Football Recruiting: Dante Phillips signs with Tennessee

Jim Brown-US PRESSWIRE

Prized four-star defensive tackle Dante Phillips has become a late addition in the 2012 class for Dennis Dooley and the Tennessee Volunteers. Phillips signed a letter of intent with the in-state SEC team in the Florida Gators, but he was recently denied admission to Gainesville. Phillips visited the Vols on the 15th after taking a trip to Western Kentucky a couple of days earlier. He has committed to Tennessee, and the four-star DT has said he is cleared to enroll.

Dante Phillips has just a 2.8 GPA, but the top 30 in-state recruit runs a 4.9 forty, and can bench 306 and squat 460 with a 4.49 shuttle time. Phillips has a 28-inch vertical and at 6’6″, 268 pounds has good size at the position.

Likely on of the best ten recruits at the position in the 2012 class, the Venice standout would have made the FanSided 150 had the site existed at the time. Dante Phillips has all the raw tools and is a DT who can make an impact for Tennessee early on with his prowess against the run and his disruptive play.

Phillips also received offers from Auburn, Miami, USF, Alabama, Clemson, FSU, Kentucky, and Purdue with Miami being heavily linked to the impact tackle early in his recruitment. Phillips will undoubtedly be a huge boost for Tennessee.