The sixth player to sign with Tennessee on National Signing Day 2018 is DL Emmit Gooden. He is the 20th member of the 2018 signing class for UT.
DT Emmit Gooden – Brownsville, TN via Independence CC 6’4, 305
Composite 4-star/247Sports (3)/Rivals (4)/ESPN (4)
Josh Ward’s take: Gooden is a former Tennessee commit who went the junior college route to improve his academics. Gooden, whose uncle Tyrone Hines played linebacker at Tennessee, should help fill a very big need on Tennessee’s defensive line. The Vols need help right away.
Composite Ranking:
National Rank: No. 17
Position Rank: No. 7 DT
State Rank: No. 4 in TN
JUCO
- 2017 NJCAA Second Team All-American
- 2017 Stats: 81 tackles, 6.5 TFL, one sack
- 2016 Stats: 55 tackles, 13.5 TFL, four sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery
- Helped Independence C.C. finish the 2017 season ranked No. 5 nationally after finishing the year with a 9-2 overall record
- Helped lead Independence C.C. to the Kansas Jayhawk Conference league title and its first-ever bowl victory with a 30-20 win over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in the 2017 Midwest Bowl Classic
High School
- Was a three-year starter at Haywood High School in Brownsville, Tennessee
- Career High School Stats (MaxPreps): 29 GP, 213 tackles, 81.0 TFL, 24.5 sacks
- Named Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Class 4A Lineman award winner as a senior in 2015
- Named 2015 All-West Tennessee Lineman of the Year
- 2015 TSWA Class 4A All-State selection
