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La Vergne’s Maleik Gray, left, and Princeton Fant both have committed to the Vols.
LA VERGNE — Tennessee picked up two of the top-20 college prospects in the state within a seven-day span when the La Vergne senior duo of Princeton Fant and Maleik Gray committed to be Vols
And in the process, their decisions may have put La Vergne High School on the map for Tennessee football fans.
If both sign with the Vols on signing day Feb. 1, it will mark the first time the North Rutherford high school has had two Tennessee signees in the same class. Commitments are nonbinding for the school and the athlete.
Gray, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound linebacker, is a four-star prospect and the fourth-ranked prospect in the state by 247Sports. He probably will be a safety or nickelback at Tennessee. Fant, a 6-3, 210-pound wide receiver, is a three-star prospect and the 17th-ranked prospect in the state by 247Sports.
“This is going to put La Vergne on the map for sure,” Fant said. “We want to put La Vergne on the map this season.
“That doesn’t put pressure on us because I love the game. I’m going to play ball.”
If both Fant and Gray sign with schools in the SEC, it will mark the second time for the La Vergne football program. La Vergne had two SEC signees in 2008 when offensive lineman Michael Bryant signed with Vanderbilt and Collins Ukwu inked with Kentucky.
Fant and Gray aren’t thinking too much about college right now with their futures decided. They said they’ve turned their attention to their academics as well as their high school football team.
“Right now, I want to really focus on my academics and what major I may want to focus on,” said Gray, who was a Mr. Football semifinalist in 2015 and recorded 57 tackles with two sacks and recovered two fumbles. “I look forward now to a very successful senior season.
“It’s just a matter now to how bad we want it. We need to put in the work in the weight room and on the field.”
La Vergne is coming off a 6-5 season with a first-round loss to Hillsboro in the Class 5A playoffs. But Fant did not play last season because of a knee injury suffered prior to the season.
The two future Vols will play on both sides of the ball at La Vergne this fall. Fant will play safety and receiver. Gray is an outside linebacker and receiver. That gives quarterback Keianthony Conner two big targets to throw to this season.
“I want to focus on high school football and finish the season with a bang,” Fant said.
Gray said he wasn’t surprised when Fant committed to Tennessee. Fant had told his teammate he’d be committing during Tennessee’s Orange Carpet Day. The Vols received eight commitments Saturday during the event, where numerous college recruits are on campus for the day. Gray, who had committed six days prior, also attended Orange Carpet Day and was in awe of how the day went.
“It meant a lot to me to be playing with someone (in college) that I played with throughout high school,” Gray said. “Being able to go to the next level together is great. I asked him (when I committed), ‘When are you going to make that move?’ ”
The answer came soon.
“I always wanted to be a Vol,” Fant said. “I had been thinking about it for a long time. To me to be a Vol, you get to represent your state.
“It just feels good to be a Vol.”
Reach Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Kreager.