Top-75 LB TJ White ready to make an impact on Rocky Top

Jackson Academy four-star linebacker TJ White committed to the Vols over a number of programs in the summer, and he has now officially signed with Tennessee. He is set for the next chapter of his college career.

“I mean, it feels like a whole lot of hard work has paid off and has been worth it,” White told Volquest of the excitement of signing with Tennessee.. “To just be able to go to one of the best schools in the SEC now is great. I am just ready to get back to work and get to the next level and get developed at Rocky Top. I am excited about that.”

White has been a priority prospect for William Inge and Tennessee for months, and he believes in their plan for him and his ability to make an impact in Knoxville.

“Honestly, I feel like I can have a huge impact because I am coming in to work, and I will be a mid-year, too,” White said of this. “So I am going to have a lot of time to get started on the film and the playbook and have the time to get settled and get developed earlier than most, so I am ready for that. I think I can have as big of an impact as a freshman can have.”

The Scout on White

“TJ has improved a lot,” Jackson Academy Head Coach David Duggan said in July of what has stood out about White at Jackson Academy. “His physicality improved last season. He is a long, explosive athlete. He can really run. His track time a year ago was 11-flat. He plays like that on the football field. He has a great motor. He works really hard in practice, and it carries over to the game field. He has a lot of upside. He was a basketball player until this past year, so he has a lot of growing to do, and I think his ceiling has yet to be reached. His athletic ability and explosiveness are only going to continue to improve.”

Given his athleticism and explosiveness, Duggan believes the best is still ahead for the top-75 prospect.

“When I got here a year ago, we kind of used him as a hybrid rush backer, so his pass rush skills really improved a lot,” Duggan said of this. “I think those will continue to improve, but now, we are moving him to a position where he is going to be on his feet the entire time. So, I think just his awareness, the way he sees the game, was kind of a natural from a hybrid rush backer, so I think you can see him get more comfortable with that. He has a three-step attack into the ball like I have never seen before. I think once he feels that he can go, you will see him continue to grow. I think the more comfortable he gets with the position at the college level, you will just continue to see growth from him.”