KNOXVILLE – Nearly all of the recruiting news Tennessee’s received this month has been negative.
Thus the Volunteers welcomed the official addition of three of their four junior college commitments on Wednesday, signing day for mid-year transfers.
In the last two weeks, Tennessee parted ways with two of their long-time commitments in Alabama athletic TaDarryl Marshall and Atlanta-area defensive end Chidi Okonya, who’s since committed to Duke and lost a third commitment when four-star Louisiana defensive tackle D’Andre Christmas-Giles re-opened his recruitment.
Christmas-Giles was a two-star under-the-radar prospect when he pledged to the Vols in August, but he’s taken official visits to Texas and TCU and received an offer from LSU this month alone as his stock rose rapidly.
On Monday night, Hunter Johnson, the top-ranked quarterback in the 2017 class, flipped his commitment from Tennessee to Clemson after visiting both this weekend.
Tennessee got good news on Wednesday, though, with the signings of defensive tackle Alexis Johnson, wide receiver Jeff George and defensive back D.J. Henderson.
The Vols’ fourth junior college commitment, Arizona Western defensive end Jonathan Kongbo, isn’t signing until February, and Tennessee will have to fight to hang onto the top JuCo prospect according to 2407 with Alabama, Oregon South Carolina, Washington and others in pursuit.
Here’s a look at the first three additions to Tennessee’s 2016 signing class.
Coaching commentary
Tennessee defensive coordinator John Jancek spoke about the additions of Alexis Johnson and D.J. Henderson during a media availability on Thursday, the day after the two players signed with the Vols. Here are his comments. On Johnson: “Alexis Johnson’s a big-bodied defensive lineman. He’s quick, he’s sudden, he’s explosive, he can bend. He looks on film like he can play the three technique. He can play the nose. You can move him around. He’s a guy that not only would be good in the run, but also in pass rush, which you guys know is critical for us. I’m real excited about that.” On Henderson: “D.J. was a guy that we slated outside for the outside, to play corner. He’s a guy that can play off (coverage). He can press. He’s got really good feet, quickness, change of direction. He showed physicality on film. “The receivers are getting bigger and bigger, and it’s the down-the-field throws, those back-shoulder throws that are so challenging. Guys have to have great awareness and great instincts. That’s why you get a guy that you want to be able to press to be able to take away some of those things at the line of scrimmage. “D.J., we’re excited about him. We’ll get him in here and get him in the weight room right away and starting moving him around and teaching him the defense and see where he ends up.”
WR Jeff George
School: Dodge City Community College in Kansas
Hometown: Leavenworth, Kan.
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 190 pounds
Class: R-Jr.
Ranking review: George is a four-star prospect according to both ESPN and Rivals, which ranks him seventh among junior college players, and is ranked seventh among junior college wideouts per 247sports.
Prospect profile: George took an official visit to Auburn last month but never seriously wavered on the commitment he gave Tennessee in June over offers from Mississippi State, Arizona State and others. He should have the chance to make an immediate impact as the Vols lose seniors Von Pearson and Johnathon Johnson from its oft-injured receiving corps. George caught 49 passes for 685 yards and five touchdowns this season and recorded similar numbers in 2014.
DB D.J. Henderson
School: Dodge City Community College in Kansas
Hometown: Lyman, S.C.
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 180 pounds
Class: Jr.
Ranking review: ESPN, 247sports and Rivals had Henderson as a three-star prospect, with Scout rating him as a four-star and ranking him the No. 2 junior college cornerback in the country.
Prospect profile: Henderson’s only other offers were from Colorado State, Utah State, UAB and North Texas, but Tennessee likes his versatility and needs immediate help at cornerback. The former standout at South Carolina powerhouse Byrnes High School committed before even stepping foot on campus and had 44 tackles, two interceptions and 11 pass break-ups this season. Henderson becomes a more important addition if Cameron Sutton elects to enter the NFL draft.
DT Alexis Johnson
School: Fort Scott Community College in Kansas
Hometown: Jonesboro, Ga.
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 295 pounds
Class: Jr.
Ranking review: Johnson is the top-ranked JuCo defensive tackle prospect per ESPN and rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals and Scout.
Prospect profile: Alabama came calling with an offer to Johnson nearly a month ago, but he stuck with the Vols, to whom he committed in June over offers from Florida State, Auburn, Baylor, Houston, Cincinnati and others. This season he had 12.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks to go along with 41 tackles. Johnson essentially comes in as a replacement for senior Owen Williams, another former junior college transfer who flourished as a second-year player this season.
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.