N.C. safety nets Vols offer, says Pruitt compared him to former Tide star
Lannden Zanders admits he’s rather “new to all of this.”
In the last two weeks, the 3-star safety from Crest (N.C.) High has picked up offers from Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, Clemson and Tennessee, with the latest scholarship coming in-person during Zanders’ visit to Rocky Top on Saturday.
“This is all very new to me, but it’s been good,” Zanders said, who also holds offers from Appalachian State, East Carolina and Georgia Southern, among others.
“I have a coach who’s really behind me and looking out for me.”
Two days after picking up a huge offer from Clemson, Zanders visited Tennessee for the first time. With his dad and brother in tow, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound defensive back got the full tour during Junior Day and spent time with Jeremy Pruitt, Charles Kelly and Terry Fair.
“The visit was all about getting to know the place better. I got to meet most of the coaching staff, which was good. It was a nice campus, nice facilities,” he said.
“They took me around the whole campus, showed me the stadium and the class rooms and all that stuff. It’s definitely one of the biggest schools I’ve visited.”
During the trip, Zanders ended up in Pruitt’s office, and the two spoke for a several minutes when Tennessee’s new coach delivered some exciting news.
“I was talking with the head coach and then he just offered me,” Zanders said.
“It’s a blessing. He said I reminded him of Eddie Jackson when he coached at Alabama. That’s good because Eddie Jackson is a player.”
Jackson was a versatile cog in Alabama's secondary for four years, playing corner, safety and returning kicks. Zanders, who has seen his recruitment take off recently after an impressive junior campaign (his first in varsity football), said Tennessee pitched a similar role. Last fall, Zanders was a two-way star for Shelby Crest, playing both receiver and safety. He scored five receiving touchdowns and had 55 tackles, six interceptions and a blocked field goal on defense.
“I’m a ballhawk,” he said. “I just have a sense where the ball is going to be, and I’m not scared to come down and make a tackle or big hit.”
Zanders has already visited North Carolina and N.C. State this month — with both in-state schools likely to extend an offer soon. He’s scheduled to see Clemson next weekend, and Penn State, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma and Wake Forest hope to get him on campus this spring, too.
The 3-star prospect is already planning a return trip to Tennessee either late this spring or summer, saying, “They definitely want me there. They told me I’m a good ball-player. They like my skill-set and they want me to be a Tennessee Volunteer.”