Tennessee lands first five-star commitment of 2024 recruiting cycle

Tennessee landed its first five-star football commitment of the 2024 signing cycle Wednesday night, receiving a nonbinding pledge from Mike Matthews of Parkview High in the Atlanta suburb of Lilburn.
Matthews is the nation's No. 4 receiver prospect and the No. 13 overall recruit on the 247Sports.com composite rankings and selected the Volunteers over Clemson, Georgia and Southern California. He visited all four schools last month.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder amassed 48 catches for 1,031 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior while also tallying 23 tackles and two interceptions on defense.
"I'm not too big," Matthews told 247Sports. "I'm not too small. I'm in the middle and can do it all."
Matthews, who also has excelled in basketball and track, is already drawing comparisons to Jalin Hyatt, who played at 6-foot, 185 pounds this past season when he became the first Biletnikoff Award winner in Tennessee history. Hyatt scored five touchdowns last October against Alabama inside Neyland Stadium, which is when Matthews made his first visit to Knoxville.
The Vols are up to 17 commitments in their 2024 class, with Matthews replacing Savannah quarterback Jake Merklinger as their highest-rated pledge. Merklinger is No. 97 on the 247Sports rankings.