A Closer Look at Recent NT Commit Brandon Adams

On July 18th, Coach Mason and the rest of the defensive staff extended an offer to an in-state player, Brandon Adams. No big deal right? Well less than 48 hours after that offer was extended, the anchor dropped. Adams had become the 10th member of the #Select16 and one of the higher-regarded recruits so far in the class.

A deeper look at Adams shows the potential he has the chance to tap into during his time in Nashville. He only had one other Power 5 offer from the Kansas Jayhawks. While it may not be the best comparison, Kansas and Vandy are in a similar position when it comes to recruiting; it is going to be tough to land the top recruits, so the goal is to hire and assemble a staff that can spot talent but also hold elite player development skills.

Adams has the skill set of a player who can compete and succeed on an SEC defense. The God-given size (6-foot-1, 327 pounds) is used beautifully in his junior tape to swallow up runners in the backfield, and to open up gaps for the defensive ends because of the way he takes more than one man to block. He knows how to use an explosive first step to create an advantage between him and the other lineman, and with that he has a WIDE array of moves for a man of his size. As has grown significantly in the world of defensive linemen, Adams has developed the ability to time his jump to swat, or even intercept, passes that do not get high enough off the LOS.

While a redshirt may slow down the hype on Adams, it may be what is needed, especially with the depth the Commodores already have at the position going into the 2016 season-barring any injuries suspensions, dismissals, etc. Both Adam Butler and Torey Agee will be RS Seniors, while Nifae Lealao, Jay Woods, and Riley Tindol will also still be on the roster. In 2017, Adams would have a great opportunity to see snaps from day one of fall camp - a big start to a potential first season of NCAA play.

As the month of July starts to wind down, one more recruiting update will be up later this week, as things start to heat up in Nashville on the field. Fall camp is only days away.