The summer dead period is about to begin in the 2019 recruiting cycle, but the Vols closed out the summer camp session in a strong way on Sunday.
Defensive end/outside linebacker Jalil Clemons took to Twitter to announce his commitment to the Vols on Sunday afternoon. He had camped at UT’s campus over the weekend, and he wanted to commit on the spot.
108% C O M M I T T E D?? #GBO #VFL pic.twitter.com/rn5JWBGFmA
— ~8~ (@JalilClemons) June 24, 2018
It’s believed Clemons’ recruitment is about to take off after he’s shown some impressive skills at various camps this summer. The Vols are his first Power Five offer as of now, but Auburn, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State have all been showing interest in him.
Right now, Clemons, who hails from Starkville, Mississippi, is rated as the No. 651 overall player and No. 43 strong-side defensive end in the 2019 class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. The regular 247Sports rankings are a little kinder to him, listing him as the No. 502 overall player.
Tennessee offered Clemons back in early May of this year, and he finally got to visit the campus and work out in front of UT’s coaches this weekend. And both sides saw enough from each other to feel comfortable.
Clemons has all the skills defensive coaches want in a pass rusher. He has great athleticism and speed, and he has good bend around the edge. While he plays more defensive end in high school, he’s being recruited as an outside linebacker for the Vols and has a very high ceiling there in Tennessee’s 3-4 defensive scheme. His 6-foot-3, 240-pound frame would be perfect as an outside linebacker for the Vols’ defense, and he has the tools to work with to eventually develop into a productive pass rusher in college.
As a junior last season, Clemons totaled 73 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and a blocked punt according to MaxPreps. He has 14 career sacks and 32 career tackles for loss in 26 career high school games.
Tennessee now has 11 commitments in their 2019 class, and Clemons gives them their first commitment from a pure pass rusher in the class. He’s also the Vols’ first commitment in the 2019 class from the state of Mississippi.
