4-star DE Greg Emerson (6’4, 280) from North Side HS in Jackson, TN has signed with Tennessee. He’s the 10th to officially join the 2018 ESP class.
Greg Emerson
DE – 6’3, 280
North Side (Jackson, TN)
Committed: 7-3-17
Stars (Rivals/247Sports/ESPN): 4/4/4
ESPN Scouting Report “Possesses a thick, muscular build. Explodes off the line and has very good speed for the position. Plays fast, is disruptive in the trenches and is difficult to block. Flashes quick, strong hands to keep blockers at bay. Plays mean and looks to deliver big shots. Solid tackler. Emerson may lack ideal height, but this is an explosive kid who can wreck havoc on opposing quarterbacks. We would not be surprised if he can contribute sooner rather than later as an extra rusher on passing downs at the next level.”
4-star DE Brant Lawless (6’3, 285) from Nashville Christian School in Nashville is the 9th player to sign with U. of Tennessee in the 2018 Class ESP.
Brant Lawless
DE – 6’3, 285
Nashville Christian School (Nashville, TN)
Committed: 5-1-17
Stars (Rivals/247Sports/ESPN): 4/3/4
ESPN Scouting Report “Stout defender with a thick build. Possesses excellent explosion and runs very well for his size. Powerful at the point of attack and is difficult to move out of the hole. Flashes an effective bull rush. High motor player. Lawless is a big man who is explosive in the trenches. With a little polish, we believe he has the potential to be a very disruptive presence at the next level.”
Profile Notes From UT ESPN: Natl Rank: 165
Position Rank: No. 13 DT
State Rank: No. 5 in TN
247 Sports: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 29 DT
State Rank: No. 15 in TN
Rivals: 4-star
Position Rank: No. 21 DT
State Rank: No. 10 in TN
Composite Ranking: 4-star
Natl Rank: 254
Position Rank: No. 21 DT
State Rank: No. 8 in TN
High School
ESPN 300 Recruit (165)
Named 2017 Tennessee Titans Mr. Football for District II-A
2017 Division II-A West Region Defensive Player of the Year
2016 Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Finalist for District II-A
2016 TSWA Class 1A All-State Team
No. 3 on The Tennessean’s 2017 “Dandy Dozen” Prospect List
2017 Stats (Max Preps): 49 total tackles, 16.5 TFL and 6.5 sacks/
Totaled 110 total tackles, 32 TFLs and four sacks in first three years at Nashville Christian
Helped lead Nashville Christian to the school’s first state title in 2015
3-star Knoxville TE Jacob Warren (6’6, 211) from Farragut HS is the 8th player in the Early Signing Period so far to sign with the U. of Tennessee.
Jacob Warren
TE – 6’6, 211
Farragut (Knoxville, TN)
Committed: 5-24-17
Stars (Rivals/247Sports/ESPN): 3/3/3
MaxPreps Scouting Report Son of former University of Tennessee lineman James Warren. Has 70 career catches for 1,156 yards and 17 TDs. He had 39 receptions this past season with 8 TD catches.
Michael Ray was arrested and charged with DUI and possession of marijuana oil today (Dec. 20).
According to the police report, the 2012 Jeep Wrangler that Michael was driving bumped the car in front of him in the McDonald’s drive-thru around 3:30 a.m. in Eustis, Fla.
The “Kiss You in the Morning” singer failed several sobriety tests and refused a breathalyzer test. Cops also found weed oil in Michael’s pocket.
“While speaking to Michael I noticed he had blood shot eyes, slurred speech, he stumbled while walking and smelled of alcohol . . . he said he was coming from a bar in Tavares,” the arresting officer said in the report, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Michael was being held in the Lake County Jail on a $6,000 bond.
TMZ has video footage of the arrest, which you can watch below.
OL Jerome Carvin, Rivals 4-star/247Sports 3-star (6’4, 330) from Cordova HS in Cordova, TN is the 7th player to sign with the Vols in the Early Signing Period.
247Sports Scouting Report “Carvin is a big, powerful offensive lineman. He gets off the ball quickly and has a very strong initial punch. Carvin is very athletic and aggressive. He gives great effort and plays until the whistle blows. He needs to continue to refine his technique, but Carvin has a lot of upside and a bright future.”
RB Jeremy Banks, Rivals 4-star/247Sports 3-star (6’2, 215) from Cordova HS in Cordova, TN has signed with UT. He’s the 6th so far in Early Signing Period.
UT Scouting Report Played in 2017 Toyota East West TN Football All-Star Classic. Career Stats (MaxPreps): 339 carries, 2,773 yards, 120.6 ypg, 48 TDs. 2017 Stats: 198 carries, 1,941 yards, 194.1 ypg, 32 TDs
Max Preps Scouting Report Has 133 career tackles and 9 sacks. He has 2 forced fumbles and 2 QB hurries. Spent first two high school seasons at Orlando Christian Prep.
We asked a handful of our favorite country stars to help put us in the Christmas spirit by revealing some of their favorite holiday tunes.
Check out what they had to say.
Kelsea Ballerini
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
“It is my favorite because I have memories of listening to it every year around my house.”
Brett Eldredge
“White Christmas”
“My favorite Christmas song is ‘White Christmas’ by Bing Crosby. His voice is just so low and warm.”
Carrie Underwood
“Do You Hear What I Hear”
“It’s very magical. And it also talks about things that, as a child, you would understand, such as ‘dancing in the night with a tail as big as a kite’ or ‘voice as big as the sea’—stuff that all kids know. So, it’s a really good story. It has a lot of good visuals with it. It’s just one of those that it’s just fun to sing.”
