Tennessee football class 2022: What to expect from every player on National Signing Day

Tennessee football is signing its first recruiting class under coach Josh Heupel.

Wednesday was the first day of the early signing period, which goes through Friday. A second signing period opens Feb. 2, but the Vols will sign most of their recruits this week.

Here are the prospects who have signed with UT so far and their expectations at Vols:

OL Maurice Clipper Jr. (6-4, 300)

Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.)

247Sports Composite: 3-star, No. 35 interior OL

What to expect: Clipper mostly worked at right tackle in high school, but he likely will play guard at UT. He has a big frame and should benefit from the tutelage of offensive line coach Glen Elarbee. Look for Clipper to push for a spot in the rotation in 2023 after Jerome Carvin finishes his career.

OT Brian Grant (6-6, 278)

Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach, Fla.)

247Sports Composite: 3-star, No. 71 OT

What to expect: Grant is a prototypical developmental tackle. He has a big frame and good agility as a basketball player, but he needs time to gain strength and weight. He’s likely a redshirt candidate in 2022 with his best football a few years away.

CB Christian Harrison (6-0, 183)

Woodward Academy (Atlanta)

247Sports Composite: 3-star, No. 97 CB

What to expect: Son of former NFL All-Pro safety Rodney Harrison, he will also play in the secondary. Harrison’s stock rose as a senior, as he decommitted from Liberty and picked UT over Florida and Nebraska. UT hopes it’s an indication of a long-term upside.

LB Elijah Herring (6-3, 230)

Riverdale (Murfreesboro)

247Sports Composite: 3-star, No. 68 LB

What to expect: Herring has good length and pursues the ball well. His big plays were made as an edge rusher. UT may try him there or as a more traditional linebacker. There’s time to find his best fit. Notably, brother Caleb, a four-star edge rusher, is the No. 1 prospect in Tennessee in the 2023 class.

QB Tayven Jackson (6-4, 195)

Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.)

247Sports Composite: 4-star, No. 12 QB

What to expect: Jackson is a talented dual-threat quarterback who could thrive in Heupel's offense. But he needs time to develop to reach his high ceiling. With Hendon Hooker returning, Jackson can learn behind him and then compete to start in 2023.

EDGE Joshua Josephs (6-3, 215)

North Cobb (Kennesaw, Ga.)

247Sports Composite: 4-star, No. 24 edge rusher

What to expect: Josephs is a tweener, which UT views as a positive long-term. He’ll need to add weight and strength to be an SEC edge rusher, but that’s likely his position. His agility and coverage skills may be good enough to play weakside linebacker. He’ll be an intriguing project early on.

WR Cameron Miller (6-1, 195)

Memphis Academy of Health Sciences (Memphis)

247Sports Composite: 3-star, No. 60 WR

What to expect: Miller, a Tennessee Mr. Football finalist, will enroll in January. Spring practice will help him learn the offense, hone his route-running and step into an open competition. There’s turnover in the receiving corps with at least Velus Jones Jr. and JaVonta Payton leaving, so reps are up for grabs.

OL Addison Nichols (6-5, 318)

Greater Atlanta Christian School (Norcross, Ga.)

247Sports Composite: 4-star, No. 4 interior OL

What to expect: Offensive linemen often take a redshirt year to develop. But Nichols has a high rating and should play sooner than later. He already has good size, plus athleticism and flexibility as a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Starters are returning in the interior line, but Nichols may be a backup immediately.

WR Chas Nimrod (6-3, 181)

Bentonville (Bentonville, Ark.)

247Sports Composite: 3-star, No. 75 WR

What to expect: Nimrod is a tall, long-striding receiver who may remind UT fans of Cedric Tillman. He has long-term potential as an outside receiver. He will enter the receiving corps during a period of transition, as Velus Jones Jr. and JaVonta Payton end their college careers. Competition is open.

EDGE James Pearce (6-5, 220)

Julius L. Chambers (Charlotte, N.C.)

247Sports Composite: 4-star, No. 22 edge

What to expect: Pearce was a pleasant surprise. Aside from being one of the most talented players in the class, he was expected to sign during the late signing period in February. Instead, the Vols added him as a key piece. He could be a situational pass rusher as a freshman and then go from there.

