“Tennessee has always stood out to me, even since I was a little kid,” said Bryant-Strother. “I’ve always liked Tennessee, so I was happy about it.” Bryant-Strother, who was born and raised in Georgia, said he “for sure” plans to visit Tennessee now that he has an offer from the Vols. But he doesn’t have an explanation for why he grew up liking them.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I guess that’s the team I just clicked with when I was little. But I couldn’t tell you a reason. I don’t know. It could be for, like, a little-kid reason, like the stadium’s huge or the jerseys or something. But I always liked it. “I was into Tennessee. I liked watching them. And then I liked watching Georgia, too. I wouldn’t say I was a big fan, but I just liked watching them because everybody else was a fan. Those two, I liked them.
“I just felt like they were dogs,” Bryant-Strother said of the Vols. “When I was watching, I was like, ‘This is’ — I don’t know. I would watch other games, and I just felt Tennessee was fast-paced. I don’t know. It was entertaining when I watched it. …
Alvin Kamara and
Jalen Hurd, I liked watching them. I mean, I wouldn’t say I expected it, but I thought it was going to happen at some point in time,” he said. “I didn’t expect it to happen right now, but it did and I’m happy about it. “I definitely will get up there. I can’t say anything for sure, but I want to get up there bad.”
While Bryant-Strother never has been to Tennessee’s campus, he said he’s naturally intrigued by the Vols and he likes what he heard from Martin this week. “He was just telling me, basically, that my versatility would be very useful for them, and he basically said they’re rebuilding right now, so playing time is up right now,” Bryant-Strother said, recalling his conversation with Martin. “That’s always good.”
“I’ve got some schools high on my list right now,” Bryant-Strother said. “I don't want to say them, but I’ll be dropping a top-school list after spring practice. I think right now I’m trying to commit before my senior season, then play through my senior season committed,” he said. “I do want to take my (official visits). I would like to take my officials before I commit. But if that doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen.”
