In-State OL Brycen Sanders Talks Recruitment, Connection With Vols OL Coach Elarbee, and More

Chattanooga (Tenn.) Baylor School offensive lineman Brycen Sanders is relatively new to the recruiting process, but that is not stopping it from coming at him quickly, as coaches from across the country have started to offer the coveted prospect.

"It is all new to me. It is exciting," Sanders said of the process. "High-caliber coaches, Lane Kiffin, Coach Luke, Coach Heupel, it is just crazy that they think I can play for their team."

The 6'5", 285-pound offensive guard has picked up six offers since December, including Kentucky, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, and Tennessee, with other schools circling. The Vols were the latest offer, and he already had a previously established connection with Tennessee offensive line coach Glen Elarbee.

"It is just exciting," Sanders said of the offer from Tennessee. "It is the home state school. Coach Elarbee is a great guy. He played with my dad in college; they were teammates at MTSU, so they already knew each other. He was a great coach at UCF, Mizzou, and he has always had great O-linemen. It is exciting to have the opportunity to play for the home state."

"He said he was a great player in college," Sanders said of what his dad was able to tell him about Elarbee. "He said he tutored him in math, so he was great on and off the field. He was a great player, and that is really what my dad told me."

The younger Sanders had the opportunity to speak with Elarbee after he learned of the interest from Tennessee.

"I called coach Ellerbee, we talked for about ten minutes, and he offered," Sanders said. "At first, we talked about my family and how my dad was, and he asked about how I was. He said he liked I care about football so much and how hard I work. He said he has talked to all of my coaches, and he just really likes my game and how hard he works."

Sanders continues to catch the attention of college coaches, and he shared what he believed makes his game standout.

"I am aggressive every second of the game. I think when I am on the field, I am one of the smartest players on the field. My dad was a coach, so I was around the game a lot and grew up watching film because of him."

Between now and the next level, there is always room for improvement, which he is already working on.

"Probably my quickness and my pass pro," Sanders said of what he needs to improve the most. "I think my run blocking is the best part of my game. I am moving to left tackle this season, so I need to work on getting quicker against outside rushers."

With the recruiting process being relatively new, Sanders has a lot of time to find a home, but he knows what he is looking for in the future.

"I want to find a family-style program that is tight and close-knit. I want to have a great o-line coach who has a history of putting players to the next level and helping them get better on and off the field. I want great fans, a great stadium and great atmosphere, and a school that can help me achieve what I want academically."