The Vols’ 2015 class took a big blow earlier this week, when offensive lineman Drew Richmond, the No. 1 overall prospect in the state of Tennessee, committed to Ole Miss on Tuesday morning.
The 6-foot-5, 320-pound offensive tackle out of Memphis, Tennessee, cited Ole Miss’s standout offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil as a big reason he chose the Rebels, expressing his eagerness to become his understudy.
Despite failing to land Richmond, head coach Butch Jones still has plenty to be positive about for the 2015 class.
Four-star quarterback Quinten Dormady has played twice since returning from a torn labrum that sidelined him for his junior year and has dazzled, throwing for 683 yards and 10 touchdowns on 54-of 90 passing (60 percent completion percentage) in the Boerne (Texas) Greyhounds’ two victories.
Dormady isn’t the only 2015 Tennessee commit who has stood out since the high school season started.
Five-star wide receiver Preston Williams reeled in six passes for 150 yards, scoring four times with receptions of 52, 43, 26 and eight yards in Lovejoy’s (Georgia), 41-14, victory over Dutchtown.
Meanwhile, three-star Jocquez Bruce showed off his versatility and athleticism for the local South-Doyle Cherokees en route to a, 41-14, victory over Jefferson County on Sept. 5. Bruce amassed 149 yards rushing and two touchdowns. He chipped in a 20-yard receiving touchdown as well.
Health Updates: Three-star offensive/defensive lineman commit Chance Hall will miss his entire senior season after tearing his ACL per his head coach, Burt Torrance. Hall was reportedly injured during his team’s preseason scrimmage Aug. 21.
Despite the injury, Hall still plans to enroll at UT in January and join the team for the spring semester.
Five-star defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie, the jewel of Tennessee’s 2015 class, underwent surgery a week ago to repair an undisclosed injury. He is expected to be sidelined for at least a month.
McKenzie is currently ineligible to play his senior season after his transfer from De La Salle High School to Clayton Valley Charter High School this summer was determined to have been “athletically motivated.” McKenzie and his father, former Vol Reggie McKenzie, are currently in the process of appealing the decision.
