Only days after officially receiving an offer from Tennessee to be a part of the 2021 recruiting class as a preferred walk-on, in-state kicker JT Carver announced his commitment to the Vols on Wednesday.
Out of Martin, Tennessee, Carver is a 5-star kicker according to Kohl’s Kicking, and the No. 14 kicker in his class. It’s a huge get for the Vols, who will have uncertainty at the kicking position after Brent Cimaglia plays out his senior season in 2020. Carver will have a chance to come in and compete for a starting role in 2021.
As a lifelong Tennessee fan, Carver trains under former UT kicker James Wilhoit, who has high praise for the rising senior at Westview High School.
@jt_carver is the real deal. He’s one of the best kickers in the country. Can’t wait to see him play for our Vols!
— JamesWilhoit (@JamesWilhoit) August 5, 2020
Wilhoit kicked for Tennessee from 2003-06, and finished his career as the second-leading scorer in school history.
Not only is it a big get for the Vols without losing a scholarship, but it could be another path forming to land 4-star quarterback Ty Simpson, Carver’s high school teammate. Simpson is the No. 3 dual-threat quarterback in the country, and top-ranked player in Tennessee for 2022 according to the 247Sports Composite.