It’s been a busy month for 2022 four-star offensive tackle Ryan Brubaker.
The 6-foot-6, 280-pound athletic big man has already made stops at Stanford, Penn State and South Carolina with plans of checking out Vanderbilt next weekend. But this weekend, it was all about Tennessee.
“It was a really enjoyable experience,” Brubaker said Sunday morning. “I finally got to meet and see the coaches in person. We did all the facility tours and campus tours, but the best part was the people.
“It was also really enjoyable to see another part of the country and to see a new city. It was great.”
The offensive lineman has played a bit of everything in the past but is proven to be athletic enough to play tackle at the next level. Brubaker spent a bulk of the trip talking with Josh Heupel, Glen Elarbee and others on how he would fit into the offensive scheme.
“I think they are great and very knowledgeable about the game of football,” Brubaker told Volquest. “They are great coaches and even better human beings. They are very experienced and know what they are doing. In football and on the social side of it, they were very easy to talk to.
“The best thing about this visit was there were no surprises. Coach Elarbee was kind of quiet and reserve in person – just like he is on the phone – but when we talk football, the intensity turned up. The players say he is very even-keeled and very precise. There’s a reason behind everything with him.”
There’s no clear pecking order at the moment, according to the prospect, on which of the five schools are out in front. With four visits now in the books and with Vanderbilt around the corner, Brubaker plans to take some time and compare the programs individually before making his final call.
“If anything, my family and I have agreed that this month has made it a lot harder than it was before,” the prospect said of his decision looming. “We’ve gotten to each place and realize they all have great people there. I feel like I’m going to be splitting hairs trying to find the right school.”
Regardless, being out in front of the coaches and on campus certainly did Tennessee some favors.
“Zooms never do any justice so being there helped a lot,” Brubaker said. “We had a great time and walked away very satisfied with all that was done. We felt like there was no stone left unturned.
“This weekend was very good.”
The Denver, Pa. native is a four-star prospect, per Rivals and rated as the 154th player nationally. Brubaker is tabbed as the No. 18 offensive tackle in the class and as the fifth-best prospect in the state.
