Bryson Eason eyes return to state title, updates the latest in recruitment
MEMPHIS — Bryson Eason first burst onto the scene as a freshman when the Whitehaven linebacker starred in the Tigers’ state championship win.
Now a 6-foot-2, 250-pound rising senior, Eason is looking to close out his career with another ring. After losing 37-0 to Oakland in the final last December, the White Haven enforcer is looking for revenge.
“The 37-0 loss is all motivation. It stays in the back of our heads. It stays with all the seniors. It’s our last time playing together and we want to finish with a bang and go out the way we started,” Eason told Volquest.
“We just started practice last week. It feels great to get back out in that environment. We had that energy out on the field. After playing (with an injured ankle last season), I’ve been working hard. This is my senior season. I want to have no injuries at all. I want to play all 15 games and win a state championship.”
Eason holds more than 20 offers and took visits to Arkansas, Ole Miss and Mississippi State, whose staff he said he currently holds the best relationship, this spring. UF and LSU are in the mix, too. As an oversized 3-4 inside linebacker, Eason looks and plays a lot like New England hybrid linebacker Dont’a Hightower. He could play a similar role in college or slide straight outside depending on his size.
“He’s a good ‘backer, but the guy I idolize the most is Luke Kuechly. I feel like he’s the best linebacker in the league right now.”
“Teams want to just make sure I can still move, so I don’t have to go down and put my hand in the dirt and play some DE. Teams do see me being more versatile and flexing me, move down in certain situations. In a 3-4 defense, teams like me stopping the run and going to the edge to rush on third downs.”
Tennessee hasn’t been chasing Eason aggressively lately but the in-state linebacker does still hear from area recruiter David Johnson regularly. He plans to visit and possibly camp this summer, wanting to take the opportunity to get to know new coordinator Derrick Ansley better.
“That’s a priority. I have to do that. I have to see how they could see me playing for them. Who else is on the roster? Who’d I’d be playing behind to see if I can work myself and show them that I’m better than them to start playing early,” he said.
“But coach Johnson keeps in good touch with us. He doesn’t just talk to me. He talks a lot with my dad as well. He’s doing a good job recruiting us Memphis guys.”
Despite playing through a nagging ankle injury, Eason has been a productive playmaker for Whitehaven and is outspoken about wanting to continuing playing alongside his in-side linebacker teammate and best friend Martavius French. The two have played together since 6th grade and plan to announce a decision (and possibly enroll early) as part of a hopeful postgame celebration this December.
“I know for a fact, I’m going to narrow it down this summer but I want to make my decision after we win that gold ball,” Eason said, smiling.
“That is the plan. That is going to happen. It’s going to happen after the game.”