Why top Vols recruit T.J. Sheffield, a junior at Independence High, decommited after Alabama loss

A day after Alabama defeated Tennessee 45-7 for the Vols' third straight loss, Independence junior T.J. Sheffield announced he was no longer a Tennessee commitment.

Sheffield, the No. 9 prospect from Tennessee for the Class of 2019 and four-star wide receiver according to 247Sports, wrote on his Twitter account on Sunday he was decommitting from Tennessee. However, he is still considering the Vols.

"This does not mean that Tennessee is not in the running for one of my top options," Sheffield tweeted.

He said visiting other colleges made him realize that he needed to "step back and take a deeper look at what college I plan to attend during my college experience."

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Tennessee now has just two commitments for the 2019 class — four-star athlete Te'Cory Couch of Hollywood, Fla., and four-star receiver Cameron Wynn of Notre Dame in Chattanooga.

Sheffield, a 5-foot-10, 164-pound athlete, has 49 catches for 737 yards with five receiving touchdowns — all team highs this year.

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Sheffield committed to Tennessee in November, but said he was going to re-open his commitment in March after former Tennessee receivers coach Zach Azzanni's departure for the NFL.

At that time, Independence coach Scott Blade said Sheffield was a "soft" commitment to the Vols.

Reach Tom Kreager at tkreager@tennessean.com or 615-259-8089 and on Twitter @Kreager.