Tennessee football’s top five candidates to replace Cade Mays at RT

He spent more time at center in spring ball, but Addison Nichols has a ton of potential at tackle, and Tennessee football may tap into that early.

The highest overall recruit in Tennessee football’s 2022 class out of Georgia, Addison Nichols and William Parker, who was on the team in 2021, are the lead candidates to work their way into the rotation at tackle. Nichols seems more likely to find a spot in the rotation in general since he also got looks at center.

Those looks didn’t solve the depth issue there behind Cooper Mays, so the graduate of Greater Atlanta Christian School in Norcross, Ga., which is in Gwinnett County, will likely get more looks at tackle once fall camp arrives. When that happens, he’ll probably turn a lot of heads and may work his way into the rotation.

Nichols has Mays’ profile as a versatile offensive lineman who is just ready to play due to skill alone, regardless of where he’s placed. Well, right tackle is obviously the biggest need right now, and that means he’ll likely get the most looks there.

Now, starting at that position is a different story, but Nichols comes with enough hype that you could believe that’s possible. His talent is such that he’s expected to be in the rotation somewhere, and with experience in the system now as an early enrollee, that somewhere may be to fill a void that’s been left.