Marquarius White
(WR) Clay-Chalkville in Birmingham, AL 
5’10”  160
Committed: 7/8/21
3-star average (3-star on 247Sports, Rivals & ESPN)

Josh Ward’s Analysis:  White’s size won’t stand out, but his speed will. White should be a perfect fit in Josh Heupel’s offense. Several SEC schools tried to flip White late in the process, but he stuck with the Vols. Very good news for Tennessee.

Eric Cain’s Analysis:  Tennessee had to battle for this one to the very end, holding off Georgia who pushed late. White is one of four wideouts in the class and is an absolute speedster who could wreak havoc out of the slot. Strength will be important for White as he’ll often get jammed at the line of scrimmage and be meshed up with SEC linebackers. But Tennessee likes the makeup of White who could be a threat in Josh Heupel’s scheme, getting behind defenders. 

Player Profile:  A multi-sport athlete with electrifying speed at wide receiver out of Alabama … Rated a four-star prospect and the No. 7 overall player in Alabama by On3.com … A three-star prospect by 247Sports.com, Rivals.com and ESPN.com … Compiled 1,162 receiving yards on 49 catches and scored 17 total touchdowns, including 16 receiving as a senior … Earned first-team All-South Metro honors in 2021 … His team won the 2021 Alabama High School Athletic Association 6A state football championship, 46-42, on Dec. 3, completing a 15-0 senior season … Also recorded a pair of interceptions during the 2021 season … Invited to the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic … Chose Tennessee over 21 Division I offers, including 16 from Power 5 schools and six SEC institutions … A sprinter on the track and field team finishing second in the 100 and 200 at the AHSAA State Championship with times of 10.68 and 21.58, respectively … Committed to the Vols in July 2021 … Coached by Drew Gilmer … Nickname is “Squirrel” … Twitter handle is @squirrelwhite3 … Instagram handle is @squirrel_white3.

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Justin Williams
(RB)  East Paulding HS in Dallas, GA
6’0”    205
Committed: 12/15/21
4-star average (3-star on Rivals & ESPN, 3-star on 247Sports)

Josh Ward’s Analysis:  Williams became a high priority for Tennessee late in the recruiting process. The former West Virginia commit visited Knoxville in November and quickly connected with UT’s staff. Look for Williams to compete for playing time as soon as he arrives on campus.

Eric Cain’s Analysis:  Tennessee gets its first major pickup on Signing Day by reeling in longtime priority target Justin Williams. The former West Virginia commit chose the Volunteers over Auburn, as that race came down to the very end. Williams is fast enough, changes directions well and will not be brought down on first contact. He’s capable of catching passes out of the backfield and is a good all-around back. He’ll need to bulk up some, but Tennessee could afford to yield some carries to Williams this fall.

Player Profile:  Talented running back with a great mix of size and speed from the Atlanta area … Rated a four-star prospect according to the 247Sports Composite, ESPN.com, Rivals.com and On3.com … Considered the No. 153 overall player and No. 11 running back prospect in the country by Rivals.com … The No. 17 rated player in the state of Georgia by On3.com … A team captain who was named the Paulding County Player of the Year as a senior in 2021 … Selected as one of Georgia’s top running backs by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution prior to the 2021 season … Was named the 2020 Region 5-6A Offensive Player of the Year as a junior … Earned Georgia Class 6A All-State Honorable Mention in 2020 … Finished his senior season with 2,116 all-purpose yards, 1,896 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns … Piled up 1,368 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior in 2020 … Also ran track in high school … Excelled off the field as well with a perfect 4.0 GPA … Chose Tennessee over 25 other Division I offers, including 18 Power 5 programs … Committed to the Vols in Dec. 2021 … Coached by Billy Shackelford … Twitter handle is @akajwill … Instagram handle is @jusstvn.

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Desmond “Dee” Williams
(DB)  East Central CC in MS via Forsyth, GA
5’11”  190
Committed: 12/6/21
3-star average (3-star on 247Sports & Rivals, not-rated on ESPN)

Josh Ward’s Analysis:  Can Williams help at cornerback right away? That’s Tennessee hope with more depth needed in the secondary. Williams will enroll in January with the chance to compete for playing time immediately.

Eric Cain’s Analysis:  The cornerback from East Central Community College is looking to come in and make an immediate impact on Tim Banks’s defense. Williams was a ballhawk at the JUCO level, leading the nation with seven interceptions. He’s a skilled returner as well, housing both a kickoff and punt this season. He’s older and experienced, so the path to the field could be a short one if he camps well. The Vols won out over Mississippi State in this one. 

