Four-star safety Sylvester Smith commits to Tennessee over Auburn, Georgia and LSU
Tennessee's football recruiting hot streak continued with the commitment of four-star safety Sylvester Smith on Tuesday.
Smith, a 5-foot-11, 195-pounder from Munford, Alabama, chose the Vols over Auburn, Georgia and LSU among at least 30 scholarship offers.
He is ranked the No. 147 overall prospect in the 2023 class and No. 11 safety by 247Sports Composite.
Smith announced his decision by putting on a Vols cap during a commitment ceremony at his high school.
“What made me choose Tennessee was really the coaches, like Coach (Willie) Martinez and Coach (Tim) Banks,” Smith told GoVols247. “The room’s very low (on depth) right now, so they’ve got guys who, by the time I get there, they’ll be gone.
“It’s a real family oriented place. I love Coach Heup. It was a football decision, but also more than a football decision, because you have a life outside of football there, too — not a big one, but you still have a life. And I just feel like it was a really good fit for me.”
Smith is the ninth commitment in UT’s 2023 class, led by heralded five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Riverdale edge rusher Caleb Herring and Ethan Davis, a tight end from Suwanee, Georgia, also are four-star prospects.
UT’s 2022 class, the first under coach Josh Heupel, featured no five-star recruits and five four-star recruits.
Five of UT’s 2023 commitments are in-state players, including Herring, Knox Catholic defensive lineman Trevor Duncan, Greenbrier edge rusher Nathan Robinson, Mount Juliet offensive lineman Ayden Bussell and Lipscomb Academy wide receiver Nate Spillman.
That eclipses Heupel’s first class, which featured two players from Tennessee.
Reach Adam Sparks at adam.sparks@knoxnews.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Four-star safety Sylvester Smith commits to Tennessee over Auburn, Georgia and LSU
