Multiple 2023 Early Enrollees Set to Start Tennessee Career This Week

As Tennessee continues preparation for the December 30th, Orange Bowl showdown with Clemson, the Vols are set to welcome in several new members of the team.

As Tennessee continues preparation for the December 30th, Orange Bowl showdown with Clemson, the Vols are set to welcome in several new members of the team. Multiple 2023 early enrollees are joining the team as early as today, with others making their way in over the coming days. We take a look at those players here. 

QB Nico Iamaleava

The elite signal-caller is joining Tennessee for bowl practice this week. In fact, he made it to Knoxville on Wednesday, and he will now have a chance to jumpstart his career as a Vol. While Joe Milton gets another chance to get a head start in the 2023 quarterback competition with these bowl practices and game, Iamaleava has a chance to get his feet wet with these practices and come into the winter and spring more prepared. 

CB Jordan Matthews

Another key recruiting victory for the Vols at a position of need will be on campus later today. Matthews is a long, athletic cornerback, that could have a chance to play early on as a Vol. 

CB Rickey Gibson

The Vols beat out Georgia for the talented cornerback from Alabama. Gibson is already on campus and set to get to work with the Vols on Friday. 

CB Cristian Conyer

Conyer completes the talented trio of cornerbacks the Vols signed, and he is set to head to Knoxville later this evening. He is another long, athletic cornerback that can do a lot of things. Like his counterparts listed above, Conyer will benefit from the chance to get an early look at the speed of the game. 

OT Sham Umarov

The massive Peach State product has made his way to campus as well and will get to work with the team on Friday. Umarov should benefit from these practices as Tennessee will practice for one of the most talented fronts it has seen all year. 

OL Vysen Lang

Lang has also made his way to campus and will begin work on Friday. He will be a player Tennessee is likely to cross-train and these bowl practices should be highly beneficial to him. 

WR Nathan Leacock

Leacock is expected to make his way to campus at some point over the coming days. He is a talented receiver that should have a chance to work his way up the ladder. He will benefit from an early opportunity to adjust to the pace of play and working on timing with the quarterbacks. 

DB Jack Luttrell

Tennessee's first and longest commitment in the class is currently set to arrive in Knoxville later this evening. He was a key piece in this class along the way and will bring immediate athleticism with him to Knoxville. Luttrell will likely get a crack at multiple positions, so this will allow the Tennessee staff an early opportunity to move him around. 

DB John Slaughter

The Vols made an early evaluation on Slaughter and prioritized him. He will play safety in Knoxville and is a long, athletic prospect that has natural ball skills. He will benefit from these practices as Tennessee's staff will be able to get a feel for where he fits in the secondary. 

LB Jalen Smith

The tackling machine from Grayson High School (Ga.) is on campus already and will get to work with the team on Friday. Smith will get an early opportunity to show why 40 Division 1 schools extended an offer to him. 

LB Jeremiah Telander

Telander, another talented Peach State linebacker is already on campus and set to get a jump on his career. Telander's Gainesville team lost in the state championship, but he flashed his athleticism and showed why he can help Tennessee in the future. His dad was once a college linebacker coach, so expect Telander to come in prepared. 

DL Nathan Robinson

Robinson is set to get his Tennessee career started early as well. He transformed his body over the last year and a half, and he will now get a chance to benefit from starting his development under Rodney Garner early on. 

LB Arion Carter

Tennessee's most recent recruiting pickup, a massive one at that, is set to arrive on campus Thursday as well. Carter just chose the Vols on Wednesday evening, and he completes a loaded trio of linebackers for the class. He gets an immediate jump on his career on Rocky Top. 

Edge Caleb Herring

Herring, another key defensive piece, will be on campus on Thursday as well. He adds to a stacked group of pass rushers that continue to develop on Rocky Top. Herring will benefit early from seeing what Mike Ekeler expects of him. Having his brother already on campus and a contributor for the Vols for the past year should only help him.

Recent junior college offensive tackle commitment Larry Johnson III will take his official visit this weekend, and he will join the Vols at some point next week for practices. 

These bowl practices are important for the team, the early enrollees and the future of the program, as Josh Heupel alluded to when I asked him following the Vanderbilt game. 

“Bowl prep is extremely important," Heupel said following the 56-0 rout of Vanderbilt. 'You get a chance to kind of reset, get into fundamentals, early part of it. Your vets continue to grow as you get ready and get closer to the bowl game. Your young guys get so many valuable opportunities to grow and compete. Some really good things that some young guys did late in the ballgame tonight. There are some things that they can obviously be a whole lot better at. The urgency of bowl preparation will be important. Obviously, we’re getting ready to go finish the ‘23 recruiting class here. Two years ago, we talked about what we were going to do. They can see what the culture is. They can feel it. They see the connection inside the building. They understand what our coaching staff’s all about. They understand that this program’s on solid ground, but only going to continue to get better.”