Tennessee Vols recruiting target will have extra motivation when playing Alabama
One of the Tennessee Vols' top 2023 recruiting targets is four-star offensive lineman Brycen Sanders. Sanders, 6-foot-5/280 lbs from Chattanooga, TN, is rated by 247Sports as the No. 8 interior offensive lineman in the nation and the No. 4 player in the state of Tennessee. The talented offensive lineman is scheduled to announce his commitment […]
One of the Tennessee Vols' top 2023 recruiting targets is four-star offensive lineman Brycen Sanders.
Sanders, 6-foot-5/280 lbs from Chattanooga, TN, is rated by 247Sports as the No. 8 interior offensive lineman in the nation and the No. 4 player in the state of Tennessee.
The talented offensive lineman is scheduled to announce his commitment on June 23. Sanders is down to Tennessee, Ole Miss, LSU, and Oklahoma.
Sanders told 247Sports this weekend after visiting Tennessee that the Vols are "very close to the top" for him.
“Atmosphere was amazing,” said Sanders. “Highlights were hanging with the coaches and all the recruits here. Definitely a super high amount of talent here.”
One of the reasons the Vols are near the top for the Tennessee native is because Alabama, Sanders' dream school growing up, has yet to offer the talented recruit.
Sanders desperately wanted an offer from Alabama, but the Crimson Tide haven't seemed interested.
There’s a photo of a 9-year-old Brycen sporting a houndstooth hat at the 2014 SEC championship game. He’s hugging Hannah and their youngest sister, Avery, as confetti descends upon Crimson Tide players in the background. The boy in that image would’ve been crushed to hear Alabama didn’t want him. The man-sized lineman he has become realizes that recruiting, like stock valuations, is an imperfect science. Sometimes the best get it wrong.
“We know that he was upset early on, but he didn’t show that emotion or let it get to him because he still has these amazing offers,” said Hannah, striking a diplomatic tone. “He’s so dedicated in everything he does — practice, workouts, school — that he can get the same opportunities at these other schools that he would get at Bama.”
Sanders will likely have some extra motivation whenever he plays Alabama at the next level. There's nothing more dangerous than a player with a chip on his shoulder, which is another reason why the Vols need to make sure they get Sanders to Rocky Top.
Tennessee's 2023 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 8 in the nation. The Vols are in the mix for some highly rated recruits, which could eventually lead to this class finishing in the top five. If that happens, then it's game on in the SEC East.
Featured image via Rivals.com
