Evaluating Tennessee football’s 2023 class at dead period: LB
Final take
Related Story. Evaluating Vols' 2023 class at dead period: DL. light
Given his pickups on the trail so far, Josh Heupel has set Tennessee football up nicely past 2023. They usually run two linebackers, and assuming Tim Banks is sticking with his nickel-heavy 4-3 defense, these commitments should allow them to go three-deep at both spots with just players who were always on scholarship in 2024.
The Vols will have the Herring brothers, the other two commitments, William Mohan and Kalib Perry. Now, given the fact that Banks could run three linebackers, you would like to be able to go three-deep at three linebacker spots, but Jackson Hannah and Kwauze Garland can help there.
Taking that into account, Heupel and the Vols are set up nicely already at the position. However, the questions about going three-deep at three linebacker spots are why he could use one more commitment there. If one doesn’t arrive, he’s got his 2024 class, but this is the time to address it.
Prediction
One of the three-stars will commit to Tennessee football when it’s all said and done. Either K’Vion Thunderbird, Dion Crawford or Eric Muse will be that guy, and it’s actually going to come down to Thunderbird and Crawford. The four-stars will all look elsewhere for more playing time.
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Crawford would continue the pipeline the Vols have into Georgia at this position this year, as two of their three commitments are from that state. However, Heupel has connections to Illinois, so Thunderbird being from Chicago could also help. Watch out for either of them.