Tennessee football linebacker Aaron Beasley was flying all over the field on Saturday. Three-star prospect Mantrez Walker was paying attention to Beasley’s play from the stands.
Walker, a class of 2025 prospect, took an unofficial visit to Tennessee on Saturday. The coaching staff compared Walker to Beasley.
“Beasley’s a dog,” Walker said. “Basically, the coaches said I remind them of him. His body type, stuff like that. He’s definitely a dog, made some good plays. I was watching him, and he’s from Georgia, that’s another good thing.”
Walker is currently committed to Michigan, a pledge he made in February. The 6-foot and 215-pound linebacker said he will continue to go through the recruiting process. He holds over 25 scholarship offers.
His visit on Saturday with Tennessee made a good impression on the 2025 prospect out of Buford (Ga.) High School. So much so that he is already planning his return trips.
“Tennessee left a great impression,” Walker said. “They’re very high, I’ll definitely, probably go to their junior day. I know I’m taking an OV (official visit) with them in the summer. They’re up there with Michigan.”
Walker ranks as the No. 383 prospect nationally and the No. 37 linebacker in his class by 247Sports Composite rankings. He’s the No. 42 prospect out of Georgia.
Defensive coordinator Tim Banks and linebacker Brian Jean-Mary have been involved in the recruitment of Walker. The visit allowed him to talk with the coaches, and get a first look at Tennessee’s atmosphere.
“The environment was kind of chill,” Walker said. “Lots of fans. They weren’t too rowdy, but they were the right amount. Definitely an electric game atmosphere, a lot of things going on. A lot of people were in the stadium, first home. That definitely attracted me too.”
Walker also holds SEC offers from Florida, LSU, Missouri, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Georgia and Texas A&M.
Tennessee’s defense is attractive to Walker, with their aggressive nature and the way they utilize Beasley.
“They definitely fly to the ball,” Walker said. “They do a lot of little movements up front, a lot of blitzes and stuff like that. It’s nothing too crazy, but it’s just the right amount. We’ll see how they weigh out through the season.”
