Freshman wide receiver Preston Williams has been ruled eligible to play for Tennessee, Vols coach Butch Jones confirmed Thursday afternoon on Twitter.

"I want to OFFICIALLY welcome Preston Williams to #Team119!!! #WRU," Jones tweeted.

I want to OFFICIALLY welcome Preston Williams to #Team119!!! #WRU — Butch Jones (@UTCoachJones) August 27, 2015



A 6-foot-4, 209-pound standout at Lovejoy High School in Hampton, Ga., Williams was a five-star prospect according to the analysts at 247Sports. He was the nation's No. 48 overall prospect and No. 7 wide receiver prospect in the 2015 industry-generated 247Sports Composite.

Williams enrolled at Tennessee in May, but his ACT score was flagged, and he was forced to retake it and earn a certain score in order to be deemed eligible. He apparently received that score.

Jones and his staff had been waiting for the results for at least a couple of weeks, and the head coach criticized the lengthy process less than two hours before receiving the good news on a day that had been full of bad news for the Vols.

It's worth remembering that Williams has been rehabbing torn ligaments in his knee that were surgically repaired in December, and it's fair to suggest he isn't 100 percent healthy at this point. Regardless, getting Williams cleared and avoiding the risk of not getting him back after a possible junior-college stint is big news for Tennessee.

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