“They are moving up the board,” the 6-1, 260-pound Sewell said.
“At first, I didn’t know what to expect. They have presented to me what they have to offer since I came out here and they are moving up the charts.”
Sewell was impressed with the family atmosphere that surrounds Jeremy Pruitt’s program.
“They are really a family here. I went to the linebackers room and saw how connected they are. They are all like big brothers and little brothers. Henry (To’oto’to) is a little brother right now because he’s the new guy. He gets picked on a little bit.”
Sewell also has a good relationship with Vol assistant coach Brian Neidermeyer, who he has known for several years because Neidermeyer recruited his older brother, who went to Oregon.
“I have known coach Neidermeyer since I was 13. He recruited my older brother. It was easy to build a relationship with him because I have known him for a while.
“Coach Neidermeyer is almost like a big brother. I almost call him dad to be honest. He will watch over you and make sure you are taken care of.”
Sewell, who is Polynesian, said that Neidermeyer’s personality fits very well with his culture, something that was evident in Neidermeyer’s recruitment of To’oto’to.
“Don’t let the outside fool you. Inside he’s got the little jokes as a poly guy. He has that family feeling like poly people to be honest.”
Sewell said the distance from home was not a factor for him as he likes to travel and isn’t a homebody. What is a factor is relationships and he likes what he sees at Tennessee.
“It’s how the players and the coaches interact with each other,” Sewell said. “They have a good relationship. That’s important to me. If you have something going on on or off the field you can work it out instead of being mad at each other because you did the wrong thing or I did the wrong thing.”
In addition to hanging out with To’oto’to and the players, Sewell got a lot of time with head coach Jeremy Pruitt as the two watched film.
“Coach Pruitt is a real good guy,” Sewell said. “He makes every complicated thing into like a simple thing so that you get it quick.”
“He just showed me a couple of the defenses that they run. It’s just easy concepts that I have to figure out. It’s the same stuff we run in high school. It’s just different terminology and how they run it. He was just breaking it down for me.”
Sewell, who just visited Georgia and Alabama in the last week as well, has over 30 offers and many have felt that Oregon was the favorite because his brother Penei Sewell played there. However, Sewell said he is open to everyone.
“My brother is always telling me to do me and do my own thing,” Sewell said. “He tells me to do what’s best for me.”
