Hoover (Alabama) defensive lineman Tyson Bacon, a Tennessee commit, is keeping his options open, and the Florida Gators are one of the few teams left standing in his recruitment.
Bacon scheduled a handful of official visits for the summer, including Florida, according to 247Sports. The Gators offered him in August and hosted him for a game-day visit and a junior day in February. Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, USC and Washington are the other programs still in the hunt.
“Every time I’ve come down here it’s been a great experience,” Bacon told Swamp247 following his junior day visit. “The interaction with the coaches and everyone around it. It feels like a great environment to be around. In-person time always make it feel like family. They make you feel like you can be yourself around them. Like I said, it was a great experience.”
Bacon committed to the Volunteers in October following a game day visit. Tennessee was trending in his recruitment for some time following several trips to Knoxville and an offer in April. He is the fourth recruit to commit to Tennessee’s class of 2026. The Vols view him as a hybrid defensive lineman who could play end or tackle. He’s an expected early enrollee wherever he lands.
“This definitely has been a dream school since (I was) a kid,” Bacon said of Tennessee after committing. “I still have two years left to finalize the decision. I mean, it’s going to be very hard to get me to flip to another school.”
Recruiting Summary
|
Service |
Star Rating |
Natl. Rank |
Pos. Rank |
State Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
247Sports Composite |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
257 |
35 |
13 |
|
On3 Industry Ranking |
⭐⭐⭐ |
356 |
38 |
15 |
|
Top247 |
⭐⭐⭐ |
N/A |
78 |
18 |
|
On300 |
⭐⭐⭐ |
N/A |
27 |
16 |
|
ESPN |
⭐⭐⭐ |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Rivals |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
50 |
3 |
5 |
Scouting Report
A “bigger-bodied edge rusher estimated at 6-foot-3 and nearly 250 pounds that plays predominantly in a two-point stance but can play with his hand in the ground when needed,” is how 247Sports national recruiting analyst Cooper Petagna described Bacon in an October evaluation.
“Quick-twitch mover that flashes some initial quickness and ability to bend the edge very well for his size,” he continued. “Will have a better idea of true position projection once we get a verified size, but like the player and the position (flexibility) he offers on the defensive front.”
Bacon came to Hoover High as a raw, moldable product. He’s since added significant muscle and is “probably a 300-pound bencher” and “300-pound cleaner” at 16 years old. There’s still work to do on the football IQ front, but he has a high motor and great strength.
Vitals
-
Height: 6-feet-4-inches
-
Weight: 239 pounds
Visit History
Bacon camped at Michigan State in June 2022. He attended an Alabama junior day in February 2023. His first game-day visit came with Tennessee on Nov. 18, 2023 while Georgia was in town. He made stops at Michigan on March 11, 2023 and Tennessee on April 7, 2024. Bacon returned to Tennessee for the Big Orange Kickoff in July 2024.
Five teams will host Bacon for an official visit this summer: Washington (May 2), Georgia (May 16), Alabama (May 30), Florida (June 13) and Tennessee (June 20).
2024 Gameday visits:
-
Sept. 28; Alabama vs. Georgia
-
Oct. 19; Tennessee vs. Alabama
-
Nov. 2; Tennessee vs. Kentucky
-
Nov. 23; Florida vs. Ole Miss
Crystal Ball/Predictions
Tennessee is the current leader of the On3 recruiting prediction machine because he’s verbally committed there. Georgia Tech (5.8%) and UAB (5.0%) trail the Volunteers, and four teams are tied in fourth place with 4.1%.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida football recruiting official visit date with DL Tyson Bacon
