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Meet the Tennessee Football Newcomers: Vols Cornerback Tyler Byrd

By Caleb Calhoun

Sep 12, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers mascot carries the flag through the fans during Vol Walk prior to the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 12, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers mascot carries the flag through the fans during Vol Walk prior to the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here is an analysis of incoming 2016 Tennessee football recruit Tyler Byrd, who joins the Volunteers as an outside linebacker.

With no possible description other than a complete and total steal on National Signing Day, Tyler Byrd was one of many people to add to the depth of the secondary that Butch Jones and the coaching staff wanted to improve.

Related Story: Tennessee Football Newcomers: OLB Daniel Bituli

A four-star on Rivals out of Naples High School in Naples, Fla., Byrd flipped is commitment from the Miami Hurricanes to the Vols thanks in no small part to Jones’s decision to hire Larry Scott as the new tight ends coach. We told you his recruiting connections in Florida would come in handy!

Byrd stands at 5’11” 185 pounds and is a Top 10 player at his position in addition to being a Top 100 player nationally and a Top 15 player in the state of Florida, which is saying something. How early he plays is hard to tell because of the fact that there is still depth at the cornerback position this year, but he is a great pickup for the future.

Early Analysis

Byrd has ridiculous athleticism, particularly shiftiness and leaping ability. He played both sides in high school, and as a receiver, he was able to get up extremely high to come down with a lot of passes. That is a major plus for him already as he gets ready to play cornerback.

Expect Byrd to be the guy that changes a game in the blink of an eye. He goes for the interception a lot, and he is athletic enough to gamble, not necessarily because of his speed but because he can leap back and break up a pass.

Arguably the biggest things Byrd has to prove are his awareness as a corner considering he could simply play man-to-man on one guy in high school and is resolve for tackling more. It’s not that Byrd can’t tackle, but he has not proven to be great at it.

Other than that, though, it’s almost impossible to see Byrd not panning out for the Vols in the future.

More volunteers: 5 Things to Watch for from Vols in Spring Practice

What Tyler Byrd Brings to Tennessee

This one is incredibly simple. Tyler Byrd is the guy to replace Cameron Sutton in two years. There’s really no other way around that.

With the safety positions completely wide open for new starters this year, the nickel spot not secure, and uncertainty at the No. 2 cornerback spot, it’s easy to see how Byrd could be in the mix to play a lot this year. But he is likely to be a guy that mainly provides depth in instances of injury.

However, after this year, he will be ready to start immediately. Byrd is your perfect cover corner who has the luxury of gambling and going for the big play a lot simply because he is so good at recovering. Showing that ability in the Sunshine State means he will be able to show it at the college level as well.

Byrd is another star cornerback in the making, and it will happen sooner rather than later, even if it does not happen this year.

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