With Darnell Wright Gone, Someone Must Step Up

With Darnell Wright leaving for the NFL Draft, the Tennessee Volunteers' offensive line is an open book. So, who takes his place at right tackle?

A key replacement that the Volunteers will look to make for next football season is who will take over the right tackle spot now that Darnell Wright is gone for the draft.

Wright is a force for any team he is on. At 6 feet and 8 inches tall and 335 pounds, he is a tough wall to break through for defensive players to get to the quarterback. Most mock drafts project him as a 1st round pick, and he is consistently a top-five tackle on draft boards.

Head coach Josh Heupel on Wright before the Reese's Senior Bowl back in February, "Where he's really grown is in his football understanding, his football IQ. Excited for Darnell to be able to sit down with ownership and with GMs and coaches and be able to showcase some of his knowledge."

It will be challenging for the Vols to find a proper replacement. However, they are not short on options. One of the main alternatives is Jeremiah Crawford. He has a similar build to Wright at 6-feet-5-inches and 315 pounds. He has made six career starts and split a lot of time at left tackle this season alongside Gerald Mincey. Although it is left tackle, a spring adjustment to the other side of the line may help Tennessee keep a balanced and experienced offensive line.

Another option is spring transfer John Campbell. He spent five previous seasons with the Miami Hurricanes before becoming a Vol. He played in 763 offensive snaps with the Canes last season. He has one more eligible season as a sixth-year senior. The reach to get him in the portal when he has one more eligible season leaves a lot thinking he could be the one to replace Wright,

The Volunteers have three more tackles on their roster who weren't mentioned or did not have a starting role on the team. They have options, and it will be a tight race to see who their right tackle will be next season.

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