KNOXVILLE—The Vols may have lost on the field Saturday, but Butch Jones and Co. won on the recruiting trail with the Sunday commitment of highly-touted defensive end Dewayne Hendrix. A 6-5, 255 pound end from O’Fallon, Illinois, Hendrix is rated as a 4-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports, Rivals, and Scout. He chose the Vols over Ohio State, Florida, USC, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, and a host of other programs.

Rated as the 115th best prospect in the nation according to 247Sports composite rankings, Hendrix is an elite prospect with the size and skill set to compete for early playing time. He’s an explosive pass rusher off the edge and his combination of quickness and upper body strength allows him to get to the QB consistently. Hendrix is also adept at stopping the run and a solid tackler with above average form.

ESPN had this to say about him, “A tough customer who has the ability to create havoc in the opponent’s backfield. Hendrix possesses the athleticism and toughness necessary to earn early situational playing time at the BCS level of competition.”

There’s simply no doubt he’s a big pickup for Butch Jones. The Vols will lose six of their top eight defensive linemen after the season and need to add both depth and playmakers along the line in the 2014 class—Hendrix should provide both. He joins 4-star defensive linemen Derek Barnett, Joe Henderson, and DaVonte Lambert in the 2014 class; a class which stands at 28 commits (including 12 in the ESPN top 300) and is ranked 2nd nationally by 247Sports and 3rd by ESPN. Here are some highlights from Hendrix’s junior year.