Tennessee football paid cash to Darnell Washington — and he still went to Georgia

Brian Niedermeyer spent a year brazenly violating NCAA rules while courting one of the prized recruits of the 2020 class, only to watch the prospect commit to Georgia.

The former Tennessee football assistant coach's recruitment of Darnell Washington, a four-star tight end in the 2020 cycle, included a cash delivery in a parking lot and accompanying Washington's family on a flight for his official visit to Knoxville.

The recruitment was detailed in the NCAA findings of UT's rampant recruiting malfeasance under former coach Jeremy Pruitt on Friday.

Washington, who was drafted in April by the Pittsburgh Steelers, is not directly named in the NCAA findings.