A Look at Tennessee's Remaining OL Options in the 2021 Class

Tennessee's top remaining overall target made his college decision last week, and it did not go in favor of the Vols. Amarius Mims announced his intentions to play football for the University of Georgia, during a ceremony at his school. Mims was an immediate impact player that the Vols hoped to use to lock down the left tackle spot for years to come, and Tennessee is now back to the drawing board for the 2021 class, in a way. They are not going to quit on Mims, but it is always difficult to flip a player, especially from Georgia.  We examine some other targets they could make a run out on the offensive line following Mims' decision. 

Tennessee currently holds commitments from William Parker, Colby Smith, and J'Marion Gooch on the offensive line, but there is reason to believe that Tennessee is not done recruiting the position yet. 

Rod Orr

Tennessee seemed poised to land Orr's commitment before cooling in their pursuit of him a couple of months back. Orr is currently committed to Florida State, but Tennessee has several ties, if they desire to get back into the race. He is the cousin of current commit, Roc Taylor, his family is intrigued by Tennessee, and they have the proximity to home. 

Orr's SIAA bottom line eval: Orr is an imposing lineman who can be a menace for edges in the run game. He likes contact and has a strong grab at the point of attack. The Alabama native is solid in tight space in pass-protection and mirrors fine when engaged. Look for Orr to stick on the right island at the next level.

Jordan Moko

The Snow College (Australia) offensive lineman is an interesting name on this list. He measures in at six-foot-five, 330 pounds. Moko displays freakish athleticism, and he continues to improve his game. Tennessee extended an offer in September, and it is one he was impressed by. Tennessee loves athletic lineman with a high upside, and Moko meets that. He is a native of Australia, but he plays Junior College football at Snow College in Utah. Moko holds over 20 offers including Florida, Ole Miss, and Utah.

Diego Pounds

Tennessee truly needs a left tackle body in this class, and it does not seem like there are many of those players left. Tennessee had a lot of traction with Pounds before he committed to North Carolina. The Vols cooled their pursuit a bit, but he remains an option that they could attempt to make another run at.

Pounds's SIAA bottom line eval: Pounds is a natural athlete playing offensive tackle. Possesses the physicality of an interior offensive lineman, yet the quickness to play left tackle. He’s good in space and does well at finishing blocks when he pulls.

Yousef Mugharbil

While Tennessee has not made a serious push for the Murphy (N.C.) standout, he is at least a name to know. He comes from a hometown that is full of Tennessee fans, he has the Vols in his top list of schools, and he likes the proximity to home and what the Vols offer. He is newer to the game of football, but schools like Florida and North Carolina State have him high on their board. Mugharbil will also not play football until February, which will allow the Vols more of an opportunity to evaluate him. He likely fits as a guard, but he would allow Tennessee flexibility with other linemen in the class that are more versatile.

Mugharbil's SIAA bottom line eval: Mugharbil will need to make the transition down to guard because he’s an excellent short-area blocker. A lack of polish limits his ceiling on the outside. Perhaps if and when the foot-speed increases with a college strength and conditioning program, there’s a chance he could kick back to tackle as a front-side protector.

The Vols will continue to actively pursue Mims, and he will actively listen to their pitch. He should at least visit the Vols campus one more time before he signs his letter of intent.