Tennessee football set at TE past 2022 with addition of UCF transfer Charlie Browder

Jacob Warren and Princeton Fant deciding to return for the 2022 season is a huge deal for Tennessee football, but it didn’t do much for the Vols past that year at tight end. Well, on Monday, Josh Heupel took another step toward making sure they’ll be fine after those two leave.

In-state product Charlie Browder, who transferred from Heupel’s old program, the UCF Knights, has committed to the Vols. A 6’7″ 260-pound graduate of Christ School in Arden, N.C., Browder is initially from Kingsport, Tenn. and was a three-star across the board in the 2021 recruiting class.

With no catches and appearances in only four games this past year, Browder will have four years of eligibility with Tennessee football going forward. He announced his decision to head to Rocky Top Monday evening on Twitter.

If Browder’s high school profile is familiar to you, it’s because Tennessee basketball forward John Fulkerson did the same thing as he did. Both are from the largest city in Sullivan and Hawkins Counties, which is in the northeastern Tri-Cities portion of the state, and they both attended that school just outside of Asheville in North Carolina’s Buncombe County.

This is a huge pickup for Heupel and co. going forward. The Vols have some bodies at tight end after Warren and Fant leave, but none are proven. Trinity Bell, Julian Nixon and Miles Campbell are all that will be left on scholarship after those two are gone.

What really stands out about Browder is his size. He joins Bell as two tight ends who are 6’7″ and weight at least 260 pounds. Both would seem to be more physical, blocking tight ends, but they also provide a clear size mismatch in the passing game. Combine that with the wideouts UT has, and they could be impossible to guard in the passing game.

Either way, Tennessee football can go four-deep at tight end after 2022 with the addition of Browder. Add in Hunter Salmon, who did see action this past year, and they should be in great shape going forward. Heupel has shown a willingness to use his tight ends when they provide a mismatch, and he now has multiple guys like that.