National recruiting analyst has strong take on Tennessee Vols' 2024 offensive line recruiting class
The Tennessee Vols' offensive line should be one of its strongest units in 2024 thanks to plenty of returning experience and the addition of former five-star recruit Lance Heard, who will start at one of the tackle positions for UT this fall. Beyond this season, though, there's some uncertainty along the Vols' offensive line. Center […]
The Tennessee Vols' offensive line should be one of its strongest units in 2024 thanks to plenty of returning experience and the addition of former five-star recruit Lance Heard, who will start at one of the tackle positions for UT this fall.
Beyond this season, though, there's some uncertainty along the Vols' offensive line.
Center Cooper Mays, guard Javontez Spraggins, and offensive tackle John Campbell will be moving on to the NFL after the 2024 season, opening up at least three starting spots.
The good news for Tennessee, at least when it comes to the longterm outlook for the Vols' offensive line, is that the Vols, according to Rivals national recruiting analyst Adam Friedman, landed the best 2024 offensive line recruiting class in the nation.
Friedman recently broke down the five best 2024 recruiting classes in the nation and Tennessee took the top spot.
From Rivals.com: Nationally, the offensive line class was the least impressive since the mid-2000s. Only 27 offensive linemen made the final Rivals250, which is the lowest total since the 2005 class. That being said, there were close to 10 programs to put together impressive offensive line hauls in the 2024 cycle.
Statistically, Tennessee finished with the top class of offensive linemen. The Vols were one of three programs to sign four four-star offensive linemen and were the only one among those three to finish with two offensive linemen (William Satterwhite and Bennett Warren) ranked inside the Rivals250. Along with Satterwhite and Warren, Tennessee signed four-stars Max Anderson and Gage Ginther. Anderson landed at No. 13 and Ginther landed at No. 33 in the offensive tackle rankings. In-state offensive line signee Jesse Perry finished the rankings cycle as a three-star prospect.
A couple of those 2024 signees, specifically Bennett Warren and William Satterwhite, should be ready to step into starting roles for the Vols in 2025.
Warren could potentially hold down one of the tackle spots opposite Heard while Satterwhite could fill one of the voids created on the interior offensive line.
The biggest concern for Tennessee in 2025 will be at center. The Vols have played some different players at center when Mays has missed time due to injury, but Tennessee hasn't had to identify a season-long option outside of Mays since Heupel took over as the program's head coach in early 2021. That will be a key objective this offseason and into the season.
Still, the future looks bright for Tennessee's offensive line. And that's obviously important — because without an elite offensive line, there won't be any College Football Playoff appearances.
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