Elite 2024 linebacker Sammy Brown is looking for the right team culture

He may be only a sophomore in high school but Jefferson (Ga.) four-star linebacker Sammy Brown knows what he wants in a college.

“Culture is really everything about a place and that’s really what I’m looking for,” Brown said Sunday at Under Armour Next Football Camp Series: Atlanta. “Taking out a couple coaches, putting in a couple coaches isn’t going to change the whole culture of place.”

Brown is the No. 5 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

On3 does not rank high school sophomores during their fall seasons but does hand out grades. Brown is one of 18 players who received a grade of 91 out of 100 — and the only sophomore linebacker to receive that grade.

One school that has impressed him already with its culture is Tennessee.

“They’ve got a really good culture going from almost nothing last year to a really good culture this year,” Brown said. “They’re going to be pretty good next year. That’s a place that is really good culture, really good coaching staff and that’s just somewhere I really like.”

Sammy Brown has some visits lined up for April

Sammy Brown has spring break the first week of April, and during that time he is going to go on a mini-recruiting trip. He will stop by Oklahoma and Notre Dame and potentially Ohio State as well.

Brown and the Fighting Irish have a standing phone call every Wednesday at around 4:00 p.m. EST.

Notre Dame defensive line coach Al Washington, who previously coached linebackers at Ohio State, have a great relationship.

“At Ohio State, I loved him,” Brown said. “He’s like the most laid-back linebacker coach I’ve ever talked to. He’s a really cool guy, and I really like what he’s doing.”

Another coach Brown likes is Georgia‘s new co-defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.

“Coach Muschamps’ a really energetic, fun guy,” Brown said. “You always see the compilations of him on Instagram, screaming and yelling and all that. He’s a really cool guy. He’s one of those people you’re able to sit down and he’s really down to earth. You could sit down and talk to him and all that”