Tennessee Vols land on very encouraging list from ESPN
The Tennessee Vols lost a lot of talent from last year's 11-2 squad. Gone are key players like Hendon Hooker, Jalin Hyatt, Cedric Tillman, Darnell Wright, Byron Young, and Jerome Carvin, among a few others. Replacing those guys won't be easy — five of them were selected in the third round or earlier of the […]
The Tennessee Vols lost a lot of talent from last year's 11-2 squad.
Gone are key players like Hendon Hooker, Jalin Hyatt, Cedric Tillman, Darnell Wright, Byron Young, and Jerome Carvin, among a few others.
Replacing those guys won't be easy — five of them were selected in the third round or earlier of the 2023 NFL Draft — but Tennessee's placement on a recent list from ESPN shows why there should be optimism that the Vols can effectively replace their key losses from last year.
ESPN recently ranked college football's top 25 incoming transfer/recruiting classes and they ranked Tennessee at No. 16.
From ESPN: Josh Heupel has quickly changed the perception of this program and is seeking to build off an 11-win season with a blend of transfers and recruits. Pili looks to lead the impact additions, as he was a two-time captain at BYU and among the Cougars' leading tacklers when healthy. Campbell arrives from Miami with starting experience and is a strong candidate to fill a hole on an O-line that lost two key members in first-round draft pick Darnell Wright and Jerome Carvin.
Portal additions Norman-Lott, TE McCallan Castles (UC Davis) and Gabe Jeudy-Lally (BYU), who had spent time in the SEC at Vanderbilt earlier in his career, are all solid additions who should strengthen depth and play productive roles this season.
Tennessee didn't hit the transfer portal quite as hard as some other programs –which was by design — so that's why they're ranked No. 16 on this list despite having the No. 11 ranked 2023 recruiting class in the nation.
The Vols have taken a judicious approach to the transfer portal under Josh Heupel, using it mainly as a tool to supplement the roster instead of using it to build a roster (which can have a negative impact on culture/locker room chemistry).
Tennessee may have lost some key players from last year's memorable team, but they're still in a good spot moving forward. In fact, Tennessee's 2023 roster is arguably more talented overall than last year's roster.
Featured image via Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
