KNOXVILLE – Tennessee’s football program already was enjoying a solid day with the announcement that Michigan transfer Aubrey Solomon was joining the Volunteers.
Then it got even better.
Four-star prospect Quavaris Crouch announced Friday evening that he would be signing with the Vols on the final day of the early period. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder chose Tennessee over Clemson and Michigan.
The Vols signed 19 during the three-day period that ended Friday, but two of their most important additions came in the final two days. Four-star running back Eric Gray, the No. 1 all-purpose back in the country, announced Thursday he would sign with Tennessee, followed by Crouch’s announcement Friday.
Crouch becomes the second-highest prospect in Tennessee’s signing class according to 247Sports.com, behind Wanya Morris, a five-star offensive lineman according to 247Sports and a four-star prospect in the Rivals.com rankings. Gray is fifth.
In the Rivals rankings, Morris and Crouch are equally rated as the top prospect in the class.
Crouch was ranked as the No. 2 athlete nationally and the No. 1 overall prospect out of North Carolina. He previously indicated he would announce his college decision during the All-American Bowl in San Antonio on Jan. 5 but decided to sign early and get the process over with.
He played both running back and linebacker at Harding University School in Charlotte but is expected to concentrate on linebacker at Tennessee.
His addition pushed the Vols from 16th to 13th in the latest 247Sports team rankings, and from 13th to 12th in Rivals.
That came on the heels of Solomon’s announcement. The 6-3, 297-pound former five-star defensive tackle played in 18 games with the Wolverines, totaling 24 tackles and two tackles for loss. He appeared in all 13 games as a true freshman, compiling 18 tackles and two for loss, but was limited as a sophomore.
“Aubrey is a guy that a lot of coaches on our staff knew when he was a young man in high school, and we all recruited him,” Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt said in a news release. “He can play all three downs. He’s a powerful man. He’s smart. He’s a good student. He has experience, having already played at the collegiate level. He is a great addition to our university and our football program.”
Solomon is expected to have to sit out the 2019 season due to transfer rules but told 247Sports on Friday that he “definitely” will be appealing for an immediate eligibility waiver. If he’s denied, he said he’ll take the year to “learn, get stronger, get faster, hit the books.”
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3 or at Facebook.com/VolsUpdate.