Five Tennessee Signees Competing In High School All-American Game Friday Night

Mike Matthews, Receiver

ESPN: Five-star

On3: Four-star

Rivals: Five-star

247sports: Five-star

Matthews is the highest rated commit in Tennessee’s 2024 recruiting class and chose the Vols over Clemson, Georgia and Southern Cal in July. The Atlanta native has already arrived on Tennessee’s campus and is going through bowl practices this month before officially enrolling in classes in January.

The 6-foot-1 receiver ranks as a five-star commit and the No. 20 player in the country according to the 247sports composite rankings. Matthews also ranks as the nation’s fifth best receiver and the fourth best player in the state of Georgia. The blue-chip recruit will have a chance to compete for early playing time though that’s no guarantee in a crowded, but not elite, Tennessee receiver room.

Edwin Spillman, Linebacker

ESPN: Four-star

On3: Four-star

Rivals: Four-star

247sports: Four-star

Tennessee won a long recruiting battle against Ohio State and Georgia to land the Nashville inside linebacker. Spillman was a tackling machine at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville and is the younger brother of Tennessee freshman receiver Nate Spillman.

Edwin Spillman ranks as a four-star recruit and the No. 337 player in the country according to the 247sports composite rankings. The blue-chip recruit ranks as the 27th-best linebacker nationally and the 8th-best prospect in the state of Tennessee. The Vols have strong inside linebacker depth but Spillman could push to be a depth piece during his freshman season.

Bennett Warren, Offensive Tackle

ESPN: Four-star

On3: Four-star

Rivals: Four-star

247sports: Four-star

Committing to Tennessee over Michigan, Oklahoma and Texas A&M on the final day of July, Warren marked one of the biggest wins for Josh Heupel and his staff during the 2024 recruiting cycle. The Vols have struggled to land highly ranked offensive tackles under Heupel and offensive line coach Glen Elarbee and Warren is just that.

The Sugar Land, Texas native ranks as the No. 148 player and No. 11 offensive tackle in the country according to the 247sports composite rankings. Warren won’t start at offensive tackle as a freshman but could prove to be a backup and his development is vitally important with starting offensive tackles Gerald Mincey and John Campbell Jr. out of eligibility after this season.

Jake Merklinger, Quarterback

ESPN: Four-star

On3: Four-star

Rivals: Four-star

247sports: Four-star

Tennessee’s lone quarterback commit in its 2024 recruiting class, Merklinger committed to the Vols in late March over North Carolina and Georgia. There’s less hype around Merklinger than Nico Iamaleava last year or the Vols’ pursuit of George MacIntyre in the 2025 recruiting cycle but Merklinger is still a very capable quarterback.

Merklinger ranks as the No. 129 player and No. 10 quarterback in the country according to the 247sports composite rankings. The blue-chip recruit arrived on campus for bowl practice over the weekend and while he won’t start as a freshman he will compete for the backup quarterback position.