From time to time, we’ll check in on the four major recruiting services (247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout) to see how Tennessee stacks up in terms of team rankings and how these services are ranking the Vols and their committed players.
As we’ve mentioned numerous times, ranking recruits is a very inexact science with plenty of misses – both overrating and underrating prospects from time to time. But with that said, rankings are also one of the top indicators of the overall talent of a team, and also one of the best indicators of championship potential.
With a vast majority of LOIs signed for the major programs, this version can serve as a final ranking for the 2015 class, a cycle the Vols fared very well in on the recruiting trail.
Since this is just a broad overview, click on the links for more information from the individual recruiting services. Rivals, 247Sports and Scout all include blueshirt candidates Joc Bruce and Vincent Perry, who are scheduled to join the team this summer as walk-ons and then be added on scholarship, while ESPN does not.
247Sports
National class ranking: 3rd
Total 5-stars: 4
Total 4-stars: 11
Total 3-stars: 12
Total 2-stars: 2
Highest-ranked players: Kahlil McKenzie (No. 3 nationally); Kyle Phillips (21); Preston Williams (29); Shy Tuttle (64); Jauan Jennings (89); Drew Richmond (97); Alvin Kamara (JUCO No. 4)
ESPN
National class ranking: 5th
Total 5-stars: 0
Total 4-stars: 18
Total 3-stars: 8
Total 2-stars: 1
Highest-ranked players: Kahlil McKenzie (26); Preston Williams (38); Shy Tuttle (39); Drew Richmond (58); Kyle Phillips (70); Micah Abernathy (81); Alvin Kamara (JUCO No. 2)
Rivals
National class ranking: 5th
Total 5-stars: 4
Total 4-stars: 13
Total 3-stars: 11
Total 2-stars: 1
Highest-ranked players: Kahlil McKenzie (6); Drew Richmond (12); Kyle Phillips (32); Shy Tuttle (66); Jack Jones (92); Alvin Kamara (JUCO No. 2)
Scout
National class ranking: 4th
Total 5-stars: 3
Total 4-stars: 12
Total 3-stars: 13
Total 2-stars: 1
Highest-ranked players: Kahlil McKenzie (1); Preston Williams (15); Kyle Phillips (49); Shy Tuttle (96); Drew Richmond (104); Alvin Kamara (JUCO No. 5)
