Elite DB Nyland Green Talks Vols, Decision Timeline

Nyland Green is one of the top defensive backs in all of America, and he remains a top target for the Tennessee Volunteers. He recently talked about Tennessee with VR2 on SI.

Green recently made a self-guided trip to Tennessee with family to see what they could see , and he said, "it was just amazing. We were able to see a lot of the place. I am planning to get back up there after the pandemic and everything."

Green said on connecting with Tennessee players, "I have connected with a lot of those guys. Bryce Thompson, Alontae Taylor, just a lot of those guys."

Green would add about the message from the Tennessee players, "(they are just telling me) the program is amazing, the defense is amazing, the players are amazing. They are just telling me to pick the college that is best for me."

Jeremy Pruitt and Derrick Ansley are leading the charge for Green, and he has built a strong relationship with the defensive back gurus.

Green said, "they just tell me to keep working, keep grinding, and try to win a state championship."

When asked if they had compared him to a former player, he said, "not really. They usually just try to make sure I am good, my family is good, and everything is going good at school. It's not just them wanting me to come to their school, but to go wherever my heart desires."

Many believe the Vols biggest competition is Georgia given their proximity to home and relentless pursuit of Green. He said, "Georgia is the home-state school. They are right here at home. What more can I say about Georgia?"

Green has bounced around multiple timelines in his recruitment, but he a decision timeline in mind, for now. He said, "probably during November— early November or mid-November."

Green is sitting right on the cusp of the SI99 as one of the nation's premier prospects. We caught up with him in August, and he broke down all of his top schools in-depth. You can watch that video here:

Below is his SI All-American evaluation:

Vitals: 6-foot-2, 185 pounds

School: Covington (Ga.) Newton

Schools of Interest: Georgia, Clemson, Tennessee, LSU, Auburn

Frame: Long and athletic with plus size for a corner. Will be able to hold 15-20 pounds easily upon arrival at a Power-5 program.

Athleticism: What doesn’t he do for Newton high school? He’s the best receiver on the field, the best corner, the best safety, and is somehow still quick and explosive considering the length. Great ball skills as well. All translating well into college.

Instincts: Redirects exceptionally well, and clearly shows the ability to be multidimensional in terms of position, indicating the football knowledge is supreme. Looks best as a center field safety but is determined to play corner. Both at big time Power-5 caliber.

Polish: Backpedal looks effortless but prefers to jam you and hold you at the line of scrimmage. Could be over-aggressive at this stage. Will likely get even bigger in the coming years, which is frightening but the foot speed is there to remain at corner is he so chooses.

Bottom Line: At last glance, a trip Newton high school for a morning workout this spring, and there were two players that were 100% about their business and Nyland Green was the leader. He’s a no-nonsense type of player with a glowing personality who can impact a secondary sooner rather than later, at cornerback, safety or a combination of the two.