Ranking Tennessee football’s early enrollees for 2022 by potential impact
839. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 1. player. Defensive lineman. Tifton, Ga.. Tyre West
6’3″ 290 pounds
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Despite running a tempo-based offense focused on skill players, two of Tennessee football’s only three unanimous four-star signees in Josh Heupel’s first full recruiting class were in the trenches: Addison Nichols and Tyre West. The other, to be fair, was quarterback Tayven Jackson.
Anyway, like Nichols, West is going to a position that is wide open for talent. Everything that applies to Jordan Phillips being able to start applies to the graduate of Tift County High School in Georgia, except West is a unanimous four-star while Nichols was a unanimous three-star. That puts West way higher on the list.
More importantly, at 290 pounds, West is almost the perfect size to fill the pure defensive tackle role left by Matthew Butler or one of the hybrid roles left by Caleb Tremblay and Ja’Quain Blakely. Sure, LaTrell Bumphus, Omar Thomas and Elijah Simmons will be in the rotation, but West is almost certain to be among that group now, even if Da’Jon Terry and Dominic Bailey emerge.
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As a result, even with the number of potential contributors at the position, West tops this list for Tennessee football. He should make an immediate impact on the field in Tim Banks’ system next year, as the Vols will be desperate for physical, SEC-style linemen.