Tennessee holds off Georgia for four-star OT Shamurad Umarov

For Alpharetta (Ga.) Denmark four-star offensive lineman Shamurad Umarov’s is the latest prospect to pledge with Tennessee. His decision came down to Tennessee and Georgia.

Tennessee was the better fit. Umarov, the No. 306 overall prospect in the On3 Consensus rankings for the class of 2023, is now committed to the Volunteers.

Umarov has built a relationship with the Tennessee coaching staff for well over a year. Additionally, Georgia was a newer entry into the race. Umarov quickly sold himself on the dream of playing for the home-state Bulldogs once the offer was put on the table. It wasn’t how he saw things going in the beginning.

“I’m kind of surprised,” Umarov told On3. “My past self would probably be like ‘that’s different’. Since I’ve been playing football and I someone told me that I could get free college and then go play in the NFL, I was like ‘oh wow, that’s my dream.’ Georgia was overall a great school and my mindset was that I’m going to go there, play there and be great. It all came down to how I fit there.”

Umarov bounced between Georgia and Tennessee for months.

“Over the past few months, I’ve slowly realized that just because it’s in my home state and they’ve won, doesn’t mean it’s the greatest school ever because of the name,” Umarov said. “They’re going to be good. It came down to what was best for me. That’s Tennessee.”

In the end, it was a gut feeling about Tennessee’s coaching for Umarov that helped push him over the edge to the Volunteers.

“It was the coaching staff that won me over,” Umarov told On3. “Ever since I met coach (Glen) Elarbee in the fall of last year, the way he’s been speaking with me and my family has been the same throughout. They weren’t trying to win me over at the last second. They’ve been showing me the same love throughout the whole process.”

Tennessee building a contender

The entire Tennessee coaching staff played a role in recruiting Umarov. The staff is where it starts for many in the class Umarov feels.

The Volunteers have high expectations again. Umarov didn’t watch a lot of college football growing up. He has gathered in the years since he began playing the sport that things are different in Knoxville than they were in the past.

Umarov feels that could be changing. The class of 2023 is on a mission to make that happen in the coming years.

“It started off with the coaching staff, you had to get people in there that wanted to win the culture back,” Umarov said. “That’s exactly what’s happening. They’re rebuilding with everything that’s happening on campus with the facilities but also with the coaching staff, the people and the recruits they’re getting. I really feel like we’re going to be able to build this team back to what it was.”

Shamurad Umarov immediately connects with future quarterback

Before his official visit on June 24, Umarov had only texted with Tennessee’s five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

Umarov quickly got acquainted with Iamaleava early in the visit. The five-star quarterback greeted the four-star offensive tackle and his family on the stairs.

The two clicked immediately.

“He’s just a great guy,” Umarov said. “We just started talking… After the visit, he texted me to make sure I got home okay. He was a general buddy. I love it.”