Jeremy Pruitt went into the state of Alabama and plucked the No. 1 in-state prospect in 2021 five-star defensive end Dylan Brooks.



Brooks announced his commitment on Sunday, picking the Vols over Alabama and Auburn.



The 6-foot-5, 220-pound weakside defensive end out of Handley High School in Roanoke, Ala., is ranked No. 18 overall in the 2021 class as a five-star prospect, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. He’s the No. 1 player at his position.



Brooks is the 11th commitment in Tennessee’s 2021 recruiting class and the highest-ranked prospect to join the group.



He would be the highest-rated prospect to pick Tennessee since Darnell Wright, the No. 10 overall player in the 2019 class.



Brooks the fifth Alabama prospect in the 2021 Vols class, joining four-star wide receiver Jordan Mosley, three-star athlete Roc Taylor, three-star safety Edwin White and three-star corner back Jay Jones.



He’s the second defensive end in the class, alongside three-star strongside defensive end Darrell Jackson (Havana, Fla.), who committed in February.



Brooks attended junior days at Tennessee on March 7 and January 18. He took an unofficial visit to see the Vols last November.



Handley High School football head coach Larry Strain told BamaOnline on Saturday that he thought Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Tennessee were the four teams leading the race for Brooks.



“I think that’s the four,” Strain said. “If I had to say I really think that’s the four. I really don’t think anybody outside of that has a chance. He wants to play in the SEC.”



The Vols landed the pledge from Brooks while holding off intense competition from the other three suitors.

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Strain said even though recruiting on campus and on the road has been shut down by the NCAA during the COVID-19 pandemic, the recruitment of Brooks never slowed down.



“I’m sure they’ve blowing Dylan up a lot more than they’ve been blowing me up,” Strain told BamaOnline of coaches contacting him. “I have talked to several (coaches). Just about every day I get a phone call from somebody or a text or an e-mail.



“One, because the coaches on the recruiting trail, they have time now. They didn’t have to go through spring, they didn’t have their own kids to work with as far as training. They can’t get together and meet together.



“All they’ve got is that phone and that laptop now. It’s been real frequent. I’m sure Dylan has been blown up every day.”

