A majority of Tennessee’s most prized assets in the recruiting circuit were added during the Early Signing Period a couple of months ago, leaving the pickings on National Signing Day, which began on Wednesday, somewhat slim.

That doesn’t mean the Vols did not make a splash. With three new signings, they were able to add the top uncommitted offensive and defensive players in the nation in what became one of the best Signing Day finishes nationally.

Henry To’oto’o

Tennessee’s biggest surprise of the day came at around 3 p.m. with the addition of Henry To’oto’o, an outside linebacker from Concord, Cali. The Vols made a midnight run for the talented prospect, though Alabama and Washington seemingly had all of the momentum until the announcement.

To’oto’o ranks out as a top-50 player nationally, at No. 44 overall, and is the No. 4 outside linebacker, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He attends the same high school, De La Salle, as former Vol linebacker and current off-field analyst Kevin Simon.

Simon served as one of the primary recruiters for To’oto’o, adding to a level of comfortability that led the talented linebacker prospect to pick Tennessee. He joins Quavaris Crouch, a top-100 prospect, in a tandem of talented linebackers for this 2019 recruiting class.

“I feel like it’s home even though it’s all the way out there,” To’oto’o said on an ESPN broadcast. “I felt comfortable down there, especially with Kevin Simon being an alumni.”

Kenney Solomon

Kenney Solomon flew under the radar for most of the recruiting process, until he caught the attention of some bigger programs following the Early Signing Period in December. Tennessee was one of those programs, offering him on January 12, in the midst of his unofficial visit.

In the following week, both Rutgers and Louisville offered him, as well as Appalachian State. Solomon never officially visited the Vols, meaning that he could be a candidate for a blueshirt.

The South Carolina native may not be the most nationally recognized prospect, grading out as the 157th best cornerback in the nation, but it is his athleticism that really caught the attention of Tennessee’s staff.

At 6-feet tall and 170 pounds, Solomon is known as a speedster. In addition to playing corner and tailback for Socastee High School, he also ran track, where he recorded a 10.7-second 100m time.

He consistently runs in the 4.4s for his 40 times, and he’s expected to make an impact on special teams as a returner early in his career.

Darnell Wright

The offensive line was one of this team’s most glaring weaknesses last season, and the staff knew this needed to be rectified as soon as possible. With 5-star offensive tackle Wanya Morris already in the fold as an early enrollee, Tennessee landed one of its biggest fish left on the hook on Wednesday.

Darnell Wright, the 10th ranked prospect nationally, signed with the Vols, adding another 5-star offensive tackle to the fold. He immediately became the eighth highest rated signee in the team’s history, and should step in with Morris immediately in an attempt to fix the offensive front.

Tennessee was able to fend off late pushes from home-state school West Virginia and Alabama to land Wright’s services. He played on the same offensive line as Morris in the Under Armour All-American game, a showcase of the top high school prospects in the nation.

Head coach Jeremy Pruitt understands the importance of landing Wright’s signature.

“We got Darnell Wright today,” Pruitt said. “Darnell’s a guy that’s a big powerful man that can play any of the five spots on the offensive line. He looks like he probably weighs 310, but he actually weighs 335.”

Niedermeyer’s impact

One of the most important recruiters for Tennessee in this past cycle was a coach that fans may not have even heard of before: tight ends coach Brian Niedermeyer. He was the lead recruiter for seven of the signees, including Wright and To’oto’o.

Niedermeyer pulled in one five star, five four stars, and one three star for the Vols. This performance placed him at the top of 247Sports’ recruiter rankings, outpacing coaches from the likes of Texas and Alabama.

His importance for this team’s efforts, both on and off the field, cannot be understated.