Commitment Breakdown: Tennessee lands Rivals250 LB Bryson Eason
Nick Lucero/Rivals.com
THE SITUATION
The 2020 Tennessee recruiting class got a major injection of life on Tuesday night as Rivals250 linebacker Bryson Eason pledged to the Vols over Arkansas, Mississippi State and several others. Tennessee's pursuit of Eason picked up quite a bit over the past few months and after looking like he was headed to Arkansas, the Vols won him over with the idea of playing early and contributing to an improving defense. So what does his commitment mean for Tennessee? And how does it hurt the schools that missed out? We break it down.
WHY IT'S BIG FOR TENNESSEE
It's been two months since Tennessee picked up a commitment and after a 2-5 start to the year, it's clear the Vols needed some good news on the recruiting trail. The addition of Eason, followed soon by his teammates Martavius French and Tamarion McDonald, is exactly that. Since Jeremy Pruitt was hired the Vols have been working hard to recruit Memphis and led by recruiter David Johnson, the school continues to have success in the city. While perception is one major aspect to why landing Eason now is big, his potential on the field is even bigger. After some injuries hurt his stock as a junior, Eason is once again showing the potential that helped him land more than 25 offers as an underclassman. While Tennessee has some young, promising linebackers on the roster, Eason will have a chance to step in and compete for playing time early in his career. A throwback, big-bodied linebacker, Eason should fit nicely in the SEC.
QUICK LOOK: Highlights of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ LB Bryson Eason at the Rivals 3 Stripe Camp in New Orleans 🎥👇 pic.twitter.com/EwOHwv7Cir
— Rivals (@Rivals) September 8, 2019
WHY IT HURTS FOR ARKANSAS, OTHERS
While Arkansas never had Eason in the fold, he nearly committed multiple times and looked to be a lock to end up in Fayetteville as recently as the late summer. But the Hawgs slow start to the season, combined with a strong push from Tennessee, seemed to shift the tides. With both programs badly in need of playmaking depth, losing Eason and French to an SEC foe is a big blow. Arkansas will continue to work hard in Memphis to add talent, but it's clear they will be fighting the Vols and several others going forward.
