Tennessee gave
Hevin Brown-Shuler his first scholarship offer in October 2020, on the same day he also added an offer from home-state school Georgia. Last month, he finally got a chance to take his first look at the Vols.
* The four-star Class of 2024 defensive lineman from Pace Academy in Atlanta traveled to Tennessee on Nov. 20 for its home game against South Alabama, and he said the Vols made a strong first impression on him while he was there. He said he’s already planning to make the trip to Knoxville again.
* “That was my first time in Knoxville. I sincerely enjoyed my time there,” said Brown-Shuler, who’s ranked by 247Sports as the No. 27 overall prospect and No. 4 defensive lineman in the 2024 class. “It’s a special, unique type of atmosphere — even more special to me (because) UT was my first offer, and it happened on my (15th) birthday last October. I’m 16 now.”
* The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Brown-Shuler, who holds early offers from at least 10 schools, still is in the early stages of the recruiting process but said he’s hoping to find a program with “a family type of atmosphere.” He said he found that during his first trip to Tennessee.
* “I felt togetherness while on my visit, and the fan base is phenomenal,” he said. “??UT had a very impressive victory that day.”
* Brown-Shuler said he met with first-year Tennessee coach Josh Heupel and at least a few other members of the Vols’ staff, including defensive analyst Levorn Harbin, defensive coordinator
Tim Banks and defensive line coach
Rodney Garner. Brown-Shuler said they were “all great.”
* After attending Tennessee’s 60-14 rout of South Alabama, he spent time on campus the following day. He later posted a picture on his Twitter account that showed him holding a putter and standing over a golf ball on a practice putting mat inside the Vols’ football complex. Heupel, also holding a putter, stood behind the hole at the end of the mat.
* “I enjoyed meeting many of the coaches, especially as I met with the head coach and showed him my golf skills,” Brown-Shuler said with a laugh.
* He said Tennessee’s coaches “told me things to continue doing” on the field “as well as things to work on,” and they encouraged him to “always show progression.” But the Vols made it clear that they like what they have seen from him during the first two years of his high school career.
* “They told me they think I would be a good fit for their program, and that they enjoyed watching my film,” he said.
* Brown-Shuler also attended games at Georgia, Clemson, South Carolina and Georgia Tech this season. After seeing Tennessee for himself, he said it probably won’t be long before he visits the Vols again.
* “I (definitely) plan to take another visit (to Tennessee) in the very near future,” he said. “My mother attended college in Nashville. She always spoke highly of the state of Tennessee. I was only in Knoxville for a short time. I’m not much of a city guy and Knoxville isn’t a big city, which is a good thing.
* “Being that it’s a new coaching staff, I look forward to building sound relationships with all of the coaches.”