As the class of 2023 cycle continues to spin, coaches are also laying the groundwork to get ahead for rising juniors at the prep level.

Tennessee is doing so with versatile four-star defensive tackle, Hevin Brown-Shuler of Pace Academy. Rodney Garner plans to be in Atlanta, Ga. this spring – during the evaluation period – to get a close up view of who the 6-foot-5, 290-pound athlete really is.

But it won’t the first time Brown-Shuler speaks to Garner in person.

“I was up there for a game this past fall. Tennessee was actually my first offer my freshman year. It was the weekend of my birthday,” the 2024 prospect said. “I was re-offered by this current staff during the season.

“It was great in terms of first impressions being up there. I love coach Garner – I think he’s a great coach. He’s kind of an old-head and has the tough love, but knows how to get on you and to love you at the same time.”

The nation’s No. 27 overall prospect, per Rivals, plans to be in Knoxville this summer for either a camp or Junior Day.

“I like how he knows how to develop that great talent,” Brown-Shuler said of Garner. “He can really take you to the next level in terms of coaching and developing you, as a player and as a person.”

Along with being the 27th-rated prospect in the class, Rivals has also pitted the four-star as the No. 2 defensive tackle and as the sixth-prospect in the state of Georgia. Brown-Shuler owns a Rivals Rating of 6.0.

“Coach Garner likes how technical I am with my hands. He says I do a lot of stuff better than some of the upperclassmen do, as far as hand placement and using my power from my hips for get-offs,” the Volunteer target said. “He also says he likes my personality and my character. He says I’m a Tennessee-type kid.”

With 21 offers to date, the talented prep athlete plans to camp all over this summer with check-ins at Knoxville in June and Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Texas and Texas A&M. Brown-Shuler has already stopped by Georgia, South Carolina, Clemson, Oklahoma, JSU, Ole Miss and Georgia Tech this semester.

The four-star was tabbed as an Adidas and MaxPreps All-American following his freshman campaign and was awarded All-State status as a sophomore. The Pace Academy standout has been invited to participate in the 2024 Army All-American Senior Bowl and has seen action all across the defensive line – from a five-technique all the way down to the shade.

Tennessee was first to offer the Georgia native and that still resonates with the prospect – despite it being a prior regime. The Vols will likely be in this one over the course of the next year as Rodney Garner continues to build his relationship with the talented 2024 prospect.