Four-star offensive tackle Drew Richmond is a Volunteer. The Memphis (Tenn.) University School prospect was originally committed to Ole Miss, but he decommitted Monday and signed with Tennessee on National Signing Day.
National Signing Day 2015: 4-star OT Drew Richmond picks Tennessee
Volunteers head coach Butch Jones pulled in another high-end prospect.
SB Nation Recruiting
Richmond checks in at 6’5 and 310 pounds, and he runs a reported 5.4-second 40-yard dash. He’s the third-best offensive tackle in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite ratings, the second-best player from the state of Tennessee and the 54th-best in the class of 2015.
Francois committed to Ole Miss in September, and he made a few visits to Oxford in the past few months, most recently on Jan. 23. But a visit to Knoxville last weekend gave Tennessee the final advantage. In addition to the Vols and Rebels, he held offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and UCLA, among many others. In his scouting report on Richmond, SB Nation recruiting analyst Bud Elliott said he needs some work, but can be a multi-year starter at a major program:
What I want to see more of from Richmond is his footwork, feel and positioning. Does he have the lateral agility to play offensive tackle at a high level? Can he stick on his blocks against college defenders? Even in some of his highlights, he is getting away with taking a less-than-ideal angle, and still burying his defender with superior strength.
Richmond can also be over-aggressive at times, though I don’t see that as a big problem. In baseball, some scouts use the term, “see ball, hit ball” to describe a player who swings at everything, but makes contact. Richmond is somewhat similar; he sees the defenders and hits them. In time, he’ll hit them with better technique, angles and understanding of the goal of the play.
