Why did JJ Harrell de-commit from Tennessee Football? Volunteers take a blow in 2024 Recruiting Rankings

JJ Harrell has reopened his recruitment after de-committing from the Tennessee Volunteers on Monday. The four-star wide receiver prospect in the 2024 recruiting class had previously committed to Tennessee in February 2023.

Harrell took to Twitter to announce his decision to reopen his recruitment, stating in part:

"I have been blessed with a chance to have several options to continue to play the game that I love. Recruiting became a little overwhelming and became very tough to juggle along with my surgery. Because of that I feel like I didn't give myself a chance to explore all of my options. I rushed the process.

"I'm 100% healthy now, and I want to open my recruitment back up and give myself a chance to make sure I'm making the right decision for my future... I am decommitting from Tennessee and I would like to officially reopen my recruitment. I am trusting God to lead my footsteps and I look forward to finding a place that I can officially call home."

Check out JJ Harrell's full statement on reopening his recruitment below:

Which schools are now the favorites to land JJ Harrell?

Harrell is currently the 143rd-ranked prospect in the nation, the 20th-ranked wide receiver, and the third overall prospect in the state of Mississippi, according to 247 Sports. Furthermore, his de-commitment dropped the Tennessee Volunteers' 2024 recruiting class from ninth to tenth in the nation.

While it is unclear if the Volunteers will still have the opportunity to land Harrell, two favorites have reportedly emerged. The Ole Miss Rebels have taken the lead in the recruitment process followed by the Mississippi State Bulldogs. While Harrell also has a visit scheduled with the Miami Hurricanes, it appears that he wants to stay close to home.

How will the Tennesee Volunteers pivot from JJ Harrell?

Despite JJ Harrell's decision to reopen his recruitment process, the Tennessee Volunteers still have a chance to bring in a stacked 2024 wide receiver class. Notably, they will host four-star wide receiver Braylon Staley this weekend.

The following weekend, the Volunteers will host five-star wide receiver Mike Matthews along with four-star wide receivers Bryant Wesco and Freddie Dubose.

Harrell will also be a part of next week's visiting group. While it is possible that he winds up back in Tennessee, head coach Josh Heupel has a chance to bring in plenty of talent at the position. Although Harrell's announcement was likely tough for Volunteers fans, it could be forgotten about over the next two weekends.