With Signing Day vastly approaching, Tennessee is preparing to add reinforcements to the backfield. Three-star Dutchtown standout Dylan Sampson, an all-purpose back, is ready for the challenge.

“I’m feeling good. I’m ready to put the work in and get to it,” the commit told Volquest over the weekend. “I want to come in and have an impact in any way I can. I’m ready to work.”

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound athlete plans to sign his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday at 6 o’clock eastern time, but will not be a mid-year enrollee.

He’s a guy who finished the 2021 campaign with over 1,600 yards (1,300 rushing) and 22 touchdowns.

In the process, Sampson broke former NFL running back Eddie Lacy’s all-time rushing school record, ending his career with almost 5,000 rushing yards in varsity games. The Tennessee commit also broke Lacy’s single-game rushing record for Dutchtown this season, running for 287 yards with four touchdowns against Ouachita Parish on October 1 in the spread offense.

When asked what Tennessee is getting in the Geismer, La. native, Sampson was on point.

“The speed and elusiveness that I bring to the running back room is something they don’t have a lot of right now at this moment,” the running back said. “I feel like I’m a different kind of back than the ones they have right now. I think that’s what they are trying to incorporate in that room and I’m trying to bring it and develop it as best that I can.”

The tailback is eager to get to work with his future teammates. Jabari Small was the player-host back when Sampson took his official visit to Tennessee. The mindset of the running back room was apparent and the new guy believes he will fit right in when he arrives for summer workouts.

“It’s just a room full of guys who are ready to work,” the commit said. “My concentration this winter is really just to put on a couple of extra pounds that I need. That’s my main concern, the physical aspect of it. After that, just learning the mental part of the game.”

Tennessee’s offense is one of the more appealing aspects the Vols have going for them in recruiting. That’s no different with Sampson as he believes the tempo gives the ultimate advantage.

“A lot of the time, it leaves the defense not set up and all over the place. They miss their keys and you can just pop one,” Sampson said of the scheme. “It’s a very spread [out] offense. They run very wide – a wider spread than most. They use the entire field. With the tempo they run and the way they mix up the play-calls, I feel like it will suit my type of play-style.

“They still weren’t at full strength in the run-game this season due to injuries, but there was still a good deal of success there this season.”

Running backs coach Jerry Mack stopped by the Sampson household recently to pay his future position player a visit. Josh Heupel plans to make an in-person stop sometime in January.

“It was good. Just regular conversation. He is so easy to talk to – we just sit around and talk about anything,” Sampson said of Mack on the visit. “Then, he gave me some information on how the offseason would be and stuff like that. But it was good family-type of conversation.”

The communication aspect between the coaching staff and prospect is another theme that gained a lot of traction with Sampson over the past year. Heupel and Mack both have been transparent and open from the get-go.

“Coach Mack, as well as coach Heupel, they have been telling me what they need and what they want,” the commit concluded. “They are upfront about it, just being 100 percent honest the entire way. It’s been good. They will call at random times and I’ll pick up the phone and we will just have a conversation.”

LSU and Alabama have given Sampson a ‘late push,’ but the Tennessee commit is ‘all set’ on signing with the Volunteers this Wednesday.