CHARLOTTE — It’s no secret that Tennessee covets cornerbacks as a priority for its 2019 class, as Jeremy Pruitt hopes to retool a secondary short of depth and playmaking defensive backs.

Rocky Mount (N.C.) corner Shyheim Battle was among the standouts at Nike Opening Regional on Sunday and is one of Tennessee’s top targets at the position. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound corner is long (77-inch arms) and physical, with offers from Clemson, Ohio State, NC State, Duke and others.

The Vols extended a scholarship to Battle back in late February and the 3-star corner will finally get his chance to see Tennessee during a multi-day visit this week.

“I’ve been talking to coach (Brian) Niedermeyer, coach (Terry) Fair, coach (Montario) Hardesty and coach (Jeremy) Pruitt for a while now,” Battle said.

“I’ve started to build that relationship and want to see where it goes next week. I want to go up early and make a practice too, see how that goes, catch the spring game, get the view of the campus.”

This spring, Battle has visited Virginia, UNC, NC State and Clemson, among others. While the Wolfpack and Tigers are considered Battle’s current leaders, the Vols hope to join the fray after this weekend.

During Sunday’s camp, Battle shined during the 1-on-1 portion, showcasing both his physicality and patience. He said his two favorite corners are Patrick Peterson and Marcus Peters and he tries to emulate their skills as a lockdown defender on the perimeter.

“You put me in press (coverage) and nothing gets by me,” he said, confidently.

“My biggest strength is getting on receivers early with a good jam on the line and then pushing them off their route.”

Battle is well-aware of Jeremy Pruitt’s track record of sending cornerbacks to the NFL, a sales-pitch that Ohio State and Clemson are making to the North Carolina native. The opportunity for early playing time is Tennessee’s top selling point right now, though, and with a no plans to make a decision until December, Battle is looking forward to seeing what all the Vols have to offer.

“They be telling me how bad they need corners. That I could come and compete right now,” he said.