KNOXVILLE—The 2014 Tennessee class shrunk by one member earlier today when Lawrence Lee decommitted, but the class quickly grew back to 16 members with the afternoon commitment of 247Sports and ESPN 4-star linebacker Gavin Bryant. A 6-2, 230 pound linebacker from Jackson, Alabama, Bryant is ranked as the No. 235 player in the nation by ESPN and boasts an impressive offer list featuring Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Miami, Clemson, Ole Miss, and more.

Alabama was viewed as the leaders for Bryant up until news of his commitment broke Monday afternoon. Tennessee linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen served as the lead recruiter for Bryant. The talented linebacker was in Knoxville over the weekend and left impressed with the Vol staff, Tennessee’s facilities, and the buzz around the program. Tennessee’s lack of defensive depth played a huge role in his commitment. The Vols will be losing six senior linebackers after the season, and juniors A.J. Johnson and Curt Maggitt could also bolt for the pros at season’s end. Bryant has the size and versatility to play multiple positions and gives the Vols yet another player they can plug into a defense which will be starved for depth in 2014.

He is a physical athlete who explodes toward opponents before using his impressive frame to violently knock them from their feet. His high school coach Danny Powell told al.com, “There are two things he can really do well, which is run and hit. What everybody likes about him is he’s a big hitter. He doesn’t just like to tackle, he likes to hammer people pretty good.”

Bryant didn’t play football his freshman year, opting instead to focus on basketball. He gave football another shot his sophomore year and contributed mainly on special teams and as a reserve linebacker. Though he started his junior campaign a bit sluggish, logging five tackles in the first two games, he finished the year as his team’s leading tackler after recording double-digit tackles in nine consecutive games.

Bryant grew up an Alabama fan and the ability of Jones to pull a prized recruit from the grasp of the Tide cannot be overstated.