Much as he does on the football field, when Carson Gentle sees an opening he doesn’t waste time taking advantage.
McCallie’s two-time all-state defensive lineman — singled out by Blue Tornado coaches for his intensity and leadership traits — became the University of Tennessee’s first official signee of the 2024 recruiting class Wednesday morning.
The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Gentle, who had been committed to UT longer than any of their signees for this class — he verbally committed in July of 2022, prior to his junior season — signed scholarship papers at 7:01 a.m.
“I have been waiting my whole life to do this, so I did not want to waste another minute,” Gentle said.
Blue Tornado teammate Jeremy St. Hilaire, a two-year starter at quarterback who threw for more than 2,600 yards and 25 touchdowns this past season, also made his commitment to a Southeastern Conference program official by signing Wednesday morning with Vanderbilt.