Tennessee seems to be really kicking up the recruiting effort for the 2009 class with 5 commitments in four days over the weekend. Granted, not all of the players are top recruits but they did pick up a 4 star RB out of Florida and a 4 star safety out of New Jersey as well as beefing up the O-Line with some unheralded projects, eerrr, I meant prospects. Nevertheless they already have commitments from half as many prospects as they signed this past February with nine already having committed to the fold including 5 star WR Jeron Stokes.
I think it's difficult to say that he has fallen off because the class in 2007 was a very strong one. The 2008 class was the worst in recent memory but as I stated here during the season last year, I think the general air of uncertainty that the program had around it last year really hurt recruiting. Now, what I don't understand is how thin the recent classes have been in "beef" and by that I mean O-line and D-line. That concerns me a bit. I don't know why skill position players and LBs and DBs keep coming but the big guys don't as much. That could be where Fulmer has fallen off a bit as a recruiter because I'm sure he has a big hand in the OL at least. Like I said though, it's difficult to say that Tennessee as a whole has fallen off in recruiting based on the 08 class when the 07 class was so strong. I think you'll see UT really reap the benefits of that 07 class this year with guys like Gerald Jones, Lennon Creer, Eric Berry, Brent Vinson, Denarius Moore, and others playing a key role in a successful season on Rocky Top.