Top Tennessee commit will attend UGA’s Dawg Night

Chidi Okonya, a 4-star defensive end from Riverdale High School, has been committed to Tennessee since May.

The 6-foot-6, 230-pounder has been practicing at outside linebacker for his high school team, and told the AJC that the main reason he is attending UGA’s camp on July 18 was to get more practice at that position.

“I wanted to go to Dawg Night because I just started playing outside linebacker in 7-on-7s,” Okonya said on Wednesday. “I just wanted a chance to work out at linebacker against a lot of great players.”

The state’s No. 24 prospect is still being recruited by Duke, Ole Miss, Clemson, Oregon and UGA. Okonya says he talks to UGA defensive line coach Tracy Rocker every now and then. Recently, coach Rocker told Okonya that he wanted how he looked at another position other than defensive end.

“Coach Rocker let me know that he wanted to see me work out at outside linebacker,” Okonya said.

“(But) it’s most definitely my decision to go to that camp and perform at the outside linebacker position. I’m fairly new to that position. It’s my decision to go there and play at that position. I don’t see any harm in going to that camp and playing.”

Tennessee coaches told Okonya that they plan on using him as a defensive end on the next level, and that’s the position he wants to play in college.

Even though Okonya is attending UGA’s camp, the Riverdale High School star says he hasn’t thought about flipping and playing for a different program other than Tennessee. He reported an offer from UGA when he pledged to the Volunteers.

“I’m not too sure on what it would take to leave Tennessee. “I am 100-percent committed to Tennessee right now.”

Okonya has a 4.0 GPA and is ranked fifth academically in his class of 298 students. He is a member of National Honor Society and a 2014 Governor’s Honors program nominee.