Already before Chandavi Bradley Visiting Tennessee for the first time in late May, the Vols had made enough of an impact to establish themselves as one of the teams for him to beat. When he arrived on campus, it wasn’t long before he decided to play there.
The Class of 2023 five-star rand-rusher from Platte County High School in Platte City, Missouri, announced Sunday afternoon that he has chosen Tennessee, picking the Vols over South Carolina and Texas A&M. The Gamecocks and Aggies both hosted him on official visits last month, but he admitted his thoughts have been on Tennessee since his first trip to Knoxville over the weekend of May 28.
“I was there for about three days, I’m pretty sure,” Bradley told GoVols247 before publicly announcing his decision, referring to his unofficial visit to the Vols, which allowed him to participate in their “Rocky Topalooza” attend event.
“I think about halfway through the second day I was like, ‘This is the place.'”
The 6-foot-4, 211-pound Bradley gave the Vols their 17th commitment for the Class of 2023 and their fifth in 10 days. He joined Fourstars Caleb Herring of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, a top 50 contender in 247Sports rankings, as the second projected edge rusher in the Class of 2023 in Tennessee.
Bradley said the “family atmosphere” in Tennessee played a major role in his decision, along with the relationships he forged with the Vols coach Josh Heupel‘s staff — led by a defensive analyst Levorn Harbinexternal linebacker coach Mike Ekeler and Heupel himself — and some of Tennessee’s current commitments.
“I mean, even with just that one visit that we went to, you could tell the family feel and the vibe in general,” said Bradley, who is ranked 36th overall and 5th in the Edge Rusher class of 2023 and the up-and-coming senior #1 from the state of Missouri, according to the industry-compiled 247Sports Composite.
“Even though it’s summer and people are gone, you can tell from the energy that they genuinely care about their people.”
Tennessee offered Bradley a scholarship in February. He said the Vols dealt with him for months before officially racing for him, and by the time he traveled to Knoxville in May they were already one of the top teams he was considering.
He said it was due to the connections he forged with the Harbin, Heupel, Tenn., security commitment Jack Luttrell Colquitt County High School in Moultrie, Georgia and Herring.
“It was definitely the fact that I stayed in touch with Coach ‘Chop’ and Coach Heupel,” Bradley said, referring to Harbin and the Vols sophomore head coach. “I talk to Coach ‘Chop’ pretty much every day.
“And even then I talk to a lot of Commitments and a lot of other recruits that are being recruited there to get to know the relationship between the guys who are already going to school there and then the relationship between the coaching staff and the people who are already working there and everything. …
“I’ve definitely heard of both of them Caleb Herring and Jack Luttrell most (among the Tennessee commitments). I’m in touch with Jack every day. I speak to him almost every day, and I have spoken every day since December, I think. Caleb, who I’ve spoken to since the day he committed, and he’s been trying to drag me into it ever since.
“I mean, pretty much all the guys have been very supportive of everything I do, and they’ve really been like, ‘Well, don’t have too much fun (go to other schools), but have fun while you’re out. ‘”
Bradley said he first informed Harbin of his decision weeks before his announcement Sunday afternoon. Bradley said Harbin was thrilled to find out he was headed to Tennessee.
“He was excited to hear it,” Bradley said of Harbin. “He said, ‘Okay, this will be fine.'”
The Vols have told Bradley they’re excited about what his addition could mean for their pass rush and he could have an opportunity to fight for early game time.
“They definitely want to play me more on the weak side – the Leo position that they have,” he said. “They’re going to put me in there, have me fall back for cover as well as rush off the edge — pretty much the same stuff I’m doing in high school right now.
(Photo: Ryan Callahan, 247Sports)
“I mean, with the way their roster is set up right now, it looks like I definitely have a chance to come in right away and make an impact.”
Luttrell was the first Tennessee signing to link with Bradley, but Herring has stayed in frequent contact with Bradley since announcing his signing for the Vols in April.
“We’ve definitely been talking about what we can do together, mostly because our playstyles are very well aligned – both speed guys,” Bradley said of Herring. “I think even he most likely thinks he’s more likely to be the rusher — the full-time rusher — and I’ll be more of the one if we need the pass set, I can go back into cover or whatever.”
Bradley said he plans to make his official visit to Tennessee the weekend of October 15 for the Vols’ home game against Alabama. With three official visits remaining, he said “the door will be shut” to allow other teams to steal him out of Tennessee.
He is a two-sport standout who also plans to play basketball for the Vols. He said he is on track to graduate in May before enrolling in Tennessee next year. He said that playing basketball “wasn’t that important, to be honest,” in college, but the Vols’ coaches told him they were willing to let him try both sports.
“If I had the opportunity, I would take her anywhere,” Bradley said. “But there are times when they let me, so I’ll go ahead and do it.”