State Your Case: Why Tennessee Is a Legitimate Player For Elijah Rushing

2024 five-star edge rusher Elijah Rushing has seen things heat up one day out from his commitment. Do the Tennessee Volunteers have a shot?

No, this isn't a prediction article. No, this doesn't mean that five-star edge rusher Elijah Rushing (Tucson, Ariz.) will choose Tennessee tomorrow. Yes, we are reporting that Tennessee is much more of a player in his recruitment than people are crediting, and they aren't out of this one yet.

On3 Oregon insider Justin Hopkins shook up the recruiting world on Wednesday, changing his months-long prediction of Oregon for Rushing to the in-state Arizona Wildcats. There is a litany of reasons why, and the Wildcats are a logical destination for Rushing. The allure of donning home-state colors is always enticing, and his older brother Cruz Rushing is on roster at Arizona.

However, it's not a two-horse race. Tennessee made real strides on Rushing's official visit, his second time in Knoxville in as many years. Defensive line coach Rodney Garner always ensures that these top-tier defensive linemen get treated like priorities on their visits, and Rushing felt the love. He's an uber-athletic edge that could get pressure in any system or conference, but the allure of the SEC does have his attention.

2024 EDGE Elijah Rushing

He may not end up picking Tennessee tomorrow. But as we've seen in this recruitment, things can change on a dime. The Vols have been adamant in their pursuit, and sources indicate that they will continue working on Rushing through December if he doesn't choose Tennessee tomorrow. The coaching staff will cross their fingers on it, but they've done an excellent job here and are confident they can continue to make up ground.

Tennessee's 2024 Recruiting Class

• Jake Merklinger, QB
• Peyton Lewis, RB
• Braylon Staley, WR
• Jonathan Echols, TE
• Gage Ginther, OL
• Jesse Perry, OG
• Max Anderson, OG
• Kellen Lindstrom, DL
• Carson Gentle, DL
• Jeremias Heard, DL
• Jordan Burns, ILB
• Kaleb Beasley, CB
• Boo Carter, S
• Edrees Farooq, S
• Marcus Goree, S

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