UM has tried to talk Byrd out of a planned Tennessee visit next weekend, but Byrd says he's still going to go ahead with that trip. He's visiting there with Carlin Fils-Aime - the two live together and refer to each other as brothers.
"Yeah, for sure," he said. "It'll be really hard for Tennessee to catch up. I've been committed a long time. Now I have a general idea of what this new staff is doing, how things will be run. Now you can really compare it."
Asked to rate his visit from 1 to 10, Byrd said, "I'd give it an 8."
Certainly Cane fans worry about his visit to Tennessee, which he will take with his father.
Asked the chances he'll be Cane on signing day, Byrd says "I have no idea."
A follow-up: Should he be labeled a soft commitment?
"Nah, I'd still say I'm solid," Byrd said. "I just have no idea how good that visit is going to go."
CaneSport's take:
Byrd is a huge priority in this class, and fans will have to keep their fingers crossed that his time in Tennessee three days before he's inking his letter-of-intent doesn't sway him.