Peach State OL Umarov 'Pretty Pumped' For Official Visit With Tennessee

Tennessee will host prized 2023 Alpharetta (Ga.) Denmark High School offensive lineman Shamurad Umarov this weekend for his final official visit before he starts into decision mode. The long-time target for the Vols will return to campus for the first time since January, as he will look to build upon an already great relationship with Glen Elarbee and the Tennessee staff. Umarov previews the trip to Knoxville here.

"I am pretty pumped," Umarov said of the excitement level to get back to Knoxville this weekend. "I haven't been up there since earlier this year, so I am excited to get back up there and see the staff and everyone that was there to make it great when I was up there. So I already know it is going to be an amazing time."

During the official visit, Umarov will focus on the comfort level surrounding the weekend trip. 

"I am trying to see if it feels like home," Umarov said of his focus during the official visit weekend. "I am going to go there and envision myself getting up and going to practice, going to school, working out, then coming back being bored in my room. I just want to feel it out and see if I am comfortable because I have already talked to the coaches. I have seen all of the glamour it has to offer, so it is really communicating with the coaches and seeing if I am comfortable."

Outside of football and relationship with the coaches, the only other aspect Umarov will take a close look at is the current players on the team and how they interact outside of football.

"There is nothing anything big that is worth checking off to see if I would go there," Umarov said of this. "But things like I notice because of the person I am, is like the nature along the campus, how the small city life is, and how the players outside of football talk and hang out with each other. I haven't really got a chance to be with the players, so this is a great opportunity for me to see how they are and how they interact outside of football."

Coming into the visit, Umarov has already built a great relationship with offensive line coach Glen Elarbee, and the bond show only grow stronger over the weekend. 

"Our relationship is crazy. It is amazing," Umarov said of his relationship with Elarbee. "He is like my best friend, except he is this crazy good coach that I am speaking with. It has grown at a crazy rate from the day I met him to now. We are all so excited to see each other again."

Umarov will likely find out more about how he would fit into Tennessee's offensive line scheme during the weekend, as that has not been a key talking point in the recruitment to this point, but the Vols have made it clear to him that he is a priority to him for this class. 

As mentioned, this is Umarov's final official visit before he will enter decision mode, and it is possible a commitment could come sooner than later. He will decide between Georgia, Michigan State, Tennessee and LSU.

"I am trying to do it earlier than I thought," Umarov said of his decision timeline. "I was trying to do it in August, but I was like, what is in July that is going to interact with my decision-making up until August. So I was like why not do it earlier and lock my spot into a class in July. I might do it early or mid-July."

Once he puts the Tennessee visit in the rearview, how will the talented 6'6", 320lbs prospect separate one team from the rest?

"Honestly, I have been going to a school that weekend and for a couple of days after and absorbing everything that I saw and heard, then keeping it in my mind. Then I go into the next weekend with a clean plate of being open to everything they have to offer. So I am going to do that one more time, and once I come back, I am going to open those files and go through it with myself and my family."