Tennessee Football hauled in one of the top recruiting classes in the 2027 cycle. While headlined by standout offensive players such as quarterback Faizon Brandon and wide receiver TK Keys, the Vols’ top defensive addition was four-star linebacker TJ White. The 6-foot-2 prospect committed to Tennessee last July and stuck with the Vols through signing day in December. He then became an early enrollee and is currently on the field with his teammates during spring training camp this month.
247Sports’ rankings had White tagged as the No. 34 player in the country, the No. 3 linebacker in the class, and the No. 2 player out of Mississippi. His strength and athleticism made him an extremely sought-after prospect and someone who projects to be an impact player for the Vols in the near future.
“I think I’m doing pretty good at adjusting,” White told the media in Knoxville after the first few practices. “A lot of things to fix, obviously, but first few practices have been pretty good.”
With how loaded and deep Tennessee’s linebacker room is this season, it’s unclear what White’s role will be for the Vols. William Inge’s linebacker room returns players such as Arion Carter, Edwin Spillman, Jeremiah Telander, and Jadon Perlotte, while also adding Penn State transfer Amare Campbell and four-star linebacker Brayden Rouse. Still, though, White’s talent and versatility could get him on the field in some capacity as a true freshman.
ESPN’s Craig Haubert and Tom Luginbill broke down the different traits that White brings to the table and how they could help him get on the field this fall.
“White is scheme-versatile and brings the rare three‑step explosion off the edge, plus enough agility to drop and cover,” Haubert and Luginbill write. “That gives Tennessee flexibility to use him as a stand‑up rusher, a outside linebacker hybrid or in sub packages. His physical profile and reactive athleticism fit the Volunteers’ aggressive, multiple front scheme. Expect Tennessee to lean on his downhill power in short-yardage situations and his burst on obvious passing downs while he develops into a more complete every‑down player.”
More From RTI: Tennessee Football in Top Six for Elite Safety Recruit Out of Georgia
The ESPN analysts also note that White is a “high‑motor, confident and versatile defender” with traits that project him as an “immediate fit” with the Vols’ front seven.
Prior to arriving in Knoxville, White was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Mississippi as he helped lead Jackson Academy to the MAIS Class 4A Championship. He also competed in the Navy All-American Bowl, where he racked up 3.5 tackles.
The Vols’ linebacker room is stacked with veterans, and White is doing all he can to soak in the knowledge of his teammates around him.
“It’s great, really,” White said about working in the Vols’ LB room. “You’ve got a lot of veterans, can learn from everybody. We’ve got all the top – Telander, Amare Campbell came in, he’s knowledgeable when it comes to this. Great player, Arion Carter. All the veterans, I just learn from every single one of them.”
White also notes the intense competition in the room.
“Oh, trust, the competition is really high,” White said. “I already knew that coming into it. That’s really a plus, for real. Everybody’s ready to compete. Everybody’s trying to get a job, take a job. You see what I’m saying?”
