Five-star in-state defensive tackle Walter Nolen announced his top 10 schools on Twitter Friday and the Vols were one of the 10 teams listed. Alabama, LSU, Clemson, Michigan, Florida, Oregon, Ohio State, USC and Auburn joined Tennessee on Nolen’s list of contenders.
“Honored and blessed … to have named my top ten schools at the moment,” Nolen tweeted along with a graphic of his top schools. “recruitment is still fully open.”
Honored and blessed to say at this moment to have named my top ten schools at the moment recruitment is still fully open @Hayesfawcett3 @ChadSimmons_ @YONO96933567 @BigWalter79 @Coach_WallsSBA @dzoloty @ESPN3ALLDAY pic.twitter.com/An8GLk8v5G
— Walter Nolen9️⃣?? (@WalterNolen4) February 12, 2021
Nolen is considered the No. 2 overall player in the country by 247 Sports’ composite rankings. The Memphis, Tennessee native is considered the best defensive tackle and the best player from the Volunteer State.
The 6-foot-4, 300 lbs. lineman has scholarship offers from over 25 schools. Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and the Vols are the 10 SEC schools to have offered Nolen at this point.
Nolen plays at St. Benedict in Memphis for former Tennessee defensive lineman Marlon Walls. He began his high school career at Olive Branch High School in Olive Branch, Mississippi. Nolen transferred to IMG Academy before moving back to Memphis to play for Walls.
Tennessee does not currently have anybody committed in the class of 2022. It just signed the No. 16 overall 2021 recruiting class in the country after receiving a commitment from junior college offensive tackle Jeremiah Crawford on National Signing Day.
The Vols signed three defensive linemen this past recruiting class. They received signatures from four-star defensive end Dylan Brooks, four-star defensive tackle KaTron Evans and three-star defensive tackle Isaac Washington. Brooks has since asked out of his National Letter of Intent after Tennessee made the decision to fire Jeremy Pruitt.
