ORLANDO (WRCB) -- On a Tennessee football team needing more "juice," a pig may provide part of the solution.
Four-star wide receiver Alton "Pig" Howard gave his verbal commitment to play for Derek Dooley's program during a gathering at Edgewater High (Fla.) on Wednesday.
Howard chose the Vols over hometown Central Florida and Cincinnati a week after ruling out West Virginia. Howard said Tennessee was the only place that truly felt like home on an official visit, in part because of his strong relationship with the coaching staff.
The 5-foot-9, 185-pound speedster was also intrigued by the opportunity to play a variety of roles in an expanding UT offense.
"I did a little Wildcat in high school, and they said they don't have anyone who can truly play that role right now, so that'd be a huge fit for me," Howard said. "They say the one thing they love is 'juice,' or speed, and with their senior running back leaving this year, they want to put me at both slot (receiver) and running back.
"They're just going to find ways to utilize me."
Howard averaged nearly 20 yards per catch as a senior at Edgewater this past season, racking up 691 yards through the air and scoring six touchdowns.
His pledge gives the Vols 20 commitments in the upcoming 2012 signing class.
