Local product Braylon Harmon cements ‘surreal’ decision with Vols signing
Growing up, Braylon Harmon attended plenty of Tennessee football games with his family.
Now, he’ll get a different view inside Neyland Stadium, as the 2024 Knoxville Catholic product signed his National Letter of Intent to play for his hometown Vols.
Harmon signed his NLI as part of a six-player ceremony for Catholic, located just 12 miles from Tennessee’s football cathedral.
TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM
“I am excited, man,” Harmon told VolReport following the ceremony. “It’s crazy, I actually get to go closer to college than I did for high school. I get to stay in my hometown, have all my family here to watch me. I’m excited to get there.”
To do so, Harmon first had to de-commit from Wofford, as he had pledged to play for the Terriers before the Vols’ preferred walk-on offer rolled in on Nov. 4.
By Dec. 18, Harmon had made his decision. He was going to Tennessee.
“I’ve always wanted to play at the highest level I could,” Harmon said. “And when Tennessee came in, I just couldn’t say no.”
He brings explosiveness as a returner, receiver and overall athlete, despite being listed at 5-foot-9.
“Because I’m a short kid, nobody thought I could do it,” Harmon said. “So to prove people wrong and get this chance, it’s surreal.”
Harmon’s pattern of playing beyond his size dates beyond National Signing Day, as he was named the 5Star Preps Offensive Player of the Year for the 2023 season.
MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Judge denies Tennessee's request for temporary restraining order from NCAA
As a senior for the Irish, Harmon racked up 19 touchdowns with 2,413 all-purpose yards, per Toyloy Brown III for Knox News.
That work did not come without some turmoil, as the Irish program rotated through four different coaches — two head coaches, then two co-head coaches — during Harmon’s time in the green and gold.
“Man, with all the hard work, I just tried to be the best I could be for my team,” Harmon said. “I knew the past few years had not been the best. So we had to pick it up and grind as hard as possible this off-season and it showed.”
Now, he is entering a program that features plenty of stability, as Josh Heupel heads into his fourth season on Rocky Top.
“They know I’m going to work hard when I get there,” Harmon said. “I went the other day, and they told me they love my talent and they know I’m going to work hard to build it and be the best I can be. So I’ll just be an asset.”
–––––
– TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM.
– ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION.
– SUBSCRIBE TO THE VOLREPORT YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
– FOLLOW VOLREPORT ON TWITTER: @TennesseeRivals, @TMansfieldMedia, @ByNoahTaylor, @RealTBannerman, @RyanTSylvia, @Dale_Dowden, @ShayneP_Media, @TylerIvens.
–––––