2023 four-star defensive end Daevin Hobbs commits to Tennessee
Tennessee's already-loaded 2023 recruiting class just got even more stacked.
Already ranked as the No. 12 class by Rivals with 22 commits coming into Friday, Josh Heupel and his program have landed yet another big-name recruit.
Daevin Hobbs – a four-star defensive end out of Robinson High School in Concord, North Carolina – announced his commitment to Tennessee on Friday evening. Holding offers from 25-plus schools, Hobbs' strong relationship with the Vols played a pivotal role in his decision, which ultimately came down to Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.
Hobbs is the 12th four-star commit in the Vols' 2023 class – joining other top prospects such as offensive lineman Vysen Lang, defensive backs Jordan Matthews and Christian Conyer, linebacker Jalen Smith and tight end Ethan Davis. The group also includes five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
A 6-foot-5, 268-pound defender, Hobbs quickly becomes one of the Vols' top 2023 commits. His size, physicality and work ethic gives Tennessee a player that can get to Knoxville and make an immediate impact as an underclassmen.
According to Hobbs' stats through eight games on MaxPreps, he played at a high level for his Robinson team this past season. On the defensive side of the ball, Hobbs tallied 22 tackles with 10 tackles-for-loss and three sacks. He also excelled in the team's offense as a tight end – making 13 receptions for 283 yards and five touchdowns and rushing for five more scores.
In a September interview with VolReport, Hobbs said that Tennessee began to build a relationship with him early into his recruitment – and that's what led to him feeling at home on Rocky Top.
"I've talked to them forever," Hobbs said. "I think that my sophomore year or somewhere, I started talking to them. But they really picked up in early June."
After a long recruiting process, Hobbs is now finally set to suit up in the Orange and White when his college career begins.
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