He committed to Tennessee, de-committed from Tennessee and even pushed his announcement back on National Signing Day.
But after all that drama, top-ranked junior college defensive end Jonathan Kongbo III still ended up a Vol – giving the Vols a splash to wrap up their 2016 class and another feared presence off the edge.
Kongbo signed with the Vols on Wednesday afternoon. “He has a chance to dominate,” Butch Jones said on UTSports.com’s live feed. “Our defense just got a lot better.”
Here’s the full RTI recruiting profile for Kongbo:
JUCO Defensive End – 2016 Class
6-6, 264 pounds
Arizona Western Community College
Other top offers
Alabama, Ole Miss, Auburn, Oregon, Arizona State, Mississippi State
Status
Kongbo III is considered one of the best junior college players in the 2016 class by every recruiting service out there, and 247Sports has him ranked as the No. 1 overall JUCO prospect in the 2016 class. Kongbo III was a visitor for Tennessee’s 53-28 win over Vanderbilt on November 28 and committed to the Vols a day later on Sunday, November 29. He reopened his commitment on Jan. 5, saying he will still consider the Vols. And while it’s generally unusual to be a player re-commit to a school, Kongbo never lost interest in the Vols and after a dramatic finish, he ended up signing with Tennessee.
Ratings
247Sports: ★★★★
ESPN.com: ★★★★
Rivals.com: ★★★★
Scout.com: ★★★★★
RTI average: 4.25-star
How He Fits
Although raw, Kongbo III has immense upside. He’s a physical freak at 6-6, 264 pounds and has great burst from the line of scrimmage. Kongbo has reportedly been clocked in at sub-4.7 second 40-yard dash time, which means there’s plenty to like about his athleticism. Kongbo is able to shed linemen with ease on any given play, but he still has a lot to learn from a technique standpoint.
During his freshman campaign at at Arizona Western in 2015, Kongbo III recorded 49 tackles, 12 TFLs and 9.5 sacks. Kongbo III, who is originally from Canada and only played one partial season of high school football before heading to junior college, is the No. 1 overall junior college player in the nation, per 247Sports. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
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