Tennessee football’s top five redshirt freshmen for 2020

Number of game played in 2019: 2

He’s a bit of a developmental project given the fact that his hometown is overseas. Chris Akporoghene was a four-star in Tennessee football’s 2019 class who joined the Vols from Nigeria by way of Florida. He developed at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and he’s got a ton of raw talent ready to be unleashed on the offensive line.

This year, however, the line is loaded. Brandon Kennedy, Trey Smith, Wanya Morris, Darnell Wright, K’Rojhn Calbert, Jerome Carvin, Jahmir Johnson and Riley Locklear are all locked in as rotational guys. If Cade Mays receives his eligibility waiver, he’ll also be in that mix. Will Friend may only want to go nine-deep, but if he goes 10-deep and Mays stays, there’s only room for one new guy.

It’s fair to say, though, that Akporoghene could be that guy at 6’3″ 305 pounds. He did, after all, see late game action in the Vols’ loss to the Georgia Bulldogs and win over the UAB Blazers. His position of skill also appears to be right tackle, and tackle is more thin than the interior of the line heading into this year, so there’s a good chance Akporoghene is in the rotation.

Experience playing last year combined with those openings puts Akporoghene on the list. It’s clear he still needs to develop, but he’s in line to be a regular contributor by 2021, and as a redshirt freshman, he could provide a great preview of that this year.