Offensive line is likely to be a focal point for Tennessee Football going forward on the recruiting trail under Josh Heupel. Although Heupel runs an up-tempo offense, he’s not a finesse coach, and everything he does depends on the vertical rushing attack. His run-pass ratio in previous years proves that.
Meanwhile, the Vols are starting to create a name for themselves with blockers in the NFL. Darnell Wright, who played for Heupel, was one of the best rookies in the league this past year, and Trey Smith just won his second straight Super Bowl as the Kansas City Chiefs’ starting guard.
As a result, Tennessee Football should be close to developing a new successful recruiting pipeline at that position. One of those players could be David Sanders Jr., a five-star offensive lineman out of North Carolina per 247Sports Composite in the 2025 recruiting class.
Sanders hails from Providence Day School in Charlotte, N.C., and is the highest-rated target of the Vols in next year’s class. Standing at 6’6″, he would be a huge pickup for Heupel and Glen Elarbee and a major fixture of the program for years to come if he didn’t commit.
What are his chances, though? Also, where will he play on the line, and what are his major strengths and weaknesses? That is what Caleb Calhoun and Dave Hooker bring you with their insider recruiting analysis regarding Sanders. You can see it just by clicking the Patreon link above or below.
After Wright, Tennessee Football will likely see Cooper Mays and Javontez Spraggins emerge into NFL prospects next year. John Campbell Jr. and Lance Heard could be in the future as well. As a result, offensive line is going to be a major building block for the program. Will that be the backdrop for Sanders’ decision going forward?
