The 2017 recruiting cycle is technically over, but there are still prospects out there who elected not to join a team on National Signing Day. And the Vols were able to add a talented in-state punter because of that.
Joe Doyle, the punter for Farragut, announced on Twitter on Friday afternoon that he had committed to the Vols.
Home sweet home to me? #Committed pic.twitter.com/o3nKC1Z6YE
— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyle1224) February 10, 2017
Doyle is expected to be a walk-on at Tennessee despite holding scholarship offers from Air Force, Chattanooga, and Austin Peay. Doyle is rated as the No. 8 punter in the country according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He also competed in the Under Armour All-America Game.
As a senior, Doyle averaged 41.1 yards per punt, and 15 of his 40 punts were downed inside the 20-yard line according to Max Preps. Doyle also connected on eight of his 14 field goal attempts and 69 of his 72 point after attempts. He also handled kickoff duties for the Admirals, and 57 of his 95 kickoffs went for touchbacks.
Tennessee’s current punter, Trevor Daniel, is a redshirt senior this season, meaning he will be graduating at the conclusion of the 2017 season. The Vols currently have no clear replacement for Daniel, meaning Doyle will likely compete for the vacant position heading into the 2018 season.