LB Kalib Perry (6-4, 215)

Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)

247Sports Composite: 3-star, No. 75 LB

What to expect: Perry transitioned from safety to linebacker, so he will be a developmental project early in his career, perhaps similar to Jeremy Banks. Perry is long and athletic with a wide wingspan. UT coaches should have fun fitting his skills within the scheme as he fills out his frame.

DL Jordan Phillips (6-2, 300)

Ocoee (Ocoee, Fla.)

247Sports Composite: 3-star, No. 86 DL

What to expect: Phillips, an accomplished wrestler and weightlifter, has a powerful compact frame. He lacks length, which could limit his pass-rushing skills and ability to get off blocks. But he should be a run-stopper who can take on double teams and push the interior line. His impact may be greater than his stats. He is already enrolled.

OL Masai Reddick (6-5, 330)

Cass Technical (Detroit)

247Sports Composite: 3-star, No. 67 OT

What to expect: Reddick has potential to play multiple positions on the line, but he’ll likely be at guard. He is a mauler with tremendous size. But he's raw and has some limitations in athleticism. Most of his offers were from mid-major schools, but Reddick could be viewed as a steal in a few years.

RB Dylan Sampson (5-9, 180)

Dutchtown (Geismar, La.)

247Sports Composite: 3-star, No. 33 RB

What to expect: Sampson is undersized but has top-line speed, which is useful in any offense. There are question marks about UT’s depth at running back, aside from Jabari Small and maybe Jaylen Wright. Sampson joins running back Justin Williams in this class, giving the Vols new tools in the backfield.

S Jourdan Thomas (6-2, 190)

Montgomery Catholic Prep (Montgomery, Ala.)

247Sports Composite: 3-star, No. 62 S

What to expect: Thomas was one of UT’s best late pick-ups after he decommitted from Mississippi State on Dec. 1. He is a well-rounded safety who has strong run support and coverage skills. Don’t be surprised if Thomas eventually sees time at Star position, where Theo Jackson excelled this season.

WR Kaleb Webb (6-3, 185)

McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)

247Sports Composite: 4-star, No. 46 WR

What to expect: Webb picked UT over Michigan and Louisville. His height is a plus. His sprinter speed, as member of the Georgia state champion 4x100 relay team, is a bigger bonus. And he touts production (83 rec., 1,601 yards, 18 TDs as senior). There’s very little to dislike about Webb, who should find a role in UT’s offense.

DL Tyre West (6-3, 280)

Tift County (Tifton, Ga.)

247Sports Composite: 4-star, No. 20 DL

What to expect: West should play as a freshman. He’s ranked the No. 111 player overall, picking the Vols over Florida State after decommitting from Georgia. Defensive line coach Rodney Garner, who thrived in recruiting for Auburn and Georgia, helped land West. He will be eager to get the talented West on the field in 2022.

WR Marquarius White (5-10, 155)

Clay-Chalkville (Pinson, Ala.)

247Sports Composite: 3-star, No. 72 WR

What to expect: Nicknamed “Squirrel,” White is undersized but has quick-twitch abilities as a speedy slot receiver. His route-running is polished for a high school receiver, which could accelerate his move into the rotation. He may need to gain bulk before making an impact, but that won't be difficult to solve in year one.

CB Desmond Williams (5-11, 190)

East Central Community College (Decatur, Miss.)

247Sports Composite: 3-star, No. 3 JUCO CB

What to expect: Williams, ranked the No. 3 junior college cornerback, should be one of the most game-ready in UT’s class. He had seven interceptions and 14 pass breakups this season. With Alontae Taylor headed to the NFL, Williams should fit into the cornerback rotation. He’s also a very good special teams player and punt returner.

RB Justin Williams (6-0, 205)

East Paulding (Dallas, Ga.)

247Sports Composite: 4-star, No. 24 RB

What to expect: UT beat out Auburn to grab Williams on signing day. He rushed for 1,956 yards and 15 TDs as a senior with good balance, lateral agility and straight-line speed. Williams’ talent and size may give him a chance to play early, especially with depth questions at running back after Tiyon Evans transferred to Louisville.

Reach Adam Sparks at adam.sparks@knoxnews.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football signing class 2022: What to expect from Josh Heupel signees