Vols HC Josh Heupel sends message that every recruit should hear
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel sent a message — or perhaps a reminder — that every offensive college football recruit should hear. Heupel, who has helped turn Tennessee football from punchline to championship contender, was asked on Monday during a Big Orange Caravan stop in Chattanooga about the criticisms that UT's offense received during […]
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel sent a message — or perhaps a reminder — that every offensive college football recruit should hear.
Heupel, who has helped turn Tennessee football from punchline to championship contender, was asked on Monday during a Big Orange Caravan stop in Chattanooga about the criticisms that UT's offense received during the process leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft.
The narrative that formed was that Tennessee's offense doesn't adequately prepare players for the NFL.
Heupel quickly pointed out on Monday that he's had more wide receivers drafted over the last three years than any other college coach.
"Over the last three cycles, or the last three drafts, we’ve had five wide receivers (get drafted)," said Heupel. "I’ve had more wide receivers drafted in the last three years than any other college coach. I think that speaks to what we’re doing, how we’re developing those guys, those guys understanding coverages, concepts, but also how to beat man coverage. That can be press, that can be off-technique. That doesn’t just happen by accident. I think what we do does translate in how those guys developed.”
Heupel, who had two wide receivers drafted in 2023 (Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman), is clearly sending a message to recruits — specifically wide receivers: If you come to Tennessee, there's a good chance you end up in the NFL.
The three wide receivers from Tennessee that Heupel's had drafted over the last two years (Hyatt, Tillman, and Velus Jones Jr) all put up modest numbers before Heupel's arrival in Knoxville. That alone shows that Heupel has what it takes to get players to the NFL.
But if there's still any doubt, recruits should consider what New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll said about drafting Hyatt (the former Vol standout was the No. 73 overall pick this past weekend).
“I think he runs some of the routes that we run (in New York),” said Daboll after Hyatt was selected. “You can see, a little bit like Gabe (Davis), how it might translate. He has qualities you like when you're watching him.”
Davis, a wide receiver that Daboll coached while he was the Buffalo Bills' offensive coordinator, played under Heupel at UCF.
Daboll has seen players from Heupel's system up close. And he feels like they run some of the same routes that his offense runs. The fact that Daboll traded up to land Hyatt (and yes, Daboll initiated that trade), shows there's no aversion to taking Heupel-coached wide receivers in the draft (at least not for Daboll, the 2022 AP NFL coach of the year).
If you're a wide receiver hoping to reach the NFL, the odds right now suggest that Tennessee is the best bet to get you there.
