Five-star defensive tackle Payton Page to visit Tennessee again

Tennessee will be getting another visit from five-star defensive tackle Payton Page next week. Page visited Tennessee last summer, which was enough for the Volunteers to land inside of his top five schools. Now with the recruiting dead period almost over, Page wants another look at Knoxville.

The 6-4, 315 pound defensive tackle prospect ranks 28th in the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He’s the 4th rated defensive tackle in the country and the 2nd ranked player in his home state of North Carolina.

Clemson, LSU, Oregon and North Carolina are each in the mix here.

Page is now forging a new relationship with defensive line coach Jimmy Brumbaugh, who was hired away from Colorado to replace Tracy Rocker. Inside linebackers coach Brian Niedermeyer is also on Page’s case, which always good news for Tennessee fans.

On the field, Page is a traditional powerhouse that could fit as a true nose tackle. In 2018, Page racked up 26 tackles for loss and eight sacks. From a size and strength standpoint, he’s ready to contribute to any program as a freshman.

Tennessee has done quite a bit of work on the defensive line since Jeremy Pruitt arrived, flipping over from a 4-3 look to a 3-4 front. The Volunteers have focused on prospects with size and length, which you saw begin to pay off last season.

Expect recruiting to really pick back up over the next couple of weeks, as Tennessee tries to position themselves for a summer run.