its been long path back for knoxville area native darel middleton, but he took a step towards returning home with a commitment to tennessee and new head coach jeremy pruitt on Wednesday. As a high school standout he committed to tennessee before his sophomore year at powell. He later backed off the pledge and fielded offers from power programs all over the country while ended his career at oak ridge.
Hes also transformed himself into a one-time high school tight end with visions of playing some receiver into mammoth defensive lineman (6-foot-6, 280 pounds) who will add some sec-caliber size to the vols in the trenches. Middleton eventually landed in junior college after high school, hes currently at east mississippi c.c., but hopes to be back in knoxville sooner rather than later.
i got on the phone with coach pruitt today and i also talked to coach rocker. They told me that im the type of guy theyre looking for in a defensive lineman in this class that theyre bringing in, middleton said. they were talking about my film and what i can become from what theyve seen.
right now its questionable for me, he said of when he would be able to enroll in knoxville. weve got to go through the process of seeing all my grades and how many hours ive already taken. Then were going to go from there. im guessing theyre trying to get me out of here as soon as possible. "i play d-tackle at east mississippi right now, the three technique and nose sometimes. A couple of years ago, if you saw me play, i was kind of lazy. I needed to put in more effort. I dont take plays off any more, im coming off the ball a lot harder, he said.
it kind of went to my head when i committed to tennessee back when i was a freshman. I wasnt as humble as i should have been, he said of the experience. i really liked tennessee when i was committed there, but my head wasnt on straight. this new staff, i can tell where theyre going with the whole recruiting thing and bringing in new guys. The way they talk is just different. Like ive been through this whole process for six years now and its just like they already knew me when they were first talking with me. It was just amazing. Its just home.
