The calendar may have turned to May, but Tennessee’s red-hot recruiting streak marches on, as Peach State tailback Cody Brown committed to the Vols over Auburn and 20 other offers.
The powerful 6-foot, 220-pound tailback from Parkview (Ga.) is the nation’s No. 69 prospect and No. 5 running back.
Brown becomes the 17th verbal pledge in the 2021 class for the Vols — and third Top 100 prospect to join the group in just the last week.
Here’s a closer look at what Brown’s decision means…
SCOUTING REPORT
“Cody Brown is a kid I’ve seen numerous times over the number of years. One thing many people don’t know about Cody is his 4.0 GPA. He takes real pride in academics. I’ve always noticed when guys take care of business in the classroom that work ethic typically carries over, that mentality to the athletic side. Cody is very self-driven. He works extremely hard. He prepares physically, mentally. He makes the most out of his ability. As a running back, what I love the most from Cody is the power. The yards after contact. He has good vision, patience. He has an SEC body. He’s thick, stronger, physical. He’s not looking to run towards daylight. He’s not afraid to take on linebackers head-on. He can spin. Keeps his balance. … Tennessee is getting a guy who can definitely add that physical element to their offense. He can wear down defenses. All around, he’s a true student-athlete. You see that with him and his character as a player. It’s a great get for Tennessee.”
— Chad Simmons, Rivals.com Southeast Analyst
HOW BROWN FITS WITH THE VOLS?
The Vols signed three tailbacks in the 2020 class, but Jeremy Pruitt was still looking for that true hammer ‘back. Perhaps it could be incoming freshman Tee Hodge or even 2021 JUCO commit Tiyon Evans, but there’s no mistaking that Brown is a big, workhorse-type ‘back.
Tennessee landed its speedster in Jaylen Wright, one of the fastest players in the country, last month, and Evans has some real agility and nimbleness for a 220-pound back, but Brown is a different player — an old-school between-the-tackles ‘back
Brown plays against some of the best competition in Georgia, rushing for nearly 1700 yards and 20 touchdowns on 214 attempts. With a physical, downhill style (and a mean stiff-arm), Brown had 10 games with over 100 yards in 2019.
“He really just runs with great patience and vision. He’s not a burner. He’s not a guy who’s a perimeter or space-type ‘back. He’s a between-the-tackles guy,” Simmons said.
“He can eat up yards and next thing you know in the 4th quarter he has 22 carries and a 180 yards and two touchdowns. He’s very productive ‘back who seems to get better as the game goes on.”
That’s exactly what Pruitt wants.
WHAT DOES BROWN’S COMMITMENT MEAN FOR TENNESSEE?
Another day, another victory on the trail. The Vols are building a potential Top 5 class to stay.
The Vols won another heads-up battle against Auburn for a blue-chip recruit — their second in a week after beating out the Tigers for impact pass rusher Dylan Brooks last Sunday.
Brown is another prospect who was able to make it to campus just before the COVID-19 shutdown, establishing a strong relationship with position coach Jay Graham and others on staff.
With Tennessee’s own in-state crop of targets down this year, the Vols have done a nice job in the last two months building a class from their surrounding recruiting base — North Carolina, Alabama and Georgia (Issac Washington, Roc Taylor, Edwin White, Wright, Brooks, Kamar Wilcoxson and Julian Nixon).
It doesn’t appear like UT’s momentum is set to slow anytime soon, either, as Texas quarterback Kaidon Salter is set to make a decision on May 10, with Tennessee holding the edge over Auburn again. Offensive lineman Colby Smith could also be close to a college choice and the Vols are heavily in the mix for Maryland linebacker Aaron Willis and defensive lineman Katron Evans.
