Vols keeping tabs on long Alabama defensive back

Antwon Fegans Jr. was a member of the SouthernXpress squad that took home the championship trophy in the 7-on-7 tournament in Gatlinburg (Tenn.) several weeks ago.

The Oxford High (Ala.) standout starred at corner and safety in all eight games before rolling up to Tennessee around 10 p.m.

Fegan Jr., who visited two weeks earlier for a Junior Day, enjoyed the late-night jaunt, even if the trip was quick.

“One minute you’re on the field winning a championship and the next hour you’re at Tennessee touring the school. It was two totally different experiences,” he said.

“Tennessee is beautiful though. I really enjoyed that experience again.”

Two weeks earlier, Fegans Jr. and his family got a much longer look at Jeremy Pruitt’s program, as the 6-foot-2, 185-pound athlete was invited to a Junior Day. He made the trip from Oxford and hung out with coach Kevin Sherrer, his primary recruiter, and new secondary coach and defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley, while also getting a full tour of the campus.

“We got to checkout all the facilities, saw the new athletes-only cafeteria. I got to checkout the new nutrition center, the weight room, everything,” he said.

“Then me and coach Ansley had a great talk. We chatted for 30 minutes, talking about life. It wasn’t just football.”

Fegans Jr. plays wideout and defensive back in high school, but colleges see the rangy athlete as a nickel or safety at the next level. He holds early offers from FAU, Toledo, UAB and Western Kentucky, with several bigger schools starting to reach out this spring after reviewing his junior season tape and hearing about his performances on various showcase circuits.

“Coach Sherrer was the one who first started talking to me,” Fegans said. “When I first went to Tennessee, he was the one I met first. Coach Ansley had just moved in.

The Vols would like to evaluate Fegans in person over the summer, and the 2020 athlete is planning on camping at Tennessee. Alabama and others want him to workout in front of their staffs, too.

“I got some good feedback from the coaches,” Fegans said.

“They said they’re going to keep a close eye on me all year.”