Independence Community College defensive lineman Will Whitson will be a qualifier for the class of 2023. He doesn’t have but just two offers at the moment, Buffalo being the other, but that could soon change.
Originally a part of the class of 2020 out of high school, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound pass-rusher elected the JUCO route to refine his skills and to generate more interest in himself. It’s worked as Tennessee’s Rodney Garner likes what he sees.
“It’s really going well. It’s a good relationship,” Whitson told Volquest of Tennessee’s staff. “I know the whole staff and I talk to all of them. It’s real love and I’m really exciting about visiting them.”
Whitson, who can play several techniques across the defensive front, plans to be in town this weekend for the Memorial Day weekend premier recruiting event. The trip will be the first time he’ll be at Tennessee to take in everything in person.
“I want to see if it’s a family feel. I want to see if it’s welcoming,” the prospect said of what he’s looking for in Knoxville. “I also want to see the academic side of things with tutors who can keep me focused.”
Tennessee offered the Cincinnati, Ohio native back on November 1. Garner is leading the charge and has been in constant communication with him in recent months while Alex Golesh was up on campus a few weeks ago to see him in person.
“He thinks I’m going to win the 1-on-1 battles and make the play at all times,” Whitson said of Garner. “He believes I’m one of those guys who can be a first-rounder and all-American. I’m looking forward to fulfilling that.”
In the abbreviated COVID campaign two seasons ago, the defensive lineman played in five games, tallying nine tackles and a sack. Whitson improved on those numbers this past fall, bringing down the quarterback six times with 11 stops behind the line of scrimmage.
His career-best came in the 2021 season-opener on September 4 at Butler Community College where Whitson registered two sacks, three tackles for loss on four total stops. On September 25 at Garden City, the defensive lineman totaled seven tackles with a forced fumble.
“I was around top-10 in the conference in sacks, but I didn’t have too many reps because I was a younger guy,” the Tennessee target said of this past season. “I was still making plays. This year, I’m looking for it all. I’m not settling for stats - just looking to make plays.”
The defensive lineman thinks highly of the Volunteers and Garner as Tennessee is currently one of the few programs giving him a look. Memorial Day weekend will be big for the prospect as he gets to see everything in person for the first time.
“It’s amazing and I can see a future there,” Whitson concluded on Tennessee. “I like the connection and I can’t wait to get up there and see how it is.”
