Lawless requests release, exploring other options

Last month, Volquest.com reported that 4-star Vols defensive tackle signee Brant Lawless had yet to report to campus and was unlikely to end up at Tennessee.

With fall camp kicking off next Friday, sources confirmed to Volquest on Sunday that the Nashville native has asked for and been granted his release to explore other football opportunities.

Lawless, who signed with Tennessee in February, didn’t report this summer while he looked to finish some academic work. Tennessee offered Lawless the opportunity for delayed enrollment no matter his academic circumstances, sources confirmed, and while Lawless met his requirements late this summer, he chose look elsewhere in an effort to play this fall.

It was just over a year ago that Lawless committed to Tennessee, as Butch Jones and his staff built the 2018 class defensively around a trio of 4-star in-state lineman — Lawless, Greg Emerson and D'Andre Litaker — known on Rocky Top as the Big 3.

Fast-forward to the present and Tennessee's roster currently will only have Emerson wearing orange.

Litaker ended up signing with UT-Martin in the late spring after another knee injury derailed his senior season and now Lawless joins him in playing elsewhere.

As for potential landing spots, sources tell Volquest that North Carolina is on Lawless' shortlist with former Vol defensive assistant Tommy Thigpen currently in Chapel Hill.

Tennessee is currently awaiting linebacker J.J. Peterson, who has also not made it to campus. The 4-star linebacker is expected to arrive at Tennessee in the next week to 10 days for the start of fall camp.

On Wednesday at SEC Media Days, Pruitt said he “absolutely” expects Peterson to be on campus for fall camp.