Middleton continues to move toward a destiny in orange
It's been six long years since Knoxville native Darel Middleton committed as a high school freshman to Tennessee. Then a Powell Panther, Middleton not only caught passes as a wide receiver, but also got caught up in the attention that comes with the recruiting process. A transfer to Oak Ridge two years later and eventual commitment to Arizona State left Middleton with no orange in his future.
His academics kept him from signing and he headed off to JUCO. He finally ended up at East Mississippi this January and that's when things started to change for the monster of a man. He finally bought into playing on the defensive line.
"I'm a lot nastier," Middleton said. "I've been working on my technique and working on my craft. I've gotten bigger and I'm about 290 now and 6-foot-7. It's something new."
The road back to Rocky Top hit him with a sudden change once he started to fill out his 6-foot-7 inch frame. That's when Tennessee started to take a look at him in late March and early April. Not even then did he actually believe his dream could still be a reality.
"Not at all to be honest with you," Middleton said when discussing a chance of ending up in orange. "I just went into the spring doing what I need to do and they came out of nowhere and called. They offered and I knew that's where I always wanted to be. It's been a long road."
Those offers were followed up by both Florida and Georgia. A forgotten prospect had just added half the SEC eastern division in a matter of weeks.
"Getting those offers just let me know that I was back," Middleton said. "I just have to continue to stay on top of my classwork and I'll get back to where I've always wanted to be."
And it's that type of attitude that gives Middleton a fighting chance. He's been doubted every step of the way and somehow he has continued to persevere through tough times.
"Everything has been different," Middleton said. "Just my whole mentality in knowing I can come back and play at home. I just have been on top of everything with the classroom and on and off the field."
Middleton was in town last month for the Bar-B-Q with the Tennessee staff and several of the 2019 commitments. He's excited about his future on Rocky Top and says this new group just feels right.
"They are family this time," Middleton said. "I talk to Coach Tracy Rocker a lot and they are always telling me to keep working on getting bigger. They saw some of my spring film and they like me as a 3-technique and a 5-technique."