It was a battle to the end, but 4-star LB JJ Peterson signed with the Vols Wednesday over Alabama.

It’s impressive that Jeremy Pruitt and the Vols held off the Tide down the stretch, and it’ll pay dividends. Alabama had been making a very strong push up to Wednesday.

“Alabama has made a very strong push,” said Rush Propst, Peterson’s coach at Colquitt County High School, via AL.com. “I don’t think either one, Alabama or Tennessee, is a clear favorite as of Sunday afternoon. I think it’s a dead heat right now, 50-50.”

Peterson is ranked as the nation’s No. 48 overall prospect, the No. 3 OLB and the state of Georgia’s No. 7 overall player, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings. The 6-foot-2, 231-pound prospect could be an instant-impact player starting in 2018.

Peterson had been committed to Tennessee since January 6, but he took an official visit to Alabama in late January.