Tennessee football recruiting: Vols’ top 2024 wide receiver targets
Third-year Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel and his staff continue to recruit future Vols.
The Vols have five 2024 commitments, headlined by four-stars Jonathan Echols (athlete), JJ Harrell (wide receiver) and Kaleb Beasley (cornerback).
The Vols have the No. 9 overall recruiting class and No. 5 recruiting class in the Southeastern Conference, according to the On3 consensus.
Tennessee landed its first wide receiver commitment with Harrell. Harrell is the No. 13 wide receiver in the class of 2024, according to On3.
Vols Wire breaks down the top 2024 wide receiver targets for Tennessee. The top wide receiver targets for the Vols are listed below.
Mike Matthews
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 180 pounds
High school: Parkview (Lilburn, Georgia)
National ranking (On3 consensus): No. 6
Position ranking: No. 3
State ranking: No. 2
Matthews earned Gwinnett County Wide Receiver of the Year honors in 2022. He also earned first-team all-state, all-county and all-region honors last season. Matthews finished his junior season with 48 receptions, 1,031 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.
Matthews is a consensus top-five wide receiver and a top-25 overall prospect in the class of 2024.
He unofficially visited Tennessee on Oct. 15, 2022, when Tennessee defeated Alabama, and on junior day.
Had great time at Tennessee this pass weekend. Blessed and thankful for the opportunity! #govols🍊@coachjoshheupel @CoachKelseyPope @Coach_Nez_ @Vol_Football @RecruitGeorgia @SWiltfong247 @ChadSimmons_ @ParkviewFB pic.twitter.com/kD8ktgc6Gi
— mike matthews (@mike1matthews) January 17, 2023
Joshisa Trader
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 175 pounds
High school: Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory (Hollywood, Florida)
National ranking (On3 consensus): No. 14
Position ranking: No. 4
State ranking: No. 4
Trader played a key role in Chaminade-Madonna winning its fifth state championship in the last six seasons. He finished the season with 743 receiving yards, seven touchdowns and averaged 15.8 yards per reception.
He earned second-team MaxPreps High School Junior All-American honors last season.
Trader announced his top five teams on Dec. 25: Tennessee, Florida, Miami, Florida State and Ohio State.
BREAKING: Five-Star WR Joshisa Trader is down to 5️⃣ Schools!
The 6’1 185 WR from Miami, FL is ranked as the No. 8 Player in the ‘24 Class (No. 4 WR)https://t.co/yr8PyFrKtR pic.twitter.com/T6n58EYq5F
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 26, 2022
Ryan Wingo
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 198 pounds
High school: St. Louis University High School (Saint Louis, Missouri)
National ranking (On3 consensus): No. 30
Position ranking: No. 7
State ranking: No. 2
Wingo is versatile, playing wide receiver, defensive back, return specialist and punter last season. He finished the 2022 season with 785 receiving yards, 13 receiving touchdowns, 44 tackles, two interceptions, two punt return touchdowns and averaged 30.5 yards per punt return.
He earned first-team all-conference and second-team all-state honors as a wide receiver. Wingo was also named second-team all-conference as a cornerback, punter and kick returner.
Wingo has unofficially visited Tennessee three times. He most recently visited on Jan. 14 for junior day. He attended Tennessee’s win over Florida on Sept. 24, 2022.
Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Tennessee @AlecAbeln @coachjoshheupel @CoachKelseyPope @CoachAdamCruz1 @SLUHfootball @AllenTrieu @Rivals_Clint @jeremycrabtree @Vol_Football pic.twitter.com/jg4GqlHR01
— Ryan Wingo (@_Ryanwingo1) March 10, 2022
Tae Johnson
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 170 pounds
High school: North Side (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
National ranking (On3 consensus): No. 122
Position ranking: No. 22
State ranking: No. 3
Johnson earned second-team all-Great Lakes region honors last season. As a junior in 2022, he finished the season with 69 receptions, 1,081 receiving yards and 16 receiving touchdowns.
He visited Tennessee unofficially on Jan. 28. Johnson attended Tennessee’s victory against Alabama on Oct. 15, 2022.
Notre Dame is the early favorite in his recruitment. The On3 recruiting prediction machine gives Tennessee the third-best odds to land Johnson.
Blessed and thankful to receive an offer from University of Tennessee. @CoachGolesh @CoachJohnsonJr @FW_NorthSideFB @SWiltfong247 pic.twitter.com/fgvKhOPGaY
— Tae Tae Johnson (@taejohnson1012) July 14, 2022
Markeis Barrett Jr.
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 160 pounds
High school: Webb School (Knoxville, Tennessee)
National ranking (On3 consensus): No. 364
Position ranking: No. 57
State ranking: No. 7
Barrett has earned back-to-back All-State honors, while playing both wide receiver and cornerback for Webb. He also earned first-team All-5 Star Prep honors as a defensive back last season.
He unofficially visited Tennessee three times over the past two years. The most recent visit was on Oct. 15, 2022 as the Vols upset Alabama at Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Clemson and Kentucky have emerged as the top contenders for Barrett.
Knoxville Today📍@Vol_Football @Coach_Nez_ @CoachKelseyPope @coachjoshheupel #GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/utgvTRyM7i
— Boski⭐️ (@BarrettMarkeis) October 15, 2022
Amari Jefferson
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 190 pounds
High school: Baylor School (Chattanooga, Tennessee)
National ranking (On3 consensus): No. 442
Position ranking: No. 73
State ranking: No. 10
Jefferson earned first-team all-state honors last season. He finished his junior season with 72 receptions, 1,370 receiving yards and 17 receiving touchdowns.
He attended Tennessee’s win against Florida, 38-33, on Sept. 24, 2022. Jefferson announced intentions to visit Tennessee again this spring.
Georgia and Tennessee have emerged as two of the strongest candidates for Jefferson in his recruitment.
First 12‼️ @SWiltfong247 @ChadSimmons_ @JeremyO_Johnson @Mansell247 @adamgorney @SeanW_Rivals @CSmithScout @Hunter_DeNote @ErikKimrey pic.twitter.com/rLtTMKKd6L
— Amari Jefferson (@AmariJefferson6) January 27, 2023
Brandon Heyward
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 170 pounds
High school: Oak Ridge (Oak Ridge, Tennessee)
National ranking (On3 consensus): No. 482
Position ranking: No. 78
State ranking: No. 12
As a junior in 2022, Heyward ended the season with 29 receptions, 500 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns.
Heyward has been a three-year starter at Oak Ridge High School. He totaled 91 receptions, 1,298 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns during his first two high school seasons.
Heyward visited Tennessee as the Volunteers defeated Kentucky, 44-6, on Oct. 29, 2022. The On3 recruiting prediction machine gives Tennessee the best percentage to land Heyward’s commitment.
The Big 🎱 #AGTG @RyanCallahan247 @SeanW_Rivals @ChadSimmons_ #journeycontinues pic.twitter.com/Q8kBVORTKO
— Brandon Heyward (@bheyward13) October 26, 2022
