Tennessee celebrates 2023 signing class with billboards across the country
Tennessee football celebrated its 2023 signing class with billboards across the country showing the group, along with the RockyTop23 hashtag. The Vols signed the 12th best class in the On3 ratings and were ranked fifth in the SEC.
The class came from hometowns that were an average of 296.1 miles from Knoxville, including two five-star prospects, 10 four-stars and 12-three-stars, representing 12 states — California, North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Georgia, Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Texas and Utah.
The two five-star headliners came from each coast, with five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava, the No. 2 overall player in the country, coming from Long Beach, Calif. Five-star defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs, one of the most recent additions to the class, came from Concord, N.C.
#RockyTop23 🍊 is coast to coast
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) December 22, 2022
Let us know where you saw one! pic.twitter.com/3uqI1SM0cP
Four-star edge rusher Caleb Herring was the highest-rated in-state prospect, out of Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Four-star receiver Nathan Leacock, the second highest-rated offensive signee, came out of North Carolina too, from Millbrook High School in Raleigh.
NCAA Transfer Portal additions came out of Texas, California, Utah and Tennessee. Andrej Karic, the former Texas offensive lineman, is from Southlake, Texas. UC Davis tight end transfer McCallan Castles is an active of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., and former Indiana kicker Charles Campbell is out of Jackson, Tenn. The Vols on Wednesday added a commitment from BYU linebacker Keenan Pili, a Provo, Utah, native.
Top 10
- 1Hot
DJ Lagway injury
Florida QB practices Wednesday
- 2
Re-ranking 2024 class
On3 re-ranks the 5-stars from the 2024 cycle
- 3
Colbie Young
Attorney calls for Georgia WR reinstatement
- 4
Peyton Manning 2028
Presidential Odds for several former star QBs
- 5
Finebaum blasts Gundy
'I don't think there's a bigger clown' in CFB
“Obviously an extremely important day and a great day for Tennessee football and the future of Tennessee football,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said on Wednesday while officially introducing the class on National Signing Day. “Great practice with our guys today that are currently here, some of those being new enrollees, too. Then obviously signing day that took place this morning, for most of those guys. It’s been a lot of fun going through the process with these guys. Believe, obviously, in their athleticism, just as importantly who they are.”
Up Next: No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Clemson, Orange Bowl, December 30, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Fifteen members of the 2023 class enrolled at Tennessee last week and joined the Vols for bowl practice. Tennessee faces Clemson in the Capital One Orange Bowl on December 30 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
“Like to thank their families for entrusting us with their sons for the next 3-5 years,” Heupel said of his 2023 class. “Want to congratulate our staff. That’s our full-time coaches, everybody inside of the building. Our personnel department, our on campus recruiters, our training staff. It takes everybody inside the building to recruit elite players. Really proud of the effort that everybody put into it. I think it speaks to who we are.
“Also a thank you to all the high school coaches, not just in this state, but everywhere we’ve been, for receiving us and our coaches the right way, helping us navigate the process. For those that we ended up signing some from, thank you. Again, just trusting us, what we’re about and where this program is heading, as you sent your players to us.”
