In-state DL Nathan Robinson commits to Tennessee

Some progress felt imminent in Tennessee’s 2023 class, and today you’ve got some. The Volunteers added a commitment from in-state defensive lineman Nathan Robinson on Monday morning, giving Tennessee their sixth commitment in the class.

This one had been brewing for a while, and Robinson went ahead and made things public today.

The 6-5, 268 pound Robinson is a three-star prospect, ranking 459th in the country according to 247Sports. He comes from Greenbrier High School, where he put up a ridiculous 23 sacks as a junior.

Our recruiting expert Clint Eiland gave his take below.

“Tenacious defender. Always keeps his eyes in the backfield. Does a good job of staying disciplined. Nimble on his feet. Plays too upright, which is to be expected at this point, since his tape shows him playing a lot of linebacker. In college, he will become a defensive lineman. As for whether he will be a defensive tackle or a defensive end, there is still a long ways to go. Robinson is listed at 6-5, 268 pounds, and he doesn’t even look that big in his highlights. Some serious potential here, it’s just a long ways away from realizing itself.”

Robinson took visits to Ole Miss, Kentucky, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State before ultimately zeroing in on Tennessee. He saw Knoxville three times over the last couple of months, including this past weekend for the scrimmage.

He’ll arrive next year ready to work with Rodney Garner, who is one of the best defensive line developers in the SEC. It will be interesting to see where he lands on the line, considering he’ll be coming down to the front after playing linebacker. Robinson has added 30 pounds over the last year in preparation for that transition.

Robinson’s commitment brings Tennessee to ninth overall in the 2023 cycle — also good for third in the SEC, per 247Sports.