With Tennessee having put in so much work on a nearly full 2021 class this offseason the coaching staff has had the luxury of working ahead on the 2022 class. The Vols snagged their first ’22 commitment last weekend and are busy trying to build on that with prospects like four-star linemen Collin Sadler.

Sadler (6-foot-6, 295 pounds), Greenville, S.C. has recently become a priority target for Tennessee and the Vols made sure he knew that this week with a zoom call between Sadler, head coach Jeremy Pruitt and offensive line coach Will Friend.

“I spoke withTennessee tonight, the head coach and offensive line coach and some other assistants,” he said. “I’ve been hearing from them for a long time but lately it has really picked up. They’ve been letting me know how much they want me.

“I really didn’t know a lot about Tennessee until lately, but I’ve learned a lot about them in the last little bit. I’ve learned that they’ve got a lot of experienced coaches who have been successful. I like that about them.

“It’s definitely somewhere that I’d like to visit when that’s possible again.”

Like every other prospect in the country Sadler didn’t have the opportunity to camp or take visits this summer, but he was busy during his sophomore year, getting to several of his suitors before the dead period was put in place in March.

“I’ve seen Notre Dame, Louisville, South Carolina, Clemson, Virginia Tech and UNC,” he said. “Lately I’ve done virtual visits with Oklahoma and Georgia. It’s unfortunate, you’d rather be able to take trips, but you just do the best you can and gather as much information as possible.”

Hailing from Greenville, S.C. Sadler is obviously smack in the middle of Clemson territory and the Tigers have made an early push. For now he says he’s keeping an open mind and that moving a few miles down the road to play his college football isn’t a done deal.

“Obviously being from around here they’re everybody’s favorite team, so I hear from a lot of people in the community that I should just stay home,” he said. “It’s my decision though, about where I’m going to spend, three, four, maybe five years of my life. So it has to be about more than just how close a place is to home.

“The most important thing for me is people. I’m not impressed by stadiums or facilities. I’m interested in relationships and finding a place where that’s the most important thing to the coaches as well.”

Rivals rates Sadler as a four-star prospect and the No. 88 overall player in the nation in the Class of 2022.