Aaron Beasley

ATH Franklin, GA (Heard County) 6’1, 220
Committed: 6/10/18
Stars: 3 by 247Sports / 3 by ESPN / 3 by Rivals

Josh Ward’s Analysis: Beasley is another top athlete in Tennessee’s class. Beasley, who helped his team win a state championship this season as a two-way player, should provide quality depth to Tennessee’s secondary.

Highlights from hudl…

Need to Know:
Named the 2018 Region 5-AA Player of the Year as a senior.
2018 Georgia Preseason Class AA All-State selection (RB & DB).
2017 Georgia Class AA All-State selection.
ESPN:
Natl Rank: —
Position Rank: No. 38 S
State Rank: No. 54 in GA

247 Sports:
Natl Rank: No. 534
Position Rank: No. 29 ATH
State Rank: No. 55 in GA

Rivals:
Natl Rank: —
Position Rank: No. 43 ATH
State Rank: No. 53 in GA

High School
Starred at Heard County High School in Franklin, Ga.
Two-way player that led Heard County to a 13-2 record and the Georgia Class AA State Title as a senior in 2018.
Rushed for a game-high 147 yards and two touchdowns in state title game against Rockmart High.
Finished his senior season with 1,961 rushing yards (third most in school history).
Also played safety for the Braves, racking up over 50 tackles and three INTs in 2018.
Rushed for 1,749 yards and scored 31 total touchdowns as a junior.
Totaled 66 tackles and posted three INTs along with two fumble recoveries in 2017.
Played in the 2017 Chick-fil-A Foundation Georgia Junior Bowl, recording three solo tackles and a TFL for “Team Commitment”.

-UT Athletics

Melvin McBride

OL Memphis, TN (Whitehaven) 6’2, 300
Committed: 8/22/18
Stars: 3 by 247Sports / 3 by ESPN / 3 by Rivals

Josh Ward’s Analysis: McBride projects as a guard and should help improve Tennessee’s depth on the offensive line. The Vols’ goal in the 2019 class was to get bigger. McBride helps with that immediately.

Highlights from hudl…

Need to Know:
2018 USA Today Tennessee Preseason All-State.
Selected as one of Memphis’ Top 10 high school football players in 2018 by the Commercial Appeal.
Helped lead Whitehaven to an appearance in the 6A state championship game in 2018.

ESPN:
Natl Rank: —
Position Rank: No. 22 OG
State Rank: No. 17 in TN

247 Sports:
Natl Rank: No. 403
Position Rank: No. 31 OG
State Rank: No. 9 in TN

Rivals:
Natl Rank: —
Position Rank: No. 18 OG
State Rank: No. 18 in TN

High School
Starred at Whitehaven High School in Memphis, Tenn.
Assisted in paving the way for a 1,000-yard rusher during his senior season.
Exclusively played basketball until his sophomore year of high school, when he first picked up football.
As a junior, started on an offense that racked up 3,847 total yards and advanced to the state semifinals.
Trained with NFL Pro Bowler Willie Anderson for a week in Atlanta.
Whitehaven head coach Rodney Saulsberry called McBride “Extremely athletic for a man that size — actually, scary athletic for a guy that size. Extremely strong, extremely driven and extremely coachable. The kid is a sponge to learning. He wants to get better.”

-UT Athletics

Jerrod Means

WR Lovejoy, GA (Lovejoy) 6’2′, 212
Committed: 12/19/18
Stars: 3 on 247Sports / 3 on ESPN / 3 on Rivals

Josh Ward’s Analysis: Means fills a need for Tennessee, which has looked for more playmaking help at receiver. Means arrives from a high school that annually produces top talent. He will attempt to compete early among a deep group of receivers.

