Evaluating the Tennessee Vols Recruiting Class at Dead Period: Tight Ends

Aug 31, 2013; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones greets fans during the Vol Walk at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

2016 Tight End Commitments

Devante Brooks: Washington, D.C. (St. John’s College H.S.)

Coming out of the Nation’s Capitol, here is an elite player who has a great build of size and athleticism, as he is a tight end and a defensive end in high school. That’s exactly what Jason Witten was coming to Tennessee.

Brooks is a four-star on Rivals who stands at 6’5″ 230 pounds and runs a 4.7-40. He will immediately be the tight end of the future and assures depth at the position at least until 2017, which is a big deal. That gives Jones plenty of time to worry about stacking up the position after that. But this is not just about filling a roster spot. Brooks will have his chance to step into the light as well, because he is expected to be a major producer in a couple of years.

Austin Pope: Knoxville, Tenn. (Christian Academy of Knoxville)

A very versatile player, Austin Pope has demonstrated his abilities at wide receiver, outside linebacker, and tight end. He is listed as a three-star recruit on Rivals, but at 6’4″ 220 pounds, he would be a great finesse player at the position.

Pope is athletic and can line up as a wideout, but he also can hit and take hits, as has been demonstrated. Taking into account that he is a homegrown Knoxville boy, there is a chance Pope is a guy who will give everything for the Vols, and he could be another diamond in the rough. This was a great pick-up for the coaching staff.

With Brooks and Pope, the Vols have the best tight end class of Jones’s career at Tennessee coming in. But could more be coming? Let’s take a look at available prospects.

Next: Available Prospects at Tight End