4-star defensive lineman Hunter Osborne picks up Tennessee offer
Trussville (Ala.) Hewitt Trussville defensive lineman Hunter Osborne is part of a loaded in-state 2023 recruiting class, and Monday, he picked up an offer from Tennessee.
Osborne, the No. 128 overall player in the recently expanded 2023 On300 rankings, now holds more than 30 offers. In addition to the Volunteers, Indiana, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Kentucky are among the teams in the hunt for his commitment. The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder visited Texas A&M over the summer and saw Auburn earlier this season.
As a junior this season for Hewitt-Trussville, Osborne has been a defensive force. Through 10 games, he’s notched 44 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and 12 quarterback hurries.
Virginia Tech was the first team to offer Osborne back in May, but since then, a flurry of schools have entered the mix.
“I think once I got my first Power Five offer, teams were already on the verge of offering, especially the ones I’d been talking to,” Osborne told On3 National Recruiting Reporter Jeremy Johnson last month. “Once Virginia Tech pulled the trigger, it gave everyone else all clear you could say. The next day, I had four or five offers. They all said they’d been watching me the whole time. I put out my film from the first three games and teams have been all over my phone.”
Hunter Osborne is still wide open in his recruitment
Osborne has yet to narrow down his list or create any sort of recruiting timeline, instead keeping his options open as more offers roll in. He picked up an Auburn offer earlier this month, his first from an in-state program. The Tigers made an impression, but location won’t make his decision.
“I hope to receive more schools that I’m in contact with because I’m playing ball at this point… I’ve told myself that I want to have a great relationship with the coaches” Osborne told Johnson. “I want to see if the school can develop me into being the best player that I can be as well academically. That’s a priority for me and my family. If any school can offer those three things, I would definitely keep them in consideration.”
Although he hasn’t received offers from Alabama or Georgia, Osborne was on campus in Tuscaloosa when the Crimson Tide hosted Mercer. He also visited Athens for the South Carolina game. He also told Johnson that he plans to be at the Michigan-Ohio State game on Nov. 27.