Five-star inside linebacker Terrence Lewis has decommitted from Tennessee, Lewis announced on Twitter Monday night.
“I would like to take the time out to announce that I’ll be decommitting from the University of Tennessee,” Lewis said in a tweet. “There’s no love lost they’re still my top school as of now but I need these next couple weeks to explore my options to make sure I make the best decision for my future.”
I would like to take the time out to announce that I’ll be de-committing from The University of Tennessee. There’s no love lost they’re still my top school as of now but I need these next couple weeks to explore my options to make sure I make the best decision for my future.
-2️⃣— TerrEnce Not TerrAnce? (@Notoriou2__) December 1, 2020
Lewis was the highest ranked commitment for the Vols and is the second to decommit in the last five days. Four-star defensive back Damarius McGhee decommitted last Thursday on Thanksgiving.
According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Lewis is the No. 1 inside linebacker in the 2021 class and is ranked as the No. 17 overall prospect and No. 5 recruit in the state of Florida. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound linebacker holds offers from over 40 schools and had a top six of Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, Penn State, and Nebraska back on April 4th.
Tennessee offered Lewis back in May of 2019, and Lewis visited campus shortly thereafter. The talented linebacker was once committed to Florida, pledging himself to the Gators on January 22, 2019. But a few months later on April 13th, Lewis decommitted and reopened his recruitment.
The top-rated inside linebacker was supposed to visit the Vols in January, but those plans didn’t work out. He also planned on coming to Knoxville once the dead period lifted after February, but he wasn’t able to get on campus before recruiting visits were temporarily postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Still, he committed to Tennessee on April 30.
As a junior at Miami Northwestern, Lewis amassed 105 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and three interceptions in 13 games according to MaxPreps. He was named a First Team Junior All-American by MaxPreps after his 2019 season, and he helped lead Miami Northwestern to a 13-2 record and the Florida 5A state title.
In Lewis’ last two years at Miami Northwestern in 2018 and 2019, he combined for 207 tackles, 50 tackles for loss, 24 sacks, four interceptions, and three forced fumbles.
Tennessee’s 2021 recruiting class now has 25 commits. The class ranks No. 13 overall in the country and fifth-best in the SEC. Four-star linebacker Aaron Willis is now the Vols’ lone commit at the inside linebacker position.
