Report: Recruitment of former Auburn, Kansas player revealed Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee illegal recruiting efforts
More information came to light regarding Jeremy Pruitt’s recruiting violations, specifically his final one at Tennessee with the recruitment of Dylan Brooks.
Knox News’ Mike Wilson said Brooks was the hot ticket item for Pruitt and that he and the staff centered all attention on landing him at Tennessee. In fact, Pruitt’s staff did it during a recruiting dead period, which is a big no-no.
Ultimately Brooks didn’t come to Tennessee, despite Pruitt’s best efforts, or we should say, extra effort.
“Dylan Brooks was the centerpiece of Jeremy Pruitt’s last UT recruiting class,” Wilson wrote on Twitter. “Records show Pruitt’s staff hosted Brooks four times in a dead period and financed the visits. Texts show how it happened. (He) signed with Auburn before transferring to KU.”
The EDGE rusher originally committed to Tennessee before going to Auburn and finally transferring to Kansas.
“Pruitt’s staff arranged Brooks’ first secret visit weekend during the pandemic dead period on July 24, 2020, one of nine times UT hosted recruits between July and November 2020, according to NCAA documents,” Wilson wrote “Brooks traveled with (coach Cedric) Phillips on the first of four visits to Knoxville.
“Brooks was committed to Tennessee at the time of the visits, and he was one of the most coveted players in what looked like an elite class for the Vols. He signed with UT in December 2020, then asked for his release from his National Letter of Intent on Jan. 20, 2021, two days after Pruitt’s firing. He was released on Feb. 19, 2021, and committed to Auburn the following day. He transferred to Kansas in May 2023 and is on the team’s roster as a defensive end for the 2023 season. UT documents indicate Brooks was interviewed during its investigation. The NCAA granted many players immunity during its investigation. It is unclear if Brooks was among them.”
In the lengthy report, Wilson revealed Brooks wasn’t the only player hosted in the dead period.
“NCAA documents charged that Tennessee hosted six football recruits, their families and individuals associated with the recruits during those nine weekends,” Wilson wrote. “UT spent approximately $12,173 in impermissible recruiting inducements and unofficial visits expenses during those nine visit weekends, while approximately $1,000 was given to student-athletes to host the recruits.
“Pruitt’s staff routinely paid for lodging, meals, transportation, entertainment and UT apparel.”
Tennessee will pay a hefty fine of $8 million, but Volunteers fans will be happy to learn they avoided any kind of postseason ban. As for Pruitt, the former leader of the program was hit with a six year show-cause order.