Tennessee will likely look to add at least two running backs in their 2020 recruiting class. With Carlin Fils-aime graduating after the 2019 season and Ty Chandler and Tim Jordan set to be seniors in 2020, the Vols need to start replenishing their numbers at that position right now. The Vols are already in on several running backs in the 2020 cycle, and they extended offers to two four-star running backs recently.
Reggie Love III is a four-star back out of St. Louis, Missouri, and Michael Drennen II is a four-star running back out of Dublin, Ohio. Both have recently added offers from Tennessee to go along with tons of offers they already hold from other FBS schools.
Blessed to say that I’ve received my 28th D1 football offer from Tennessee!!!!! #RockyTop #HopeBoyz?? pic.twitter.com/unLWYpCUwm
— Mike Drennen II (@UhhMyNameDonut) February 15, 2019
Blessed to receive my 20th offer from the University of Tennessee ?#PoweredByTheT #GBO pic.twitter.com/CG62guNkkF
— Reggie Love III ⷢ ⷥ (@Reggie22x) February 14, 2019
Drennen is rated as the No. 183 overall player and No. 3 all-purpose back in the 2020 class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, and Love is ranked as the No. 325 overall prospect and No. 25 running back in the cycle as well. Both hold over 20 scholarship offers already. Drennen has offers from schools like Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Notre Dame, Georgia, and Miami while Love has offers from programs like Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Arkansas.
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The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Drennen is almost built more like a wide receiver, and he plays very well in space. He can catch well, and he’s very hard to bring down one-on-one. Just from watching his film, I almost think his higher ceiling in college might be at slot receiver, but he definitely has plenty of skill just as a running back, too. Don’t let his slight frame fool you, though; Drennen is plenty tough and can bounce off defenders like they’re nothing.
Love, who measures in at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, is built more like a running back and plays a little more like how I think an SEC running back should play. Not to take anything away from Drennen, but I just really like how Love plays the position and his running style. He plays low to the ground and is a physical player despite his smaller size. He’s quick, and once he gets a head of steam, watch out. Love is shifty and athletic, and he knows how to use all his skills to elude defenders and create big plays.
As a junior for Dublin Coffman, Drennen rushed for 801 yards and 11 touchdowns on 162 carries and caught 30 passes for 464 yards and five scores. He was named to the Second Team All-State team, First Team All-District team, and All-OCC-Central team.
Love spilt time during his junior season with senior running back Alphonzo Andrews (who signed with Wyoming), and he totaled 539 rushing yards and six touchdowns while averaging 7.1 yards per carry. He also runs track for Trinity Catholic.
The Vols don’t currently have any running backs committed to them in their 2020 class, but they’re going after several prospects at the position in this cycle. In-state players like Tee Hodge and Elijah Young are big priorities, as are players like five-star Zachary Evans and three-star Trenton Simpson.
