KNOXVILLE—Orlando Brown Jr., a 6-8, 345 pound offensive tackle from Suwanee, Georgia, became the 12th pledged member of the 2014 class Thursday afternoon when he announced his plans to sign with Tennessee. He holds notable offers from several top programs, including Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Ohio State, Michigan, and Oklahoma. Brown’s late father, Orlando “Zeus” Brown, played 13 years in the NFL with the Browns and Ravens. Rated as a consensus three-star prospect, Orlando Jr.’s impressive size, professional pedigree, and strong work ethic suggest he has a promising career ahead of him.

In 8th grade, the mammoth lineman weighed a whopping 450 pounds. He’s focused on getting in shape and dropped over 100 pounds in his quest to become a starter at a BCS program. In order to be successful at the next level, he’ll have to continue to replace bad weight with good weight (something he’s shown the ability to do), improve his foot speed, and develop fundamentally sound run blocking technique. While he needs to show more quick twitch ability and muscle control to play tackle in college, he has the necessary size and drive to succeed at either tackle or guard. Brown turned 17 today, and as he continues to mature, his muscle control and reaction time should improve. While he’s not expected to step in immediately and start (remember-it even took Tiny Richardson a year in college before he consistently saw the field), Brown will be a solid player in the SEC and has the frame to grow into a star.

The 2014 Tennessee class ranks 3rd nationally according to Rivals and 247Sports.