4-star Lipscomb Academy LB Edwin Spillman commits to Tennessee football over Ohio State

One of the most highly recruited Tennessee high school football players for the Class of 2024 has made a decision on his college choice. Lipscomb Academy four-star linebacker Edwin Spillman committed to Tennessee football on Friday, choosing the Vols over Ohio State.

Spillman will join his brother, Nate Spillman, in Knoxville next year. Nate signed with the Vols last December and enrolled in January. Edwin said his brother played a significant role in his decision to chose UT.

"It was a really big factor," Edwin said. "It's always been a dream to play in college with my brother so I'm super blessed and excited for that opportunity."

While Nate was in his brother's ear about the possiblity of hooking up on the field at Neyland Stadium, the former Lipscomb Academy wide receiver gave Edwin some space to go through the recruiting process.

"He recruited me, but he was also pretty chill about it," Edwin said. "He let me find my own way. He just wants what's best for me regardless of where I went."

Edwin Spillman is the No. 8 recruit in Tennessee per the 247Sports Composite, and the No. 28 linebacker in the country. He had 129 tackles, 14.5 of them for loss, last season to lead Lipscomb to its second straight TSSAA Division II-AA state championship. Lipscomb has since moved up to DII-AAA and will be in the East Region starting with this season.

The 6-foot-1, 216-pound linebacker released his top four schools in May, dropping Oklahoma and UAB from his top six. Spillman took visits to every school in his top four — Florida State, Ohio State, Tennessee and Georgia — in June and further narrowed his list to UT and Ohio State on July 10.

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Spillman, who has 34 Division I offers, is just one member of a talented Mustangs defense that includes Tennessee commit Kaleb Beasley, linebacker Kris Thompson and defensive linemen Tony Carter and Amir Leonard-Jean Charles.

Spillman said he loved both Tennessee and Ohio State.

"Both schools, l loved both cultures and what they stood for," He said. "Both have great people and Ohio State is in great shape."

Reach sports writer George Robinson at georgerobinson@theleafchronicle.com and on Twitter @Cville_Sports.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee football lands Edwin Spillman, picking Vols over Ohio State