Volunteer Country

High-Priority Edge Rusher Cuts List To Nine

Four-star edge rusher Booker Pickett is down to nine. The Florida native will focus on several high-major schools moving forward, and Tennessee is one of them.
Evan Crowell|
High-Priority Edge Rusher Cuts List To Nine
High-Priority Edge Rusher Cuts List To Nine

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Tennessee Volunteers

Edge rusher is an integral part of modern defense. Collapsing the pocket around quarterbacks is a requirement, one that can be the difference between winning and losing.

Tennessee has invested in the position since head coach Josh Heupel took over. They signed two All-American edge rushers in 2023, Caleb Herring and Chandavian Bradley. Both have unique, light frames but had enough athleticism to dominate the high school level. The Volunteers don't have a rusher committed in the 2024 cycle but are after an elite bunch.

One of those names is edge rusher Booker Pickett. The Florida native is a consensus four-star who is also an Under Armour All-American. He narrowed his recruitment to nine schools on Tuesday and will focus on Tennessee, Georgia, Florida State, South Carolina, Miami, Ohio State, Penn State, Louisville, and USC.

Pickett hails from Tampa, Florida, and plays for Wharton High School, who has produced notable NFL alums like Vernon Hargreaves and Auden Tate. It seems they have another Sunday-caliber player on roster, as Pickett has amassed eye-popping production in the past two seasons with the team.

He logged 56 tackles, 30 sacks, and four forced fumbles as a junior, and in the past two seasons has 52 sacks. Posting consecutive twenty-plus sack seasons is a rarity at the high school level, but Pickett continues to defy the odds. The 6-4 and 200 lbs. edge still needs some refinement before stepping on a college campus, but the production thus far is undeniable.

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Evan Crowell
EVAN CROWELL

Evan Crowell is currently pursuing a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and has various media experiences throughout his young career. He's been committed to marrying the fan's perspective of the game of football to the technical intricacies installed in each game by coaches and players. Crowell has been working at Fan Nation since 2020 and has covered high-profile college football games, recruiting events, and more during that five-year tenure. While he never played football, he's worked relentlessly to continue improving his understanding of the game while still covering the unique stories of each individual he covers.

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