Darius Rucker
“You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”
“I love it. Growing up, before we had 152,000 channels, we had three channels and they showed all these cartoons once a year and How the Grinch Stole Christmas was one of those things. I think we only bought the TV Guide in December so we would know when the Grinch was coming on.”
Cole Swindell
“Mary, Did You Know?”
“It is one of my favorite Christmas songs. I’m excited for the season and just to hear the music. It gets you in the Christmas mood.”
Charles Esten
“I’ll Be Home For Christmas”
“It just breaks my heart. I remember always hearing that and loving that. I don’t even know what age I was when I realized that the premise of the story was he wouldn’t be home for Christmas and that it was during wartime. That one is hard to beat.”
Dustin Lynch
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
“The song is just so catchy and so much fun.”
Canaan Smith
“O Holy Night”
“I can’t think of another Christmas song that sounds as holy as that one. The moment God came to earth is absolutely holy.”
Josh Gracin “O Holy Night”
“The melody and message of the song represents why we celebrate Christmas to begin with. There have been so many amazing versions of this song throughout the year.”
Lauren Alaina
“Oh Santa!”
“I have a few favorites, but one is ‘Oh Santa’! by Mariah Carey. I jam to that, girl. I am crazy about that song.”
Kelleigh Bannen
“Silent Night”
“Frank Sinatra’s version of ‘Silent Night’ on Frank Sinatra Christmas Collection was recorded when Frank was 75 years old, and it is beautifully understated. It makes me cry every time I hear it.”
Sarah Darling
“The Christmas Song”
“My absolute favorite holiday tune is Nat King Cole’s ‘The Christmas Song.’ There’s something about it that transports me to another place and time. I think it has the Christmas magic.”
3-star QB JT Shrout (6’3, 190) from William S. Hart HS in Newhall, CA has signed with Tennessee. He’s the 4th player to do so in the Early Signing Period.
JT Shrout
QB – 6’3, 190
William S. Hart HS (Newhall, CA)
Committed: 12-20-17
Stars (Rivals/247Sports/ESPN): 3/3/3
Scout.com/247Sports Scouting Report “Shrout was a late bloomer whose recruitment took off this winter. He didn’t start a game for Hart last year but had several impressive workouts and 7v7 performances and his talent was obvious. Shrout has a great frame with plenty of room to pack on an additional 20 pounds or so. His mechanics are about as good as you’ll see at the H.S level as he combines a tight, effortless release, always looks on balance and is comfortable rolling out and throwing to his right or left. It’s always a risk offering a quarterback with little game experience but we think Shrout is worth it. He’s hungry, shows a great work ethic off the field and has all the physical tools you want to see in a next level quarterback. He has that gym rat mentality that we know Coach Tui is big on, he’s a coachable kid and has plenty of upside to be a very successful quarterback at the next level.”
Profile Notes From UT ESPN: 3-star Position Rank: No. 33 pocket-passer
State Rank: 53 in CA
247 Sports: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 34 pro-style QB
State Rank: No. 111 in CA
Rivals: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 14 pro-style QB
State Rank: No. 53 in CA
Composite Ranking: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 26 pro-style QB
State Rank: No. 72 in CA
High School
Attended the QB Collective Camp in July and was identified as one of the top quarterbacks there by NFL coaches and scouts in a loaded field of QBs that included top 2018 and 2017 prospects
Longtime NFL quarterback Sage Rosenfels said of all the quarterbacks at the QB Collective, Shrout would be “the guy who could step in on day one and fundamentally work within an NFL system …. His drop was smooth. His fundamentals were very efficient and he throws a great ball.”
Led Hart High School to an 8-4 record and the Southern Section Division 3 Quarterfinals as a senior in 2017, his only season as the school’s starting quarterback
Ollie Lane, 3-star OL (6’5, 285) from Gibbs HS in Corryton, has officially signed with UT. He’s the 3rd player to sign so far in the Early Signing Period.
Ollie Lane
OL – 6’5, 270
Gibbs (Corryton, TN)
Committed: 4-12-17
Stars (Rivals/247Sports/ESPN): 3/3/3
ESPN Scouting Report “Good height and bulk with frame and build that can continue to be developed to add and maximize mass. Can deliver a good pop at contact and wall off defenders. Can quickly get up to second level and cover up targets in his track. Shows good effort.Plays on both sides of the ball but OL is a better fit in college. Prospect that can quickly get into defenders and cover some ground, but needs to continue to develop technically and round out his game and we feel will need at least a red-shirt year “
Profile Notes From UT ESPN: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 55 OG
State Rank: No. 28 in TN
247 Sports: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 33 OG
State Rank: No. 29 in TN
Rivals: 3-star
State Rank: No. 30 in TN
Composite Ranking: 3-star
Position Rank: No. 33 OG
State Rank: No. 29 in TN
High School
Invited to play in 2017 Toyota East West TN Football All-Star Classic
2017 TSWA Class 5A All-State team
Region 2-5A Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2016 and 2017
2016 Class 5A All-State Offensive Lineman
2016 All-PrepXtra Football First Team
Anchored a Gibbs offensive line that finished 8-4 in the second round of the 5A playoffs in 2016
WNML Interview on SportsTalk
WNML Interview on The First Quarter
Highlights
Camp
Ollie Lane / Credit: UT AthleticsOllie Lane at Gibbs HS / Credit: WNML StaffOllie Lane at Gibbs HS / Credit: WNML Staff
![Michael Ray Arrested for DUI & Drug Possession [Watch Video Footage]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/1446/2017/12/20120908/Michael-Ray.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
![Brett Eldredge, Kelsea Ballerini, Carrie Underwood, Charles Esten & More Share Some of Their Favorite Christmas Songs [Playlist]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/1446/2017/12/20100145/Brett-Kelsea.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
