Knee-jerk reaction: Success in state of Georgia key to future of Tennessee

The Smokey mountains keep moving south. They’re mountains, it’s how they came to exist.

The movement stated is being guided by University of Tennessee’s football head coach Josh Heupel. The first-year head coach has found gold working downstream in recruiting the state of Georgia. As a result, it could be a key to a coming rise for Tennessee’s football program.

On Friday, the Volunteers added their future roster. Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern wide receiver Kaleb Webb committed to Tennessee.

Webb is the No. 252 overall prospect in the On3 Consensus rankings for the class of 2022. He is the No. 160 overall prospect in On3’s 2022 rankings.

Webb isn’t the first from the class of 2022 to commit to playing for the Volunteers.

The four-star wide receiver will be joining the No. 154 overall prospect in the On3 rankings in Norcross (Ga.) Greater Atlanta Christian offensive lineman Addison Nichols.

The No. 196 overall prospect in the On3 Consensus and No. 71 overall prospect in the On3 rankings Joshua Josephs committed to Tennessee back on Nov. 22.

On3 Conensus three stars Alpahretta (Ga.) Milton offensive lineman Maurice Clippler Jr. and Atlanta (Ga.) Woodward Academy Christian Harrison are both committed to Tennessee as well.

The Volunteers’ Georgia commits have confidence that they can provide a boost to an already bubbling pot in Knoxville.

“I believe the best players are in Georgia,” Harrison said in an interview in November. “If you want to be the best team in college, you have to get a lot of us Georgia boys.”

Webb repeated the sentiments following his commitment on Friday.

“I feel like in a few years we’ll be a national championship type team,” Webb said. “They’re putting the right pieces in place. I feel like Georgia is the best place for high school football and it will translate to college.”

The Volunteers’ class of 2022 sits at 20th overall in the On3 Consensus Football Team Recruiting Rankings.

Location is key for Tennessee

For Webb, Knoxville is only 151 miles north of his hometown in Powder Springs.

The Volunteers are almost like another in-state Power Five option for Georgia prospects wanting to venture outside of Georgia and Georgia Tech.

Heupel and staff have begun setting up roots in Georgia and that trend could continue as it has for years to come.