It's not quite time to put a bow on the 2020 recruiting class, but that doesn't mean it's too early for the Tennessee Vols to shift some of their attention to the 2021 class.

Tennessee already has four commits to their 2021 recruiting class, including two Alabama natives and three-star running back Elijah Howard from Chattanooga.

As the Vols ascend up the SEC ladder under Jeremy Pruitt, it's extremely important that they continue to land elite in-state talent.

Sure, it's going to take more than just players from Tennessee to make the Vols elite. But those are players that Pruitt and his staff absolutely can't miss on.

Here are five 2021 in-state players that I think Tennessee has to land to consider their next recruiting class a success.

Hudson Wolfe — TE — 4-Star (Savannah, TN)

Hudson Wolfe is rated by Rivals as the top tight end in the nation and the top 2021 player in the state of Tennessee. Wolfe, 6-foot-6/235 lbs, visited UT in early November. But Alabama is also strongly pursuing the elite tight end. Wolfe told Rivals earlier this year that he felt Alabama was making him a "big priority". Tuscaloosa is about 90 minutes closer to Savannah than Knoxville, so I'm not sure how strong the pull of playing in-state will be for Wolfe.

Dietrick Pennington — OT — 3-Star (Cordova, TN)

Dietrick Pennington is a 6-foot-5/310 lb offensive lineman from the Memphis area who could play on either side of the ball. 247Sports rates Pennington as the No. 7 player in the state of Tennessee and the No. 12 offensive guard in the nation. Clemson and LSU are also pursuing the massive lineman.

Andre Turrentine — DB — 4-Star (Nashville, TN)

Andre Turrentine is exactly what Jeremy Pruitt wants in his defensive backs — he's over 6-foot and he has plenty of natural athleticism. Turrentine was high school teammates with recent Vols signee Keshawn Lawrence, a fellow four-star defensive back.

Jake Briningstool — TE — 4-Star (Brentwood, TN)

Jake Briningstool is another highly rated tight end from Tennessee. Rivals rates him as the No. 5 tight end in the nation and the No. 3 player in the state. It's unlikely that Tennessee can land Briningstool, whose father played at Michigan State, and Hudson Wolfe. Just landing one of these two in-state tight ends would be a big win for the Vols.

William Griffin — OL — 3-Star (Nashville, TN)

William Griffin is another in-state offensive lineman with SEC ready size. The 6-foot-5/310 lb Nashville native has notable offers from Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State. Griffin has visited Tennessee multiple times over the last year and he's close with former teammate Elijah Simmons, who signed with the Vols during the 2019 recruiting cycle.

Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports