Impact Analysis: Bryson Eason
Tennessee beat out Arkansas and Mississippi State for one of the top inside linebackers in the 2020 class, as Whitehaven star Bryson Eason committed to the Vols on Tuesday.
The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Memphis native held more than 20 offers and became a priority for Jeremy Pruitt and his staff during the summer eval period.
Eason is now the 14th member of the 2020 class, and sixth in-state commit.
Here’s a closer look at what his addition means…
SCOUTING REPORT
“First off, he’s cerebral. He’s a very heady football player. He sees things well, reads offenses well. He’s explosive, so when he sees something he can react very quickly. He’s got a very quick twitch and he’s so instinctive at the linebacker position, that allows him to close on the football as well as do well in coverage because he he’s got that quick twitch to go along with his instinctive capabilities. He plays the game well from that neck up. He studies the game, great film watcher. That approach accentuates the things that already come naturally to him.
“Tennessee is getting an alpha male that can run their defense. He has the aptitude to take in all the information and he has the attitude to be able to bleed it over to others. He’s instinctive. He’s a natural leader. He’s not always vocal, but when he speaks it means something. He’s not a ‘rah rah’ guy, but he’s a pointed talker. He means what he says and says what he means. He’s a true middle linebacker that can lead your defense, but he also has the flexibility to be able to play anywhere on the field. He can rush off the edge, play off the slot. He could probably play safety if you throw him back there, he’s that kind of athlete. He’s a winner and he cares about winning. That’s his No. 1 focus.”
— Whitehaven head coach Rodney Saulsberry
HOW WILL EASON FIT IN WITH THE VOLS?
Eason is a throwback inside linebacker at his size. He’s a thumper who can still move laterally well enough, much like former Alabama inside linebacker Reggie Ragland. Time will tell if Eason has All-American potential, but he is more than capable of plugging the middle and also rushing the passer off the edge. Saulsberry called him “a freak.”
“He’s just a different kind of athlete," Saulsberry said. "As talented as he is right now, his ceiling is so hight that it’s scary. It’s scary because the kid is so big, so agile. He still has so much room to grow that it’s crazy to see it. Also he’s a worker. The sky is the limit.”
Eason was among the many reasons Whitehaven won the state title when he was just a freshman. He’s racked up 100 tackles seasons since then and is finally healthy from an ankle injury that limited him throughout his junior campaign. Eason is yet the latest addition — along with JJ Peterson, Quavaris Crouch and Henry To’oto’o — in Pruitt’s quest to overhaul the linebacking corp.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR TENNESSEE?
In a perfect world, Tennessee would love to pair Eason with 4-star Utah native Noah Sewell. The Vols are battling Georgia and Oregon for the Top 50 prospect.
Peach State athlete Len’Neth Whitehead is another potential inside linebacker target, although Tennessee is recruiting the 4-star as an athlete capable of playing MLB or tailback.
The Vols will look to pair Eason with his best friend and Whitehaven teammate Martavius French, who recently decommitted from Arkansas, and Mississippi State commit (and Whitehaven safety) Tamarion McDonald. Both French and McDonald are currently trending toward the Vols, potentially giving UT a strong in-state presence.
