Football
JJ Harrell once planned to announce his college decision on Jan. 30, but he decided to wait a bit longer after getting a scholarship offer from Alabama last month. But he ultimately decided that his first visit to Tennessee last month showed him everything he needed to see.
The four-star Class of 2024 wide receiver from North Panola High School in Sardis, Miss., announced Monday afternoon that he has committed to Tennessee, choosing the Vols over Alabama and scholarship offers from more than 20 other schools, including LSU, Ole Miss and Auburn. He gave the Vols their fifth commitment for the 2024 class and their first from a projected wide receiver.
“They pretty much check off all the boxes for me, with just the offensive scheme and where they could use me,” said Harrell, who’s ranked the No. 104 overall prospect and No. 18 wide receiver in the 2024 class and the No. 2 junior from the state of Mississippi, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. “I could be used where I can develop and a person overall, so they really check off all them boxes for me and my family, and we came to the conclusion that Tennessee is what’s best for me.”
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Harrell visited Tennessee for the first time Jan. 14 to attend its first junior day of the year after getting an offer from the Vols on Dec. 3. He told GoVols247 that he has been leaning toward Tennessee since making the trip to Knoxville more than a month ago.
“Since I first got the offer, they’ve been on me real bad,” said Harrell, who moved up more than 100 spots in the 247Sports Composite rankings Monday afternoon. “They’ve been telling me what type of player I was and how important I was, and telling me that I was a priority. So I just really had to get there and see it for myself, so after my visit, I was leaning toward them. I’ve known for a minute that I was going to Tennessee. … I knew right then and there (in January).”
He said he postponed his planned announcement last month after learning of his offer from Alabama on Jan. 24 because he “just wanted to make sure” he was making the right choice. He visited the Crimson Tide the weekend of Jan. 28, but he didn’t feel the need to make another trip to Tennessee before announcing his choice.
“We had to go on and discuss our options and see what was the best fit for me, and me and my family needed more time to make sure that Tennessee was the right fit,” Harrell said. “Everybody in my family, we all came to the conclusion Tennessee was the best fit for me.”
The Vols’ fast-paced, high-scoring offense under coach Josh Heupel played a major role in Harrell’s decision.
“They’ve got an explosive offense,” he said. “I’m an explosive-type player, and I think I can put my team in position to win, and that’s the type of offense I really need to be around. That’s what basically my decision was around.
“And we’ve got a five-star quarterback, Nico (Iamaleava). I mean, that’s what it starts with first. You’ve got to have a good quarterback, and that’s what I love. Nico’s a great quarterback. They’ve got a great, explosive offense, and I’m an explosive player.”
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Harrell said he expects to line up primarily “outside” rather than in the slot at Tennessee, but he said he’s willing to help “anywhere they need me to make a play at.” He said he expects to “play early,” too, and he’s hoping to arrive on campus in January as an early enrollee.
“I’ve just got to get the playbook and all that down pat, but I’m definitely playing early,” he said. “I’m going to try to enroll early. I’ve already talked to my principal and my counselor and all them.”
It also didn’t hurt that he knows a couple of Tennessee’s players. Freshman safety John Slaughter, a newcomer from the Vols’ 2023 recruiting class, has spent plenty of time recruiting Harrell to join him at Tennessee over the past few months. Harrell said he also knows Vols defensive back Tamarion McDonald, a native of nearby Memphis, Tenn.
“He’s been recruiting me since I got the offer,” Harrell said of Slaughter. “John was recruiting me way before I even had the offer, though. That’s my guy. Tamarion McDonald, he’s close friends with me. I mean, that’s a big deal.”
Tennessee wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope has already built a strong relationship with Harrell.
“I mean, he’s going to keep it real with you,” Harrell said. “From the jump, he’s going to let you know what it is, and he’s going to always keep the main thing the main thing.”
While Early Signing Day for the 2024 class is still almost 10 months away, he said he doesn’t expect to continue exploring his other options or have any second thoughts about his commitment in the coming months.
“I’m a Vol,” Harrell said.
There’s a good chance he will be back at Tennessee in the coming weeks. He said he’s also planning to take his official visit to Knoxville in June.
“I’m going back up there real soon,” he said. “I know I’m planning on doing an OV in June, but pretty soon, though. Maybe a spring practice, spring game. I’ll be back home real soon.”
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