Finding additional help at running back has been an adventure in the 2017 class for Tennessee, but there’s a last-minute development that might give the Vols another intriguing option.
Junior college running back Octavius Matthews, who recently decommitted from Auburn, will reportedly visit Knoxville this upcoming weekend – the final weekend before National Signing Day on Feb. 1. The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder is an Alabama native who has been playing at Itawamba Community College, where he rushed for 645 yards and five touchdowns on 90 carries during his sophomore year in 2016.
Matthews, who is ranked as the No. 1 junior college athlete and the No. 26 junior college prospect overall by the 247Sports Composite ranking, tweeted that his finalists are now Tennessee, Kansas and Purdue. Matthews doesn’t have a Tennessee offer as of Thursday evening, according to his 247Sports profile.
After having a long talk with my family as of today theses are my top three school I will be choosing from Feb1st..💯💪🏾 pic.twitter.com/Vd5Q20WsBJ
— SpookLoCC👇🏾♿️ (@octaviusmatthe1) January 27, 2017
Tennessee, which needs to replace running backs Jalen Hurd, Alvin Kamara and Jeremy Lewis, has a commitment from Ty Chandler, the No. 5 overall running back in the nation. The Vols also currently have running backs Trey Coleman and Timothy Jordan, who just committed to UT earlier this week, in the class.
So it isn’t clear where Matthews would fit into that mix, but with the Vols needing to find help to pair with John Kelly in the backfield next year, turning to a highly-touted junior college player at the position is certainly an option worth exploring.
