The good times continue to roll on the recruiting trail for Tennessee’s Josh Heupel as the second-year head coach has reeled in his fifth in-state commitment and third 2023 pledge in the span of eight days as outside linebacker Caleb Herring made his call Tuesday morning.

Riverdale’s standout chose the Volunteers over Georgia, Miami and USC. Herring, who is the younger brother of current Tennessee linebacker and 2022 signee Elijah Herring, is tabbed as the state’s second-best prospect in the class and the seventh outside linebacker in the country. He’s listed as the No. 119 overall prospect, per Rivals.

The four-star now makes it eight commitments for the Vols in this cycle as he now joins a class consisting of five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava, four-star tight end Ethan Davis, four-star lineman Trevor Duncan, three-star defensive lineman Nathan Robinson, three-star defensive back Jack Luttrell, three-star offensive lineman Ayden Bussell and three-star wide receiver Nate Spillman.

Herring links up with Duncan, Robinson, Bussell and Spillman as Tennessee natives in the class.

Here’s a detailed look at what Caleb Herring’s commitment means for Tennessee.

“Caleb is a good person. I’ve never gotten a negative report on him from any teacher in the building. The principal – she loves him. It’s not because he’s a high-profile football player, but it’s because he’s a good human being. He’s ‘yes sir,’ ‘no sir,’ and ‘yes mam,’ ‘no mam.’ He’ll talk to anyone in the hallway and always has a smile on his face. His mom has done a great job and he’s a kind-hearted young man off the field.

Caleb is a leader – kids follow him. He’s not very vocal, but he leads by action. There was a game this past year where teams started throwing bumbles to get him out of position. He made the play five times and the kids fed off the energy and got really excited. Our defense played well that night.

Physically, he’s very good with his hands. He’s trying to become a better [pass] rusher. He works with our defensive coordinator religiously on trying to become a better player because he wants to be that total football player. That’s what is unique about both he and his brother.”

- Will Kriesky, Riverdale head coach

Herring has a motor off the edge. That’s absolutely his best trait as he is seen chasing plays down from the backside routinely on film. It’s that type of motor and ‘want to’ that coaches love – especially when opposing offenses are game planning away from him.

Not only does he have a high-motor, but he has a quick burst. Whether it’s on the line of scrimmage or when playing in space, Herring displays great acceleration once he deciphers the play. His athleticism allows him to make plays in space. He’s long, tall and uses his body to put himself in position to chase down the ball carrier. Herring is also a great contain player, never giving up his outside-half, and his play recognition is superb.

Once the younger Herring gets to Knoxville, adding weight will be a must. He’s done a good job of that in the past calendar year, but with a 6-foot-5 frame, he’ll need to add a least 15 more pounds. With his quickness, I wouldn’t expect a drop-off in speed with the added weight. Tennessee’s new commit will also need to learn how to operate out of a three-point stance, something he doesn’t do a whole lot at the prep level. Herring already does a good job with his hands and extension, but with more individual work, that can be a strength at the next level.

Sounds like a broken record at this point, but another in-state haul is good for Josh Heupel, who finished the 2022 cycle with only two. ‘Locking down the borders’ is always an emphasis, and the Volunteers did just that with arguably the state’s best prospect.

Tennessee needs pass-rushers. The secondary faltered at times last season because the front-four couldn’t generate a consistent pass-rush. Now, this commitment won’t pay dividends until the 2023 season, obviously, but Herring is set to join a group two seasons from now that could potentially consist of Byron Young, Roman Harrison, James Pearce, Joshua Josephs and maybe even Kalib Perry on the edge.

The Vols are positioned well to get after the passer in the future. It’s now up to the coaching staff to develop that talent. Herring has all the intangibles to be a good player at the Southeastern Conference level. With older brother Elijah as a mentor, the Herring name could litter the defensive stat sheet down the road.