4, 265, Decatur, Ala. (Austin)
» Fox helped pave the way for the state of Alabama's No. 1-ranked offense and No. 2-ranked team in 2017, earning all-area honors. He was described by one Mocs coach as being a good player with tremendous upside."
DL TAVI MCLEAN
» 6-3, 255, Lewisburg, Tenn. (Marshall County)
» McLean, a two-star prospect, earned all-state honors as a senior, helping his team to the Class 4A state semifinals. He finished with 187 tackles (26 for loss) and 10.5 sacks in his final two seasons.
DL CHANDON PAGE
» 6-2, 305, Nashville (Pearl-Cohn)
» Page was a two-time all-state choice and was picked all-city all four years of high school. Pearl-Cohn was 44-8 during his career. He also played basketball and competed in track and field, and he projects to be a nose guard at UTC.
WR GENUINE POTTS
» 6-3, 200, Powder Springs, Ga. (McEachern)
» A three-star prospect once rated as a four-star recruit, Potts picked the Mocs over 26 other offers, including Power Five programs Wake Forest and West Virginia. His teams won 23 games over his final two seasons.
DB CAMIRON SMITH
» 5-9, 175, Cedar Hill, Texas (Trinity Christian)
» The two-star Smith was an all-state honoree as a senior after recording 45 tackles, two interceptions and two passes deflected. On offense, he chipped in 895 yards and 13 scores. He was also a state champion in the triple jump and scored the most points in the state track and field meet as a junior.
DL JOSH WALKER
» 6-1, 305, Carrollton, Ga. (IMG Academy)
» At one point committed to Arizona, the three-star recruit picked the Mocs over 36 offers, including 20 from Power Five programs. He's ranked as the No. 61 defensive tackle prospect in the country and was all-state as a junior at Carrollton, transferring to IMG and helping it to a national championship as a senior. He was ranked Wednesday evening as the No. 3 Football Championship Subdivision signee in the country, according to HERO Sports.
December signees
DE Mychal Austin
» 6-2, 250, Apopka, Fla. (Apopka)
» Austin passed over an early offer from Minnesota and chose the Mocs a week before signing day. He spent part of his early childhood in Calhoun, Ga., but moved to Florida and finished with 17 sacks, two interceptions and four forced fumbles as a senior.
RB Isaiah Cobb
» 6-0, 200, Maryville, Tenn. (Maryville)
» The two-star prep prospect, according to 247Sports.com, was an all-region running back as a senior, when he rushed for 1,109 yards and 19 touchdowns while leading the Rebels to the Class 6A state championship. The premier program in Tennessee was 56-3 in his final three seasons.
OL Dylan Cole
» 6-4, 280, Dalton, Ga. (Dalton)
» The first player to commit to the Mocs for 2018, Cole was a 2017 Georgia Class AAAAAA all-state selection and a three-year starter for the Catamounts, who finished 8-4 in his final year. He was a Times Free Press Best of Preps team member as a senior and was also a state qualifier in the shot put as a junior.
RB Josiah Futrel
» 6-0, 200, Marietta, Ga. (Kell)
» A two-time all-region running back, Futrel rushed for 2,184 yards and 26 touchdowns while catching 52 passes for 746 yards and five more scores during his final two prep seasons. He was voted the team's offensive player of the year his final two seasons of high school, and his brother Brendan Langley plays for the Denver Broncos.
DB Kohl Henke
» 6-2, 195, Chattanooga (Boyd-Buchanan)
» A three-star prospect for 247Sports, Henke was a four-time member of the Times Free Press Best of Preps all-star team and an all-region defensive back. The 2015 Class A all-state selection chose the Mocs over a couple of Football Bowl Subdivision programs - Navy and Virginia. On Wednesday, he was named as the No. 23 incoming FCS signee in the county.
WR T.J. Horton
» 6-3, 175, Cartersville, Ga. (Cartersville)
» Horton was a two-time all-region wide receiver, finishing with 84 catches for 1,171 yards and 12 touchdowns in his final two seasons for the 2016 Class AAA state champions. He is also an all-region and all-county basketball player for the Purple Hurricanes.
QB Chris James
» 6-3, 215, Ellijay, Ga. (Hutchinson JC)
» James - an early enrollee - was a part-time starter during his two seasons as Hutchinson, battling injuries along the way. He originally signed with Valdosta State after a solid prep career at Gilmer High School, where as a senior he threw for 1,300 yards while rushing for 500 with 24 combined touchdowns.
LB Simon Miskelley
» 6-1, 210, Trussville, Ala. (Hewitt-Trussville)
» Miskelley had 127 tackles, four interceptions, a pair of forced fumbles, a sack and a touchdown as a senior, leading the Huskies to a 23-2 record that included state quarterfinal appearances in both of his final two seasons. He is a three-sport letterman, also wrestling and playing basketball.
OL Harrison Moon
» 6-foot-5, 290, Chattanooga (Mississippi State)
» The former three-star prospect - another early enrollee - prepped at Signal Mountain, where he was a Mr. Football finalist in 2014 and an all-state selection. He spent three seasons with the Bulldogs, playing mostly special teams, and will have two years of eligibility remaining.
LB Nyvin Nelson
» 6-0, 220, Cartersville, Ga. (Cartersville)
» Nelson was an all-region linebacker for the Purple Hurricanes, helping the program to a 41-game winning streak that featured a pair of state championships. He was described by UTC coach Tom Arth as "one of the best players on the field every time you watch his the tape."
TE Logan Pitts
» 6-2, 210, Trussville, Ala. (Hewitt-Trussville)
» Pitts had 1,002 yards on 49 catches with 13 touchdowns as a senior. He, along with Miskelley, helped lead the Huskies to a 23-2 record over his final two seasons, both of which ended in Alabama Class 7A state quarterfinals.
RB Tyrell Price
» 6-0, 220, Abbeville, Miss. (East Mississippi JC)
» Price, who out of high school had interest from Arkansas State, Memphis, Mississippi State and Ole Miss, rushed for 989 yards and 24 touchdowns for the NJCAA national champions.
WR Lameric Tucker
» 5-11, 170, Cleveland, Tenn. (Bradley Central)
» The two-star prep prospect was a Class 6A two-time all-state selection with the Bears, catching 213 passes for 3,521 yards and 30 touchdowns over his final three prep seasons. A versatile talent, he also rushed for 382 yards and seven scores while returning a kickoff for a touchdown during his career, which ended with 26 wins over his final three seasons.
-Gene Henley