Freshman cornerback Baylen Buchanan stretches before Tennessee’s practice at Haslam Field on Aug. 6, 2016.KNOXVILLE — Every single preseason there’s a Tennessee freshman who comes in under the radar, outperforms his recruiting rating and impresses teammates and coaches.
Baylen Buchanan appears to be claiming the distinction for these Volunteers.
The high school teammate of blue-chip safety signee Nigel Warrior, Buchanan was a three-star prospect not expecting to make much of an impact early in a crowded secondary, but the freshman cornerback already is turning heads.
He became the first freshman to earn the removal of his black helmet stripe, a ritual in the program that’s a decision of a more veteran teammate, on Wednesday and had defensive coordinator Bob Shoop singing his praises on Thursday.
“The guy that’s come in and really earned the trust and respect of his teammates and coaches is Baylen Buchanan,” Shoop said. “He’s a guy we think can contribute now. I’ve heard people on the staff compare him to Cam Sutton as a freshman.
“He’s long, he’s athletic, he’s got good ball skills and he’s very composed. You watch the freshmen when they get in and their head’s spinning and they’re going a hundred miles an hour. You look at him, and the game’s sort of slowed down to him. It’s very, very impressive to watch.”
Three years ago Sutton went from three-star recruit to first-game starter, and he’s developed into an All-SEC type of player who’s started every single game of his career and made a big impact on Tennessee’s defense.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Buchanan has the bloodlines that suggest he’s got plenty of potential.
His father, Ray, starred at Louisville and became a two-time All-Pro defensive back in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons before finishing his career with the Oakland Raiders.
Playing in a stacked secondary at Atlanta-area Peachtree Ridge High School alongside Warrior, Buchanan had just 32 tackles and two interceptions as a senior, but despite his modest ranking — he was the No. 71 corner in the class per 247sports — he had offers from Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio State and others.
None of that matters now with Buchanan impressing in training camp.
“Here’s a guy who,” Shoop said, “the first day you’re watching one-on-ones and you go, ‘Who’s 28? Oh, that’s Buchanan. Who’s 28?’ He jumps back in there. What he does, is he plays the techniques as they’re coached and plays them to the best of his ability.
“He just keeps his mouth shut and does his job. I think when you think about what Cam Sutton was probably a lot like as a freshman, it’s probably exactly what he’s like. It’s not going to surprise me if he’s going to have a great career here.”
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.