Elijah Howard has been committed to Tennessee longer than anyone else in the Vols’ 2021 class. And with the start of the Early Signing Period now just two months away, he doesn’t seem to be having any second thoughts about his decision or considering other options. The Class of 2021 athlete/running back from Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn., said Thursday night that he’s still “100-percent Tennessee,” and he’s no longer talking with any other schools going into the final weeks of his senior season.
“It’s home,” said Howard, who’s ranked by 247Sports as the No. 19 running back in the 2021 class and the No. 9 senior from the state of Tennessee. “Also, I’ve been building a lot of relationships with the guys that are coming in, in my recruiting class, so we’re really looking forward to taking their spots. “There’s a lot of guys there right now that are going to end up going to the league or graduating, so as soon as we get there, it’s a promised spot. All you’ve got to do is go in there and perform.”
“I feel like Coach Pruitt turned the program totally around,” Howard said. “We’re going in the right direction with it. It starts with the line, and he’s taking care of that. We’ve got a few five-star (linemen). Right now, we’ve got
Cade Mays. He’s got three years to play two, so as a running back, you just love to see it. “Also, you’ve got a lot of great receivers outside making plays, too.” Howard said he’s “probably” talking most with Tennessee defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach
Brian Niedermeyer among the Vols’ coaches.
“I’m really just a versatile player, so they’re not really 100 percent on where they want to actually use me,” said Howard, who was a finalist for Tennessee’s Division II-AAA Mr. Football Award last year. “But running back, I can do it. DB, I can do it, so it doesn’t really matter. Wherever I can impact the team the most, I’ll play it.” “(Running back is) definitely best for me. But if they ultimately want to use me at DB, I’ll play it, so it’s whatever.”
“Coach Ansley was talking more about the Star position — coming down, playing that slot guy — because I can cover field,” Howard said. “Also, they’ve been talking about me playing just free safety, too, so it’s really not 100-percent sure what they want.”
Howard said he already has “gained 10 pounds from last year,” and Tennessee’s coaches aren’t encouraging him to bulk up more before he arrives on campus next summer. “They said, ‘Don’t worry about that. We can put that weight on you when you get there, when you get in the weightlifting program,’” he said.