The Tennessee Volunteers are on an absolute tear on the recruiting trails. Over the last 8 days prior to Tuesday, they landed 8 big-time commitments for their 2021 class.

People around the country are taking notice, including SEC Network host (and Tennessee alum) Paul Finebaum.

During his most recent appearance on Birmingham-based WJOX 94.5 FM radio program “The Roundtable,” Finebaum offered up this comment on Tennessee’s recent recruiting run.

“He’s getting players that Tennessee has not gotten in a long time so he’s learned from others, especially his old boss in Tuscaloosa,” Finebaum said. “I think he feels and senses the momentum, so he’s playing to it and no matter how you slice it, Jeremy Pruitt’s recruiting has been the story of this spring. And the reason why I’m convinced that Tennessee is on the cusp of returning to power is I am hearing criticism from other schools, competing schools – from rivals, that he’s not doing that great.

“I haven’t heard anybody mentioned Tennessee recruiting in so long, I mean you have to go back almost to me outside of a brief moment with Butch Jones and Lane Kiffin for about 20 minutes, you have to go back to the heyday of Phil Fulmer. It is amazing — the perception out there right now. There’s nothing going on so if you create a perception, it is going to carry you and I think they’re building off of it.”

The Vols have rocketed up the recruiting rankings and now have the nation’s No. 2 class, behind only Ohio State (per 247Sports).

Will coach Jeremy Pruitt be able to use the influx of talent from the past couple of seasons to get Tennessee back in the SEC East title mix? Hopefully we’ll be able to see what the Vols look like on the field this fall.