'18 TN DT Brant Lawless

[Backwards K]

Can't count on Shy or KMac. Always hurt.

".

Unfortunately, that is a true statement. Some players are just injury prone. Vols desperately need these two to be on the field all year.

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

Kmac was very good his freshman year. Had similar if not better stats than Thompson from UGA and Thompson was freshmen all SEC in 15. Kmac got snubbed that year.

KMac is very underrated. When healthy he is good. He doesn't get a pass rush like Shy from inside, but nobody runs on him. That's where he gets his tackles, he throws guards out of the way and tackles the runner

 

[Montrell Hardy]

Can't count on Shy or KMac. Always hurt.

I love KMac, but he needs to stop tweeting and start playing football. Compared to his ranking and hype, he's done basically nothing.

Remember, I said, "compared".

For a true freshman playing DT he was outstanding. As a DT he did what he was supposed to, stuff the run and push the pocket in passing situations. I agree with others that he still needed to improve on his conditioning, but that isn't surprising at all for any freshman playing on either side of the LOS.

Unfortunately, like the rest of the defense, he was a shell of his former self last year. The weight loss and loss in strength was a killer. I still cant get over how small he looked last season. Just crazy.

 

[IndianaVolunteer]

What does tweeting have to do with not being able to play because of injury. I don't think he's been held out for sore thumbs.

He's very passionate on twitter like BGS mentioned, and a SJW. I wish he were more focused and/or passionate on the field as he is on twitter but I am in no way saying he's a bad person for that. :hi:


There are football players like DB who prefer to stay off social media and work their craft who get drafted 14th overall, and then there are football players who love crafting their twitter game.

 

[IndianaVolunteer]

Hopefully he comes out and plays like a true #1 overall player should, but as of now you can't count on him. I would love to eat crow on this :rock:

 

[Darth_Shiveman]

Man I think a lot of people here are overselling KMac's freshman year. He showed promise and potential, but he wasn't nearly as good as some of you seem to remember.

Fact is he showed up 20-30 lbs overweight (not completely his fault, but he was pushing 360 when he got here) and was largely MIA for the first 1/3 of the season or so because he wasn't in good enough shape to stay on the field more than 2-3 plays.

By around mid season he was one of our better run defenders and pretty good at not giving ground, but he brought less to the field on 3rd downs than our other DTs like Tittle, Vickers, and O'Brien. Conditioning was a factor in that too.

As far as freshmen DTs go, KMac had a good, not great, season. He started off wayyyy overweight and out of condition and it limited his effectiveness to run stuffing. A lot of people saying he needs to get his weight back up to where it was as a freshman must be forgetting that. I agree he played a little too light last season, but we don't want him where he was as a freshman either. He's listed at 325 right now and I think that's somewhere around just right for him.

 

[PowerOrange]

For a true freshman playing DT he was outstanding. As a DT he did what he was supposed to, stuff the run and push the pocket in passing situations. I agree with others that he still needed to improve on his conditioning, but that isn't surprising at all for any freshman playing on either side of the LOS.

Unfortunately, like the rest of the defense, he was a shell of his former self last year. The weight loss and loss in strength was a killer. I still cant get over how small he looked last season. Just crazy.

He looked like he lost about 50 pounds. No way to lose that much weight that fast and not lose a significant amount of strength. His rare build would let him play in the 320s and look relatively fit. With the injury it will be tough for him to gain good weight back in time for the season.

 

[sanddune50]

Per Hubbs

Moving to the Midstate, it’s hard to overstate the importance of landing Brant Lawless. One could make an easy case Lawless is and will be Tennessee’s most important commit in the 2018 class after 5-star offensive lineman Cade Mays. Lawless is still hearing from Ohio state, Michigan and others, but he’s locked into the Vols since committing Monday. We had the story on Lawless talking his decision and explaining how hoops helped him develop into a terror at defensive tackle. Nashville Christian coach Jeff Brothers thinks Lawless can play “any of the five spots” along the line.

“Depending on the scheme, if you’re in a 4-3 defense, I think he’s the 3-technique in that b-gap. If you’re a 3-4 team, he could play any of those three spots. His athleticism is (great).”

 

[TNnative]

You're exactly right. Talked to his dad and it's definitely Brant and pronounced Brent. Nash Christian scrimmages Pearl Cohn Friday. I'm definitely gonna ask a coach for some film because against that 1A competition Brant looks like Warren Sapp. The thing is that's what I didn't see from Bituli in his film. I've cut members of his family for years including him and he's always been a bigger intimidating size kid. I will talk to him Friday and see what the family says in reference to It.

Maybe he will have it legally changed to Brunt to end confusion and other obvious reasons.

 

[Montrell Hardy]

He looked like he lost about 50 pounds. No way to lose that much weight that fast and not lose a significant amount of strength. His rare build would let him play in the 320s and look relatively fit. With the injury it will be tough for him to gain good weight back in time for the season.

Exactly. TBH he didn't look healthy last year with all that weight he lost. His build was flat out not suited to drop all that weight in the upper body. Unfortunately, he still looked the exact same this spring.

 

[Nashvegas31]

Exactly. TBH he didn't look healthy last year with all that weight he lost. His build was flat out not suited to drop all that weight in the upper body. Unfortunately, he still looked the exact same this spring.

has time to get back in form. He probably wasn't in full strength program due to that bicep injury

 

[OGbabyaviVol]

has time to get back in form. He probably wasn't in full strength program due to that bicep injury

Torn pectoral muscle, right?