Highlights from hudl…

ESPN:
Natl Rank: —
Position Rank: No. 141 ATH
State Rank: No. 141 in GA

247 Sports:
Natl Rank: No. 2,493
Position Rank: No. 313 WR
State Rank: No. 191 in GA

Rivals:
Natl Rank: —
Position Rank: —
State Rank: No. 118 in GA

High School
Starred at Lovejoy High School in Lovejoy, Ga.
Two-time Georgia All-Region 4-AAAAAA first-team selection (2017, 2018).
2018 Preseason All-Clayton/Henry team selection.
2017 All-Clayton County team selection.
Helped Lovejoy High advance to the 2018 Georgia AAAAAA State Playoffs.
Missed some time with an injury during his senior season but still caught 19 passes for 460 yards and six touchdowns. Had over 400 receiving yards and five touchdown catches as a jnuior in 2017.
Played wide receiver at Hampton High School in Hampton, Ga., during his freshman and sophomore seasons.

-UT Athletics

Jaylen McCollough

DB Powder Springs, GA (Hillgrove) 6’0, 194
Committed: 8/17/18
Stars: 4 by 247Sports / 4 by ESPN / 4 by Rivals

Josh Ward’s Analysis: McCollough is one of the top athletes in the country. He will have a chance to compete for playing time right away at safety. Enrolling early will give him a chance to compete immediately.

Highlights from hudl…

ESPN:
Natl Rank: No. 167
Position Rank: No. 11 S
State Rank: No. 21 in GA

247 Sports:
Natl Rank: No. 166
Position Rank: No. 15 S
State Rank: No. 18 in GA

Rivals:
Natl Rank: No. 215
Position Rank: No. 16 S
State Rank: No. 25 in GA

High School
Starred at Hillgrove High School in Powder Springs, Ga.
Selected to participate in the 2019 Under Armour All-American Game.
Named to the 2018 Georgia Class 7A Preseason All-State Team.
Named to the All-USA Georgia Second Team in 2017.
Led Hillgrove High to a program-best 12-1 record and an appearance in the state quarterfinals in 2018.
Helped the Hawks capture the Region 3-7A title for the second straight year in 2018.
Led a defense that allowed only 14.3 points per game in the 2018 regular season.
Totaled 77 tackles, four TFLs and six PBUs while also scoring five offensive touchdowns in 2017 despite missing four games due to injury.

-UT Athletics
Father, Eriles, played at Jacksonville State and was coached by current Tennessee special teams coordinator/safeties coach Charles Kelly, who at the time was Jacksonville State’s defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach.

Tyus Fields

DB Charlotte, NC (Hough) 5’10, 190
Committed: 7/28/18
Stars: 4 by 247Sports / 4 by ESPN / 4 by Rivals

Josh Ward’s Analysis: Fields is a good athlete who will work this spring to add size to be ready to play in the SEC. He will compete for immediate playing time in the secondary and will likely be an impact player on special teams.

Highlights from hudl…

Hear The Sports Animal’s interview with Tyus Fields’ high school coach, Matthew Jenkins…

ESPN:
Natl Rank: No. 196
Position Rank: No. 18 ATH
State Rank: No. 6 in NC

247 Sports:
Natl Rank: No. 235
Position Rank: No. 25 CB
State Rank: No. 10 in NC

Rivals:
Natl Rank: —
Position Rank: No. 39 CB
State Rank: No. 14 in NC

High School
Starred at Hough High School in Cornelius, N.C.
2017 USA Today All-USA North Carolina Football Team selection.
2017 Associated Press North Carolina All-State Team selection.
Totaled 182 tackles and seven INTs during prep career.
Also a dynamic returner, recording 488 return yards during his prep career.
Helped Hough High School post an 11-3 record and advance to the state quarterfinals in 2018.
Helped lead the Huskies to an 11-4 record and a spot in the North Carolina Class 4AA state semifinals in 2017.
Had 92 tackles and two interceptions as a junior, one of which he returned 105 yards for a touchdown.
Father, Mark Fields Sr., played linebacker in the NFL for the Saints, Rams and Panthers from 1995-2004 and was a two-time Pro Bowler (2000 and 2004).
Brother, Mark Fields Jr., is a senior cornerback at Clemson.
Chose Tennessee over Florida State, Penn State and Wisconsin.

-UT Athletics