Defensive end Jahvaree Ritzie from Kernersville, North Carolina released his top five schools on Sunday, keeping Tennessee in the running to sign the coveted 2021 prospect.
Dear lord🙏🏽, THANK YOU 🤟🏽🌍💕
•Top 👑5️⃣ WE LIVE ✌🏽🤩 pic.twitter.com/NI6lQHjeIH
— Jahvaree Ritzie 👑5️⃣ (@jahvaree) April 26, 2020
South Carolina, Ohio State, Georgia and North Carolina are the teams to beat for Ritzie’s signature. A 6-foot-4, 274-pound defender, Ritzie is rated a 4-star by the 247Sports Composite and the No. 14 strong-side defensive end in the country, as well as the No. 8 overall prospect in North Carolina.
If signed, Tennessee would be getting a physical and versatile defender off the edge that has shown the ability to stop the run and meet the quarterback in the backfield.
Ritzie has the size and athleticism to help immediately, and would be a boost for a Tennessee team that will look to replace Darrell Taylor with a handful of unproven outside linebackers in 2020. Taylor was drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks on Friday.
North Carolina is thought to be leading the charge for Ritzie, as the Tar Heels continue an impressive recruiting run under Mack Brown. At the moment, North Carolina has the No. 2 recruiting class in the country, with 11 4-star prospects already committed.
Tennessee running backs coach Jay Graham – who is familiar with the recruiting landscape in the Carolinas after a stint as South Carolina’s running backs coach – leads the charge as Ritzie’s primary recruiter, with help from defensive line coach Jimmy Brumbaugh.