In his first season playing for Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee outside linebacker Darrell Taylor flashed for the first time in his career. The junior registered career highs in tackles, tackles for loss, sacks, forced fumbles and fumbles recovered last fall playing in Pruitt’s defense.

Despite his breakout performance, Taylor decided to return to school for his senior season to improve his NFL stock and potentially develop into one of the SEC’s best edge rushers in 2019. If the senior can accomplish those goals, he will join a long list of outside linebackers mentored by Tennessee’s head coach to stardom and NFL success.

Recruits have taken notice, especially the nation’s highest-rated outside linebacker Sav’ell Smalls from Burien, Wash. The five-star prospect is rated as the nation’s No. 4 overall prospect and the No. 1 outside linebacker in the nation for the 2020 recruiting cycle by 247Sports Composite Rankings.

In a recent interview with “Sports Star of Tomorrow,” Smalls announced he planned to visit Tennessee before the upcoming season begins. When asked about his interest in the Vols, Smalls immediately pointed to Pruitt and the prospect of playing for one of the best defensive coaches in the nation.

“Coach Pruitt is here, he’s the head coach, and he’s the outside linebacker master,” Smalls said. “He knows everything about defense, he’s a defensive guru and he really develops pass rushers like no other. That’s a big plus being the head coach — and Tennessee up and coming.”

Check out the clip below: