Heel Tough Blog: Former Tennessee Enrollee Brant Lawless Added to 2018 Class
For the first time in what seems like forever, the Heels have some news on the recruiting trail. However, today’s addition does not come in the form of a 2019 recruit.
The Heels added 2018 4✮ DT Brant Lawless to this past years class on Thursday evening. Lawless signed in December with Tennessee and enrolled in the spring, but asked for and received his release last month. Lawless, who was the No. 22 DT in the 2018 class according 247sports, was primarily recruited by Tommy Thigpen and committed to the Butch Jones staff back in December. Now, Lawless will be reunited with Thigpen in Chapel Hill.
Lawless, who hails from Nashville Christian High School in Nashville, TN, finished his high school career with 159 total tackles, including 48.5 for a loss. As a senior, Lawless finished with 16.5 tackles for loss. In his four years as a varsity player, Lawless never fished with less that 33 total tackles and 8.0 tackles for loss.
Lawless is a massive man at 6’3 285 lbs., but he moves that body very well. Lawless is the definition of a sideline-to-sideline defensive tackle, as he is seen multiple times on tape tracking down running backs in the D-gaps and even running them down downfield. His speed also caused problems for guards in pass protection who had trouble getting out of their stance in certain cases. Lawless might be big, but he doesn’t just use the bull rush technique like may at his size would. Instead, Lawless is able to use an array of techniques to disengage the guards he’s facing. The question around Lawless is the competition that he faced as a private school player. He’ll have the chance to prove himself immediately as he is eligible for the 2018 college football season.
This a nice add for the Heels 2018 class and fills out what ends up as Larry Fedora’s best recruiting class. Although the Heels have two defensive tackles entering in the 2018 class, the Heels are currently without a defensive tackle in the 2019 class. Adding Lawless to this class will help to ease the concerns that could arise if Aaron Crawford leaves early.
