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North Carolina is a focal point for Tennessee football recruiting, Vols coach Josh Heupel said Tuesday.
“It is a border state,” Heupel said before Tennessee begins preseason practices Wednesday. “For us, we believe and look at it and view it as part of our footprint. We are intentional in how we recruit that state.”
Heupel’s comments come in the midst of Tennessee’s intense pursuit of five-star offensive tackle David Sanders Jr., who plays at Providence Day School in Charlotte. Heupel was not asked about Sanders nor did he comment specifically on the No. 2 prospect nationally for the 2025 class, according to the 247Sports Composite.
Tennessee has the No. 6 class in the nation after a four-commitment July and a six-commitment June.
Five-star David Sanders Jr. is a top Tennessee football target
Sanders has been a focus for the Tennessee staff for some time as one of the most-coveted prospects in the nation.
The 6-foot-6, 290-pound Sanders has Tennessee in his final four along with Georgia, Nebraska and Ohio State. He announced a commitment date of Aug. 17 on X, formerly known as Twitter. The nation’s top-ranked offensive lineman has visited Tennessee multiple times, including a June official visit.
“As this month goes, the dead (period), still a lot of recruiting opportunities for us as we get ready to kick off training camp here,” Heupel said.
How Tennessee football has recruited North Carolina under Josh Heupel
Tennessee has signed three prospects from North Carolina in the past three classes under Heupel, which are his three full classes since he was hired in January 2021.
The Vols play North Carolina State in Charlotte in the 2024 Duke’s Mayo Classic on Sept. 7, 2024 at Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers.
“The state of North Carolina is really important to us,” Heupel said. “That is how we recruit it….
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/why-tennessee-football-josh-heupel-185134924.html
Author : Knox News | The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Publish date : 2024-07-30 18:51:34
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