Joshua Dobbs is now official, as are OL Brett Kendrick, TE Woody Quinn, and DE Jason Carr. Welcome to Rocky Top, fellas.
BRETT KENDRICK 6-5, 295 OFFENSIVE GUARD KNOXVILLE, TN (CHRISTIAN ACADEMY OF KNOXVILLE)
Chose UT over: Arkansas, Arkansas State
RATINGS: 247 three stars; Rivals three stars; Scout two stars; ESPN three stars
QUICK LOOK: The former coaching staff loved what they saw from Kendrick at two separate camps and offered him despite very little fanfare. Pittman -- who is one of the most respected offensive line coaches in the country -- liked him enough to offer him a scholarship once he got to Arkansas, too. Kendrick is athletic for his size, and he played a bit out of place in high school at tackle. He will be an interior lineman on this level most likely, and he will not be needed right away, so it's a good opportunity to redshirt and get ready to play.
WOODY QUINN 6-6, 256 TIGHT END SANTA ANA, CA (SANTA ANA COLLEGE)
Chose UT over: Stony Brook, Fresno State, San Diego State
RATINGS: 247 three stars; Rivals two stars; ESPN two stars; Scout two stars; ESPN two stars
QUICK LOOK: One of the most intriguing prospects in the entire class, the former Pepperdine volleyball player hadn't played football since early in his high school career. But once he decided he wanted to do that and his Santa Ana film got out, Dooley and the old staff salivated over his athleticism. When Jones came in, he saw it too and recruited Quinn very hard to Knoxville. UT coaches believe he is a great mixture of raw athleticism and is strong enough to be a good blocker, and he's expected to help right away. It will be interesting to see how a person with his size and skills translates in the SEC.
JASON CARR 6-6, 270 STRONGSIDE DEFENSIVE END MEMPHIS, TN (WHITE STATION HS)
Chose UT over: Alabama, Ole Miss, Florida, Clemson, LSU, Mississippi State, Nebraska Cincinnati, etc.
RATINGS: 247 four stars; Rivals four stars; Scout four stars; ESPN three stars
QUICK LOOK: The other major star of this class who has instant-impact ability is Carr, a jumbo defensive end who was one of UT's earliest commitments. He stuck strong with the Vols through the coach firings, and though he opened up his recruitment late, visiting Alabama, a late in-home visit by Jones sealed the deal. He turned down the opportunity to visit Ole Miss and will stick with his original pledge to UT, where his brother is a student. Carr is a massive force who has the body to grow into a defensive tackle or the quickness and burst to rush off the edge. He will find himself in the mix for playing time in 2013.