Tennessee in the top five for pass rusher Terrell Dawkins

If you were to rank Tennessee’s roster needs right now, pass rush help would probably be somewhere up near the top. The Vols absolutely could not get pressure on the quarterback last year, which led to some embarrassing moments for the 2017 defense. That’s something that Jeremy Pruitt was hired to change.

To do that, Pruitt needs players that fit his 3-4 system. One of those potential fits is Terrell Dawkins, who is a bit of a tweener for now. The 6-4, 235 pound Dawkins is listed as a strong side defensive end, but his weight doesn’t match that description. Unless he puts on some serious bulk, Dawkins is a likely fit on the outside.

On Monday, Dawkins released his top five schools, which included Tennessee.

Notre Dame, N.C. State, Florida and Ohio State joined the Vols in his final five.

Dawkins is a three-star recruit, according to 247 Sports. He is the 497th ranked player in the country and the 24th ranked player out of the state of North Carolina. Tennessee currently holds one crystal ball projection for Dawkins, his only one for now. Tennessee currently has only one other pass rusher-type prospect committed in Jalil Clemons.

Here’s a quick look at Dawkins’ highlight tape.