Tennessee’s red-hot recruiting run in the 2021 cycle has it at the No. 2 spot in the country per the 247Sports rankings.
The Vols’ class has two defensive tackle commitments, including 4-star KaTron Evans, but is still in the running to add another elite interior defensive lineman in Leonard Taylor from Miami.
Taylor announced his top five schools on Sunday, with Tennessee included in an SEC-filled race.
Dreams coming true ✅ @PantherPride305 pic.twitter.com/VA4mCTcYao
— Leonard Taylor 🎯 ⁵⁶ (@56reasons_) May 24, 2020
Auburn, Florida, LSU and Miami are also in the running for Taylor’s signature.
At 6-foot-4, 255-pounds, Taylor is a natural defensive tackle. The 247Sports Composite rates him as a 5-star prospect, the No. 27 player in the country, No. 3 defensive tackle in the country and No. 5 player from Florida.
Taylor is a game-wrecker, serving as much more than a run-stopper who can clog up space in the middle. The rising senior at Miami Palmetto High School racked up 68 tackles in 2019, including 26 TFLs and 11 sacks, even adding two interceptions.
Taylor is a high priority for Tennessee, and has ace recruiter and inside linebackers coach Brian Niedermeyer as his primary recruiter. With no commitment date in sight, UT appears to have time to work on securing Taylor, who would be the second-highest rated commit in the class, behind 5-star outside linebacker Terrence Lewis.