Tennessee tight ends coach Brian Niedermeyer named ‘Recruiter of the Year’ by 247 Sports

When all the dust settled on signing day, Brian Niedermeyer’s name was left sitting atop 247 Sports’ recruiter rankings for the 2019 cycle. Niedermeyer was a catalyst for Tennessee’s 2019 haul, which featured two five-star offensive lineman, an elite linebacker who was plucked away from Alabama and Quavaris Crouch — the former No. 1 player in the country who lost much of his 2018 season due to injury.

Niedermeyer served as the primary recruiter for five-star Darnell Wright, along with four-stars Quavaris Crouch, Henry To’oto’o, Tyus Fields, Jackson Lowe and Savion Williams in this class. He’s a huge reason why Tennessee ended up landing inside of 247’s top ten classes.

His career began in the JUCO ranks as a tight ends coach, ahead of volunteering at Miami. That led him to East Texas Baptist, before landing at Georgia with Jeremy Pruitt in 2015. He followed Pruitt to Alabama in 2016, then again to Tennessee in 2018.

Jeremy Pruitt is a rockstar recruiter himself, but it’s clear that Niedermeyer was the guy Pruitt trusted the most to make things happen down the stretch for Tennessee. Interestingly enough, Tennessee adds Tee Martin — another former national recruiter of the year — to the staff this season. Pruitt won the award in 2013.

Niedermeyer’s salary of $200,000 per year is due for a hefty raise.