Tennessee Gets Clear Message From Five-Star Edge Rusher
If the Tennessee Volunteers want to land one of the top edge rushers in the 2027 college football recruiting class, the program may want to sign outside linebackers coach Levorn Harbin to another contract extension.
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One of the top edge rushers of the 2027 class and five-star prospect Chris Whitehead visited Knoxville, Tennessee again last weekend. Whitehead is leaving the visit feeling great about his chemistry with Harbin, who is nicknamed "Coach Chop."
'I have a very good relationship with Coach Chop,' Whitehead told On3's Matt Ray on Wednesday . 'He is very straightforward with me, and he is going to push me to be the best.
"Him pushing me shows that he loves me, so just knowing that him and Coach Banks will be there at Tennessee, if I do want to commit there one day, is definitely great to see.'
Tennessee Volunteers football head coach Josh Heupel© Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Ray reported Wednesday that during the visit, Whitehead also learned more about how he fits in the Volunteers defense.
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'So, they would use me as a LEO because I am a more versatile guy and can drop back and play in coverage or I can rush the passer or I can defend against the run,' Whitehead told On3. 'Just doing all of that stuff in their scheme could build me up even more.'
The fact that former Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr. just became a first-round pick in the NFL Draft won't hurt the Volunteers' chances of landing Whitehead either.
'Knowing they recruited him out of high school tells me they kept that relationship piece, and in my mind, I feel like that could be me in the future," said Whitehead.
According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Whitehead is the top Virginia prospect and No. 4 edge rusher in the 2027 class.
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The same rankings also have him rated as the No. 11 overall recruit for 2027.
Related: Tennessee Football Gets Good News on Coveted Player
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
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