Revisit The Moment J.B. Shabazz Became A Tennessee Vol

One of the best moments from the commitment was when he faked out the audience and grabbed the South Carolina hat first. He nearly put on the Tennessee hat, and his mom was overcome with jo,y clapping and standing up, but Shabazz decided to make things interesting and nearly put on the Ohio State hat. He finally put on the Vols hat and everybody celebrated in unison that the offensive lineman would be coming to Knoxville. 

The future of the offensive line for the Volunteers is extremely bright, especially after landing five-star prospect Gabriel Osenda earlier in the recruiting cycle and now Shabazz. Shabazz is the second-highest-rated offensive lineman for the Vols per On3. With his 6’6 and 315-pound frame, he can be a bookend tackle for Tennessee for years to come. 

For an in-depth look into his recruitment, our very own Caleb Sisk caught up with him after he made his pledge to become a Volunteer.

"Honestly, it was between Tennessee and South Carolina. I chose Tennessee because when I got there it just fit me. I felt like I could be myself. And I felt like it was a big family. So it was the one for me to pick."

He went into detail about which coaches helped him make this decision.

"Yeah, Coach (Glen) Elarbee, Coach (Chris) Labidou, and Coach KP (Kevin Pendleton). They were pushing to help me out with this decision. Also, Coach Phil (Serchia), too."

It marks a successful week for the Volunteers, who landed four-star Brayden Rouse and top safety Jowell Combay, and now they have Shabazz to add to an already strong recruiting class.