Worth County, Georgia standout
Malik Muhammad got the news he had been dreaming about on Tuesday morning. Tennessee was offering him a scholarship opportunity on Rocky Top and
“It was pretty, good, pretty exciting, and it was, I mean, it was the first offer that I got that I cried when I got it, and it was pretty good,” Muhammad said about his emotional moment yesterday.
So what stands out about Tennessee?
“I would say coach Garner has a good history,” Muhammad said. “I mean, it’s been a school that I have looked at since I was young. So a lot of stuff stands out about Tennessee.”
Ironically, the 2028 EDGE has liked Tennessee for a long time, which is why the offer drew the emotions yesterday. He even wore a Tennessee decal on his helmet during his freshman year.
“My first year I had ended up getting a sticker and I had wore it I want to say throughout springtime and I just wore throughout the whole season.,” Muhammad recalled.
So where’s the love for Tennessee come from?
“James Pearce Jr.,” Muhammad said. “Yes, sir, it’s just his play style. It remind me of my game. I feel like the team by itself and I like what he accomplished there, I feel like I would be able to go do the same.”
Muhammad’s instagram handle which is
Tenn.Malik is a nod to Pearce’s instagram handle of
Tenn.Jamess. Now he watches Pearce make plans for his home state Atlanta Falcons.
He likes Tennessee defensive line coach
Rodney Garner and in their talks, he said the veteran SEC assistant has stressed getting him up to Knoxville for a visit.
“The message was just to stay focused and try to become lead leader going into my junior year,” Muhammad said. “But overall just to stay focused and they want to try to get me up there soon.”
VFL Tyre West grew up just down the road in Tifton. There are some pretty good ones that have come out of South Georgia and he hopes to be the next. Getting offers from programs like Tennessee, Ohio State and others is a pretty surreal experience.
“It’s been pretty good,” Muhammad said. “I just have to remain humble and remember that the goal isn’t finished yet and just keep my head down and keep working.”
At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Muhammad believes his game is a work in progress that has positives and things he needs to get better at doing.
“I feel like ball get off and just bending around the edge and getting to the quarterback,” Muhammad said. “I feel like I can improve more dropping into pass coverage and just getting, getting even better off the edge.”
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