Vols land commitment from Memphis linebacker Bryson Eason

Tennessee football dipped into Memphis to address a major need in its 2020 recruiting class.

Memphis Whitehaven inside linebacker Bryson Eason announced his commitment to Tennessee on Twitter on Tuesday night, giving the Vols a top prospect at a thin position on their roster.

Eason is a four-star recruit and the No. 348 prospect in the country in the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Eason is the 15th commitment in Tennessee's 2020 class.

Tennessee's inside linebacker numbers took a hit this season. Will Ignont left the team for personal reasons, Shanon Reid entered the transfer portal and Jeremy Banks was dismissed from the team after off-field issues.

UT currently has senior Daniel Bituli and freshman Henry To'o To'o starting. Freshman Quavaris Crouch moved from outside linebacker to inside linebacker to help UT's depth. Redshirt freshman J.J. Peterson and sophomore Solon Page are UT's other inside linebacker options.

Eason will help ease that depth with his commitment. But UT still is chasing more linebackers, including some of Eason's teammates at Whitehaven.

Four-star inside linebacker Martavius French and three-star outside linebacker Tamarion McDonald also have Tennessee offers. French recently decommitted from Arkansas and McDonald decommitted from Mississippi State on Tuesday night. 

All three are ranked among the Top 20 recruits from Tennessee in the 247Sports Composite.

Tennessee signed two players from Memphis in the 2019 class — running back Eric Gray (Lausanne Collegiate School) and offensive lineman Melvin McBride (Whitehaven). McBride took a medical retirement after a "personal medical condition" was discovered during a physical after he arrived on campus.

Tennessee also signed Banks and offensive lineman Jerome Carvin from Cordova in the 2018 recruiting class. 

UT did not sign any players from Memphis in the 2016 or 2017 classes under former coach Butch Jones.