Tennessee football: 6’8″ Florida 2022 OL Brian Grant commits to Vols

Josh Heupel continues to address need after need early on in his first full recruiting class as head coach of the Tennessee football program. On Monday, he took a big step towards addressing a huge need in the trenches by adding a prospect out of Florida, where he used to coach.

Offensive lineman Brian Grant, a three-star on Rivals who is not yet rated on 247Sports, is the Vols’ fifth commitment of 2022. Coming out of Choctawhatchee High School in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Grant stands at 6’8″ and weighs between 260 and 270 pounds.

Listed as an offensive tackle on both services, the Okaloosa County prospect is primarily a defensive end at his high school in the Sunshine State. He announced his commitment to Tennessee football on Twitter.

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Obviously, Grant brings a very impressive level of size to the offensive line position. He is taller than any of the blockers currently playing for Rocky Top, which could be a big help to any of the quarterbacks that will start for Heupel in the future.

In addition to Grant’s size, he brings a healthy amount of depth to the offensive line position for UT. Riley Locklear and K’Rojhn Calbert are both fifth-year seniors, Cade Mays is a fourth-year senior who will likely go pro, and Jerome Carvin is another fourth-year senior. All four players could be gone next year, leaving the line very thin.

A guy like Grant can offset those departures. He won’t shore up the issue by himself, but he certainly helps, and he brings a unique frame to UT. That could prove valuable sooner than expected. Here is a look at his highlight reel.

As you can see, Grant is great at getting through the gaps on defense, meaning he’ll likely be skilled at filling those gaps on offense. Converting to the line appears smart given his somewhat lack of mobility, but it’s worth noting he also plays on his high school basketball team, so he brings a healthy amount of athleticism to the position.

To play on the line in the SEC, he’ll need to get bigger, but he’s still off to a good start with his height alone. Tennessee football could definitely use an athlete like him, so there’s no denying his commitment is a big deal.