Player Profile:  One of the nation’s top junior college defensive backs by way of East Central Community College in Decatur, Mississippi … Rated as the No. 3 cornerback and No. 8 overall junior college player by 247Sports.com … Collected seven interceptions and had 14 breakups in 2021 to earn NJCAA All-Region 23 accolades … Led the NJCAA in picks and ranked second in the nation in pass breakups as a third-year sophomore … Totaled 13 picks for his career at ECCC and made 103 tackles in 23 games played in his three seasons … Experienced in the return game, averaging 27.9 yards per kickoff return and 50.7 yards per punt return with a touchdown in each category … Returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown in a game vs. Copiah-Lincoln on Oct. 14, 2021 … Named NJCAA Player of the Week for his performance in that contest … Chose Tennessee over 12 other Division I offers … Committed to the Vols in December 2021 … Originally from Forsyth, Georgia, where he prepped at Mary Persons High School … Coached by Ken Karcher at ECCC, who worked under the late Johnny Majors from 1993-96 … Goes by “Dee” … Twitter handle is @Des_williams4 … Instagram handle is @desmondw4.

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Masai Reddick
(OL)  Cass Technical HS in Detroit, MI   
6’5″    328
Committed: 7/2/21
3-star average (3-star on 247Sports, Rivals & ESPN)

Josh Ward’s Analysis:  Reddick has a ton of size and strength, which should help Tennessee in the running game. Will Reddick play at tackle or guard? He could play either, which Tennessee’s staff has to like.

Eric Cain’s Analysis:  Another developmental player, Heupel and staff found Reddick at a Tennessee State camp over the summer. The Detroit native has a lot of potential in the interior. He’s a mauler in the run-game, getting his paws on defenders and not letting up. A strength program will be important with Reddick and he will need to improve his feet. Tempo will not be as big of an adjustment as Reddick played in a similar tempo at Cass Tech. 

Player Profile:  A big, physical offensive tackle that is technically sound with terrific potential out of Michigan … A consensus three-star prospect by 247Sports.com, Rivals.com and ESPN.com … The No. 22 player in the state of Michigan by 247Sports.com and No. 27 by Rivals.com … Led a stout offensive line at Cass Technical High School, which went 16-5 in the last two seasons … A team captain who was selected first-team all-region and all-city … Chose Tennessee over 23 other Division I offers, including two from Power 5 programs … Comes from a program that consistently produces elite talent including NFL offensive linemen Michael Onwenu, William Campbell and Joe Barksdale  … Committed to the Vols in July 2021 … Coached by Marvin Rushing his senior season.

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Addison Nichols
(OL)  Greater Atlanta Christian School in Atlanta, GA        
6’5″    315
Committed: 8/2/21
4-star average (4-star on 247Sports, Rivals & ESPN)

Josh Ward’s Analysis:  Nichols is a really important player for Tennessee as the Vols try to build depth and add talent to the offensive line. Nichols is one of the highest rated players in Tennessee’s class. The Vols hope he’ll make a difference in the future.

Eric Cain’s Analysis:  Nichols is one of the higher-rated prospects in the country and has a great base for offensive tackle. He’s got great feet and uses his hands to keep rushers in front of him. Nichols picks up blitzers well and runs them out of the play – creating a clean pocket for the passer. He’s the most game-ready offensive lineman in the class, but still has some work to do before he’s SEC ready. Tennessee won out over Ohio State and North Carolina. 

Player Profile:  Elite, powerful offensive lineman from Greater Atlanta Christian School in Norcross, Georgia … Rated a consensus four-star prospect by all major recruiting services … Can play tackle or guard … The No. 4 interior offensive lineman in the country according to 247Sports Composite and the No. 15 offensive tackle by Rivals.com … ESPN300 member for the Class of 2022 (No. 113) and a consensus top-300 prospect by all major recruiting services … Considered one of the top 15 players in the state of Georgia by Rivals.com, On3.com and the 247Sports Composite … Selected to represent the East region at the All-American Bowl in January 2022 … A team captain who helped lead GACS to an undefeated regular season as a junior in 2020 … Spartans reached the 2020 GHSA AAA state semifinals … Earned all-state honors from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in January of 2021 … A four-time all-state and all-county selection … Committed to the Vols in August 2021 … Chose Tennessee over 30 other Division I offers, including eight other SEC programs … Coached by Tim Hardy … Twitter handle is @ahnichols22 … Instagram handle is @addison_nichols_.

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