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Tennessee football: Ranking position groups in Vols 2021 recruiting class with grades

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 29: A general view of Neyland Stadium during the South Carolina Gamecocks game against the Tennessee Volunteers on October 29, 2011 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 29: A general view of Neyland Stadium during the South Carolina Gamecocks game against the Tennessee Volunteers on October 29, 2011 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Sep 1, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Tennessee Volunteers helmet is seen pregame before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2018; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Tennessee Volunteers helmet is seen pregame before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /

There’s a new head coach and a new offensive system coming to Rocky Top. Tennessee football is also facing a wave of transfers and early opt-outs. The Vols may not be done with those either, so we have no idea what the biggest position needs will be with the program when the season starts.

However, we now have somewhat of an idea given the players who have left. As a result, it’s safe to determine what UT’s 2021 recruiting class managed and failed to address. In our rankings of the class by position, we’ll analyze the quality of the players committed at the position but also the number of signees. The quantity will be related to need.

Obviously, a unit that saw numerous departures, graduations and transfers will be judged more harshly based on quantity in terms of signees. So let’s go ahead and break down the strengths and weaknesses of this class. Leaving out special teams, we have eight different units to rank in Tennessee football’s class. This is how they stack up.

8. Tight end: D+

Number of signees: 2 (1 if Trinity Bell plays defensive end)

This was a big miss. The Vols lost Jordan Allen and Jackson Lowe to the transfer portal. Austin Pope joined as well, but he did at least return to Rocky Top, and he and Princeton Fant could see major roles next year.

Still, the Vols needed more depth, and they only have one commitment who will play tight end for sure. Miles Campbell is a three-star across all services. Standing somewhere between 6’3″ and 6’4″ and weighing somewhere between 230 and 240 pounds, Campbell could still provide value, but his commitment alone doesn’t address the overall need here.

Trinity Bell, to be fair, is listed as an athlete on 247Sports and then as a tight end on Rivals and ESPN. However, standing at 6’7″ and somewhere between 250 and 260 pounds, he is also only a three-star across all services. Since he could play defensive end, his commitment doesn’t immediately offset the need for Tennessee football either.

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