By: Eric Cain / @_Cainer
Tuesday was a good night for the University of Tennessee.
In the span of an hour late in the night, the Whitehaven High School trio of Bryson Eason, Martavius French and Tamarion McDonald announced their commitments to the Vols. All three boast a four-star rating, per Rivals, and will figure into the defensive plans for UT next season.
Eason and French are inside linebackers and should provide depth to a position that is currently depleted on the Tennessee roster.
Eason, who stands in at 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, is the 11th rated prospect at his position and seventh in the state of Tennessee. French, 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, is just ahead as the 10th inside linebacker in the country and sixth-rated prospect in the state.
The former led the charge by committing to UT first.
I Am 100% Committed To The University of Tennessee At Knoxville 🍊! pic.twitter.com/pjMWEEOZC2
— Bryson Eason (@EasonBryson) October 23, 2019
Moments later, French, who decommitted from Arkansas earlier this week, vowed his loyalty to Knoxville.
All Praises to the most High🙏🏾 I am Committed to The University of Tennessee #GoVols🍊 pic.twitter.com/YIBV6EyIIy
— F R E N C H I E (@ypcjuice2) October 23, 2019
Around the same time, McDonald announced on Twitter his decommitment from Mississippi State.
after a lot of thinking and talking to my mom…I am deciding to decommit from Mississippi State University! #GodGotMe
— TM3💕 (@tjdadonn) October 23, 2019
Bringing the night to a close, McDonald committed to Tennessee making it a 3-for-3 night in the Memphis area for the UT coaching staff.
this is where I want to be!! I am 100% committed to THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE🍊🍊 #GoVols pic.twitter.com/ZnT17g6NXW
— TM3💕 (@tjdadonn) October 23, 2019
All three players were in house for Tennessee’s loss to Georgia on October 5 and visited Arkansas last weekend.
The latter was the final part of the trifecta who picked up an offer from Tennessee in late September. While on a visit to Whitehaven High School, Tennessee’s coaches watched McDonald play and offered him after the game.
McDonald, 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, is listed as an outside linebacker per Rivals – but plays all over the field for his high school team. In a recent interview on Vol Radio Network’s ‘The Nation,’ Whitehaven coach Rodney Saulsberry said, ‘he can literally do anything.’
The athlete has seen time at each linebacker spot, safety, quarterback, wide receiver, tight end and is even the team’s punter.
McDonald told The Sports Animal’s Eric Cain in a recent interview that Tennessee is toiling with the idea of potentially using him as a bigger nickelback.
It was a goal for Jeremy Pruitt to lockdown in-state athletes when initially taking over the program in December of 2017. It was a goal for Eason, French and McDonald to play college football together.
Tuesday night, the two goals look to be reached.
The Vols now have 17 known commitments for the Class of 2020 and have jumped up to 19th nationally and seventh in the Southeastern Conference – per Rivals.
