The Vols currently don’t have any running backs committed in the 2020 signing class (or in their 2019 class), but they have offered a handful of prospects at that position. And they just extended an offer Tuesday to an under-the-radar back from Kentucky.
Landen Bartleson is a three-star running back from Danville, Kentucky. Early Tuesday, he tweeted that he is “blessed and honored to receive an offer from the University of Tennessee.”
Tennessee marks the fifth offer for the 6-foot-1, 195-pound back. They join the likes of Purdue, Louisville, Colorado and Kentucky. Per the 247Sports Composite rankings, he is the 7th-best player in the state, as well as the 525th ranked player in the 2019 class and 46th ranked running back.
The powerful athlete is currently in his junior season at Boyle County high school, and he has been one of the top players in their region. He has showed off his skill as both a running back and defensive back, adding several interceptions to his already impressive rushing stats. Coaches say that oftentimes the best players in high school make plays on both sides of the ball, and Bartleson has certainly has done just that.
While he only runs a 4.64 second 40-yard dash, so he doesn’t quite have breakaway speed, but that is not his style as a runner. He moves well, and he’s very quick laterally, which helps him create a lot of missed tackles at the second level. He is a powerful runner, and he has a good leg drive, which is complemented by his large frame. He is a patient back, allowing his blocks to align before hitting the hole. He has a bad habit of dancing too much in the backfield sometimes instead of running downhill, but that is something that will improve with maturity. Overall he is an exciting prospect, and he presents a threat as both a runner and a pass catcher, bringing additional value as a third down back.
