Tennessee Vols are the pick for four-star Columbia football recruit

Onis Konanbanny began his football career in England and continued it in the United States. Next stop: Rocky Top.

The Heathwood Hall defensive back committed to Tennessee on Friday afternoon, hours before the first game of his senior season, against Hannah-Pamplico. Konanbanny made the reveal by unzipping his jacket to reveal a Tennessee polo shirt underneath it.

“I have been waiting on this day since I started playing football and it has finally happened,” Konanbanny said. “... It was a special day.”

Konanbanny picked the Vols over Florida State after he cut his offer list down to two at the end of July. He is the 24th commitment for the Vols in the Class of 2025. Tennessee’s recruiting class was ranked No. 6 in the country by 247Sports Composite before Konanbanny’s announcement.

The Vols landed five-star offensive lineman David Sanders out of Providence Day in Charlotte last week.

Tennessee was the last of the five official visits Konanbanny took in the spring and summer. Others were Utah, FSU, North Carolina and LSU.

“Tennessee was my day one (school),” Konanbanny said. “They were my first college visit ever and they have really taken me in, made me comfortable and feel at home. They showed me the plan and that is where home is.

“I am going to go there, work hard every day, perfect my craft and lead them to a national championship.”

The Vols have had good luck with players from the Midlands the last few years, including receiver Jalin Hyatt and defensive back Bryce Thompson, both from Dutch Fork.

Konanbanny took several unofficial visits to South Carolina, but the hometown Gamecocks didn’t make his final six schools. USC didn’t offer him until March.

Konanbanny is the fifth Columbia-area prospect to commit to a Power 4 college. Hammond tight end Mike Tyler picked LSU less than a week ago. He would be the first Heathwood player to sign with a Power 4 school since Brandon Hill in 2016. Former Highlander Ronnie Porter walked on to South Carolina in 2021 and earned a scholarship a few weeks ago.

The 247Sports Composite, which factors in all recruiting services, ranks Konanbanny as a four-star prospect and the fourth-best recruit in the state for the 2025 class. Not bad for someone who’s still relatively new to the game of football and moved to the United States from Europe to fulfill a sports dream.

Konanbanny was born in France but lived most of his life in London. He grew up loving and playing soccer, but that changed when he was in middle school. He was introduced to American football by Kofi Taylor-Barrocks and Darren Agu, a pair of England natives and future Division I prospects. Taylor-Barrocks signed with Colorado but has since transferred to UTEP, while Agu is at Vanderbilt.

Konanbanny took the train two hours to work out with his uncle and Taylor-Barrocks. It was there he developed a love for football. His original plan was to continue to train and then go to the NFL Academy in the United Kingdom when he turned 16. But that plan changed when Agu encouraged him to go to the United States and play with him at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee High School.

“I see this whole thing as a business trip,” Konanbanny said in the summer. “If I do this right, execute, I will be in a position to bring my whole family out here.”

Konanbanny’s mother joined him in the United States on his official college visits, the kind of recruiting trips that are paid for in full by the schools. She was wasn’t able to make it to the announcement but watched online. Konanbanny FaceTimed his mother afterward.

Konanbanny’s grandfather Julian Elyse flew in from New York and brother Malick came in from England to attend Friday’s announcement.

“Today was a good day and I’m proud of him,” Elyse said of his grandson. “I’m a pastor and I thank God that he has provided everything for him.”

Konanbanny played at Rabun Gap in Georgia for two years and transferred to Heathwood just after the season started. He appeared in six games for the Highlanders, recording 20 tackles and six pass break-ups.

Konabanny also saw time on offense last year at receiver and should be one of the top pass catchers for the Highlanders this year.

Midlands’ top-ranked senior prospects

A look at where some of the top Columbia-area high school football seniors are in the 247Sports Composite rankings in South Carolina:

Onis Konanbanny, DB, Heathwood Hall — Committed to Tennessee

Will Wilson, QB, Richland Northeast — Committed to NC State

AJ Brand, QB, Irmo — Committed to Virginia Tech

Mike Tyler, TE, Hammond — Committed to LSU

Elgin Sessions, DB, Dutch Fork — Committed to West Virginia

Josh Smith, DB, Dutch Fork — Committed to Coastal Carolina

Jo Jo Crim, DB, Camden — Uncommitted

Stephen Collier, WR/S — Committed to East Carolina