Four-Star DE Ethan Utley Includes Tennessee In First Recruitment Cut

2025 four-star defensive end Ethan Utley has cut his recruitment down to 12 schools, and the in-state talent continues to be high on the Tennessee Volunteers.

While all eyes are on 2024 prospects announcing their college decisions this week, there are a few 2025 nuggets to watch. For example, 2025 four-star defensive end Ethan Utley (Nashville, Tenn.) cut his recruitment to 12 schools on Tuesday afternoon, a prospect Tennessee fans should familiarize themselves with over the next few months.

Former Tennessee offensive coordinator Alex Golesh offered Utley in September 2021 - it was his fourth Division-1 offer, and Tennessee was the second SEC program to jump in the mix behind the Vanderbilt Commodores. He's been to Rocky Top various times over the past few years, getting acclimated with the coaching staff and the city of Knoxville. It's still quite early in his recruitment, but there's a level of familiarity between Tennessee and Utley that most schools won't get the chance to build. For these reasons, Utley included Tennessee in his first recruitment cut alongside several other major powers. The other programs Utley is considering are Michigan, Miami, North Carolina, Florida, Oklahoma, Georgia, Auburn, Penn State, Texas, Vanderbilt, and Texas A&M.

2025 Tennessee DE target Ethan Utley chasing 2025 Tennessee QB target George MacIntyre

The consensus top-200 defensive linemen made waves this offseason at the Under Amour All-American camp in Atlanta, flashing the power and athleticism that makes Tennessee think he could eventually play base end in their defensive scheme. He was one of four defensive linemen at the event to take home MVP honors, a high bar considering the entire field was littered with Power-5 prospects. Utley has the hand strength that Tennessee wants in their defensive linemen; with how many defensive plays the Vols run every game, defenders must consistently reset the line of scrimmage. The easiest way to do that is with hand force and placement, both of which Utley has.

He's no stranger to other Tennessee targets. Utley plays for Ensworth High School, who squared off against Brentwood Academy, McCallie, and The Baylor School in his sophomore season. Those three squads carry a dozen Tennessee prospects, meaning Utley understands Tennessee's standards on the recruiting trail. This early recruitment should continue gaining steam, but the Vols are in a strong early spot.

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