Impact Report: Vols Land Elite Edge Presence in Bradley

Tennessee landed the commitment of elite 2023 Platte County (Mo.) Chandavian Bradley moments ago. Bradley is a massive recruiting win for the Vols as they were able to beat out Texas A&M and South Carolina in the end. We take a look at what Bradley brings to Knoxville in this impact report. 

Background

The top player from the state of Missouri is one of the most sought after prospects in America. He has offers from the majority of the nation's elite programs, including Auburn, Texas A&M, USC, Miami, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma. Bradley is a star on the basketball court as well as the football field, but his ability to bend around tackles and disrupt passing lanes with his length quickly made him into one of the nation's most highly recruited prospects. Tennessee started prioritizing the 6'5", 220lbs in the winter and the pursuit from Mike Ekeler has been relentless since. 

Fit

Bradley will stand up on the edge and rusher the passer for the Vols. His length is evident when you turn on the tape, but his versatility is what makes him even more impressive. Over the past year, Bradley has worked tirelessly to improve his pass coverage set. He is evolving into a three-down edge, who has the top end potential to be an eventual all-SEC player. His natural ability to bend and leverage around tackles while not losing a step is uncanny. He is strong enough to bull rush with his arms fully extended at the high school stage. His frame should easily carry 20 more pounds of good weight easily. As he develops under Mike Ekeler, he should see his skillset round out and push for early playing time, despite the talented room around him, including coveted edge rusher Caleb Herring. 

Impact Rating

This is another massive recruiting win for Mike Ekeler. He goes into the midwest and pulls a tremendous talent away from several of the nation's premier programs. At times, many thought Bradley would end up on the west coast, but his desire to play in the SEC opened the door for Ekeler, who kicked it down. Tennessee has stacked edge rushers under Ekeler, and Bradley adds to that. While he is not a refined prospect at this stage, his versatility and length are things you cannot teach. His upside is off the charts. Bradley's addition will solidify Tennessee's edge rushing unit into one of the SEC's best for years to come. 

9.5 of 10