Louisville Cardinals head coach Jeff Brohm pulled off a significant victory in recruiting on Tuesday.
Former Tennessee Vols defensive lineman Tyler Baron initially committed to Ole Miss on December 16 and reaffirmed his decision last week. However, following a visit to Louisville earlier this month, Baron announced his change of heart, opting for Louisville, as shared on social media.
Standing at 6-foot-5-inches and weighing 260 pounds, Baron boasts a transfer ranking of 94 from 247Sports. He is the No. 14 overall prospect in the portal rankings and the No. 3 ranked edge rusher.
A Nashville, Tennessee native, Baron spent his senior year at Knoxville Catholic, transferring from Ensworth School in Nashville. Following the season Baron quickly committed to Ole Miss after announcing his entry into the transfer portal. Louisville had expressed interest immediately following the former Vols announcement to enter the transfer portal.
🫡 pic.twitter.com/JqTxvEBsPi
— Tyler Baron (@Tylerbaron23) January 17, 2024
The Cardinals also successfully recruited two of Baron’s former teammates from Tennessee, Wesley Walker and Tamarion McDonald, who had previously committed to Ole Miss. Both enrolled at Louisville last week.
Baron’s 2023 season at Tennessee saw him as a versatile defensive end and sliding inside to defensive tackle in pass-rush situations. He achieved career highs with 28 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 6 sacks, 2 pass breakups, and a fumble recovery over 12 games. His impressive stats include 41 quarterback pressures, ranking him No. 5 among SEC edge defenders according to Pro Football Focus.
During his time at Tennessee, Baron played 48 games, accumulating 101 tackles, 27 TFLs, and 13.5 sacks. He should immediately see time alongside fellow standout edge Ashton Gillotte.
With one season of eligibility remaining, courtesy of the NCAA’s pandemic-related allowance, Baron is set to make a significant impact at Louisville. His football lineage includes his older brother, Woody Baron, who played at Virginia Tech, and his father, Patrick Abernathy, who spent eight years in a player development role with Tennessee’s football program.
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