In late June, Hall County, Ga., linebacker Jeremiah Telander committed to Tennessee football. Telander hails from Gainesville High School in the Atlanta metro area. Here are five things to know about the prospect.
Where Telander ranks
Telander is ranked as a three-star prospect by the most common recruiting services. He measures out at 6-foot-2 and 217 pounds.
247Sports holds Telander as the No. 100 linebacker in the class of 2023, and the No. 110 prospect from Georgia.
ON3 ranks Telander as the No. 66 linebacker and the No. 87 prospect from Georgia.
Rivals ranks Telander as the No. 69 prospect from Georgia and the No. 29 linebacker overall.
Dual-sport athlete
Telander isn’t only successful on the football field but also in track and field.
He placed fourth in the Georgia 3A state championship for the high jump, and he also won a sectional title in the high jump.
Telander was also a regional qualifier in the 200-meter dash. He also has played basketball in high school.
Tennessee football offered Telander first
Tennessee got the party started for Telander when they extended him his first scholarship offer in June 2021 after Telander camped with the Volunteers.
Telander committed to Tennessee football a year later in June of 2022. Telander chose the Vols over Florida, North Carolina, and Louisville, among others.
Josh Heupel and his staff sealed the deal for Telander.
“They’re really turning things around,” Telander told ON3. “They’re building a really good recruiting class. It’s the best place to do it. In Knoxville, their fans are crazy. In Neyland, there are 102,000 watching.”
Football is in the family
Telander’s father, Steve Telander, has been around college football himself.
He played at UMass in the 1970s before coaching at Bowling Green, Missouri, UTEP, and UMass.
Having a father who spent his fair share of time in Div.-I football makes the transition a little easier for Telander.
“My dad has given me lots of good advice like listen to your coaches, look people in the eyes, be the first in line for drills, and always run on the practice field between drills,” Telander told The Times.
The numbers
Telander’s stats showcase why he is so highly recruited.
In his sophomore year at North Hall High School, he racked up 143 tackles.
As a junior for North Hall, Telander played both sides of the ball. He finished with 137 tackles, three sacks, and three interceptions on defense. On the offensive side, Telander finished with 381 yards of total offense.
He received region 7-AAA defensive player of the year honors for his sophomore and junior seasons.
Note: This is part of a series of articles looking at prospects who make up the Vols’ 2023 recruiting class leading up to the early signing period.