 

[Montrell Hardy]

has time to get back in form. He probably wasn't in full strength program due to that bicep injury

Yeah no doubt that hampered him in the weight room. My concern is how much will he really be able to do before the season starts. Might be his senior year before he gets back to where he needs to be.

 

[LaagerVol]

Yeah no doubt that hampered him in the weight room. My concern is how much will he really be able to do before the season starts. Might be his senior year before he gets back to where he needs to be.

How long does it normally take to recover from a torn pec? 6 months? Then trying to regain strength while also being cautious not to re-injure.

 

[Montrell Hardy]

How long does it normally take to recover from a torn pec? 6 months? Then trying to regain strength while also being cautious not to re-injure.

I'm not sure to be honest. But I have to imagine it is a fairly slow process at least from regaining strength standpoint.

 

[LaagerVol]

I'm not sure to be honest. But I have to imagine it is a fairly slow process at least from regaining strength standpoint.

I would think so too. I think it would even affect lower body strength as it would be impossible to do squats til it healed.

 

[walkenvol]

Originally Posted by de1conley View Post
I've cut members of his family for years including him and he's always been a bigger intimidating size kid.

 

[kamoshika]

At around 300 pounds, Lawless has torn it up on the court for the Eagles, averaging around 20 points, 10 rebounds and a couple assists a game last season. He grew up playing AAU hoops and participated in the East vs. West All-Star Game in Chicago. Still, Lawless tabled his hoop dreams when he realized he wasn't going to be 6-9, but all his experience playing basketball — developing exemplary court vision, quick feet and stamina — helped him become one of the most menacing defensive tackles in the country.

“His athleticism, explosive movements set him apart,” Nashville Christian coach Jeff Brothers said. “He’s still a point guard. He’s a point guard in his head. He’s a point guard, literally. I mean, he brings the ball down the floor when we have pressure and they can’t get it away from him. He makes great passes. He sees the floor well...In his mind, he’s still a running back and a linebacker just playing with his hand in the ground. He moves like a skill-position player, and he thinks like a skill-position player. God blessed him with the ability to do that at 290-plus.”
https://tennessee.rivals.com/news/lawless-55

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

At around 300 pounds, Lawless has torn it up on the court for the Eagles, averaging around 20 points, 10 rebounds and a couple assists a game last season. He grew up playing AAU hoops and participated in the East vs. West All-Star Game in Chicago. Still, Lawless tabled his hoop dreams when he realized he wasn't going to be 6-9, but all his experience playing basketball — developing exemplary court vision, quick feet and stamina — helped him become one of the most menacing defensive tackles in the country.

“His athleticism, explosive movements set him apart,” Nashville Christian coach Jeff Brothers said. “He’s still a point guard. He’s a point guard in his head. He’s a point guard, literally. I mean, he brings the ball down the floor when we have pressure and they can’t get it away from him. He makes great passes. He sees the floor well...In his mind, he’s still a running back and a linebacker just playing with his hand in the ground. He moves like a skill-position player, and he thinks like a skill-position player. God blessed him with the ability to do that at 290-plus.”
https://tennessee.rivals.com/news/lawless-55

This kid could be out Nick Fairly. That dude was a terror during AUs champ run. I've always believed he was just as important to their run as Cam. He was so disruptive in the middle.

 

[Darth_Shiveman]

I always like seeing us land DT prospects who are good at other sports too. It can be a good indicator of whether a prospect is just a big strong guy or an athlete who happens to be really big and strong.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

Would I be exaggerating if I suggested that, with his size the the athleticism they speak of in that article, that he could very well prove to be the most critical signing of our class?

Big men who can move can be game changers. He could be a cornerstone that we build our defense around.

 

[Rishvol]

Would I be exaggerating if I suggested that, with his size the the athleticism they speak of in that article, that he could very well prove to be the most critical signing of our class?

Big men who can move can be game changers. He could be a cornerstone that we build our defense around.

As of right now, yes

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

As of right now, yes

 

[terrypedigo]

At around 300 pounds, Lawless has torn it up on the court for the Eagles, averaging around 20 points, 10 rebounds and a couple assists a game last season. He grew up playing AAU hoops and participated in the East vs. West All-Star Game in Chicago. Still, Lawless tabled his hoop dreams when he realized he wasn't going to be 6-9, but all his experience playing basketball — developing exemplary court vision, quick feet and stamina — helped him become one of the most menacing defensive tackles in the country.

“His athleticism, explosive movements set him apart,” Nashville Christian coach Jeff Brothers said. “He’s still a point guard. He’s a point guard in his head. He’s a point guard, literally. I mean, he brings the ball down the floor when we have pressure and they can’t get it away from him. He makes great passes. He sees the floor well...In his mind, he’s still a running back and a linebacker just playing with his hand in the ground. He moves like a skill-position player, and he thinks like a skill-position player. God blessed him with the ability to do that at 290-plus.”
https://tennessee.rivals.com/news/lawless-55

This kid will be special just got that feeling with him like i did with Barnett remember when coming in the other kids got the headlines and Barnett came in quietly and the rest is history.:clapping:

 

[mrMet]

This kid will be special just got that feeling with him i did with Barnett remember when coming in the other kids got the headlines and Barnett came in quietly and the rest is history.:clapping:

Cool one sentence story bro