The Vols’ coaching staff is looking for immediate help on the defensive line in 2019. They’ve already offered the top junior college defensive tackle in the 2019 class, and on Sunday they extended a scholarship offer to the second-rated JUCO defensive tackle in this cycle.
Jahkeem Green — who goes by Keem — tweeted out on Sunday afternoon that Tennessee had given him a scholarship offer. The 6-foot-4, 300-pound tackle currently plays for Highland Community College in Highland, Kansas and is originally from Sumter, South Carolina.
Blessed to receive my 7th Offer from the University of Tennessee ?? pic.twitter.com/wcA9R0tW1g
— Keem Green ?〽™ (@keem_green) July 8, 2018
Green is currently committed to South Carolina. He pledged a commitment to them back in late March of this year. He also holds offers from Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi State.
According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Green is the No. 2 JUCO defensive tackle in the 2019 class and the No. 18 overall JUCO prospect in this cycle. He unofficially visited the Gamecocks on March 24th, got an offer from them while on that visit, and committed to them that day. He added offers from Georgia and Alabama in May.
Green’s huge frame doesn’t slow him down on the field. He possesses good quickness for his size and has a strong initial push off the line of scrimmage. He’s great at bullying his way through blockers to penetrate into the backfield, and he’s more than capable of fighting through double teams. He’s very tenacious and plays with a high intensity. What he lacks in conventional strength he makes up for in grit.
In his first year with Highland, Green totaled 50 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, and two pass breakups.
Heading into the 2019 season, the Vols will be very thin at defensive tackle unless they can add some immediate help at that position. Shy Tuttle and Alexis Johnson both graduate after the 2018 season, leaving Tennessee with just Emmit Gooden, Kivon Bennett, and Eric Crosby as true defensive tackles left on the roster.
The Vols’ coaching staff liked what they saw from Green enough to offer him, and the other power houses in the SEC are pursuing him as well. South Carolina will have a fight on their hands to keep him committed, and expect Tennessee to keep an eye on him throughout the rest of this cycle.
