Sep 28, 2013; Knoxville, TN, USA; A general view of Neyland Stadium during the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and South Alabama Jaguars. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

The Vols may have suffered a bitter defeat at the hands of Alabama on Saturday, but the program took another step in the right direction on Sunday.

Butch Jones and his staff continued their torrid recruiting pace with the commitment of 2014 defensive end Dewayne Hendrix.

Hendrix is a 6’5″/254 lb defensive end from O’Fallon, IL (O Fallon). He’s rated as the fifth overall player in the state of Illinois and the ninth best strong side defensive end in the nation.

All 24 247Sports crystal ball predictions correctly predicted Hendrix’s decision.

The four-star defensive end has an impressive list of offers that includes: Florida, California, Ohio State, Penn State, Nebraska and Ole Miss, among many others.

Hendrix is a key pickup for the Vols, who have had a lot of issues getting pressure on any opposing quarterbacks. Hendrix should immediately be a factor for Tennessee.

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