Elite 2022 defensive lineman Khurtiss Perry details his latest Vols visit

Khurtiss Perry has yet to be ranked by Rivals, but the playmaking 2022 defensive lineman from Montgomery (Ala.) is sure to be one of the top-ranked lineman in the Southeast come next recruiting cycle.

Perry made his way back to Tennessee on Saturday, attending the Vols’ second Junior Day of the month. The 2022 lineman has become a frequent visitor on Rocky Top in the last 12 months, with the weekend trip marking the third time he’s been to Tennessee.

“It’s been a great day. Long day. But it was a great day. It was smooth,” Perry said of the visit.

“I got a chance to build more relationships with the coaching staff. (Derrick Ansley) is a great guy. He keeps it real with me. He tells me what I need to work on. What I need to do in the classroom.”

Perry already holds more than a dozen offers, with Alabama, Auburn, LSU, South Carolina and Kentucky in the mix along with Tennessee.

As a sophomore for Park Crossing, Perry played all over the defensive line and finished the 2019 season with 151 tackles and 13 TFLs. The 6-2, 250-pound lineman added 11 sacks, two forced fumbles, two blocked field goals and an interception, too.

“Tennessee says I got a lot of energy. That I go after every play,” Perry said on what the Vols like about his game. “They like my a lot of places on defense. Defensive end, d-tackle, maybe some outside linebacker depending on how I grow. I’m a great player against the run and the pass. Then on special teams I go get it, go block those kicks.”

Perry said “the culture change” at Tennessee has caught his eye early in his recruitment, noting how many freshman played in 2019 and how “many guys they got back for this next season.” He also really relates to Derrick Ansley’s honesty and “realness.”

Still, as a 2022 prospect, Perry is in no rush to name a leader or pick a college. He plans to return to Tennessee again this spring (and same for Alabama and Auburn, two programs that have also hosted Perry multiple times), but the future blue-chip lineman has some other visits he wants to make as well including Georgia, LSU and Clemson.

“I’m still open. I don’t have no top schools or anything right now. I love Tennessee,” he said.

“There’s a lot more places I need to visit again,” Perry said.