Vols Among Favorites for Coveted N.C. Offensive Lineman

Yousef Mugharbil released his top list of schools and the Tennessee Volunteers are in the mix of his recruitment

Tennessee was one of the early offers for coveted Murphy, N.C. offensive lineman Yousef Mugharbil. The Vols offered the standout prospect in March of 2019, and he has made the trip to Knoxville on more than one occasion.

The talented prospect cut his offer list from 16 to 7 earlier this week when he announced a top 7.

Mugharbil's list includes Tennessee, Penn State, North Carolina State, Virginia Tech, Florida, Louisville, and North Carolina.

Top 7‼️ Recruitment still 100% open pic.twitter.com/bvauwVOulw

— yousefmugharbil (@yousefmugharbi1) July 22, 2020

Mugharbil has been impressed with Tennessee over the course of his recruitment, and he likes what they offer in terms of his skillset and proximity to home. Knoxville is just as close to Murphy as any of the schools on his list, and former Tennessee star Carl Pickens played football for the Bulldogs too.

Mugharbil has given no indication of when a decision could come, but whenever it does, one of these schools will be getting a prospect with a high ceiling.

His SI All-American evaluation reads:

Frame: Thick hipped at 6’5. His upper body could use some reshaping, but all of the measurables are present.

Athleticism: Grunt working guard prospect. Not going to blow you away athletically, but plays with enough effort to overcome any physical shortcomings. He’s only asked to move forward in high school, which could identify the initial area for improvement on the next level.

Instincts: He thrives in the run game, though not sure if he’s asked to do much more. He’s an effort player, which is rare to see with his size. He can be a bit of a leaner, but that’s the hyper-aggression speaking in his play if anything. He’s hat then hands in the run game.

Polish: Pass pro needs quite a bit of refinement, but the run blocking capability is certainly there. He finds work well on the second level when he arrives there and seems to be aware of his athletic limitations in space.

Bottom Line: 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.