The Key To Tennessee's Recruiting Class Lies In Two Assistants

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has ensured that his coaching staff is full of elite coaches and recruiters so that the Vols can continue pushing forward. They played at a top-10 level in 2022 and recruited at one. However, their goals don't end at that, and their journey continues in the 2023 season and the 2024 recruiting cycle.

The Vols have already locked in a strong class that features several future difference-makers. Most recruiting websites have them hovering around the No. 10 spot among college football, an impressive mark but one Tennessee intends to raise. Many of their top targets are still uncommitted, and many are in the same position group. Tennessee is taking specific swings at wide receiver and defensive line this cycle, and two assistants are spearheading the charge.

Wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope has been one of the top assistants in college football since he was promoted from his previous offensive analyst role ahead of the 2022 season. He did strong work in his first recruiting cycle, signing Nathan Leacock and Nate Spillman. Pope also helped spearhead the team's efforts to land Oregon transfer wide receiver Dont'e Thornton, who's expected to have a large role for Tennessee in 2023. His biggest recruiting cycle is coming; Pope landed four-star wide receiver Braylon Staley on Friday and still is pushing for Mike Matthews, Ryan Wingo, and Amari Jefferson. Matthews and Jefferson should come off the board before the season, while Wingo intends to take his recruitment all the way until early national signing day.

Meanwhile, defensive line coach Rodney Garner has an even taller task ahead of him. Tennessee is actively recruiting Kamarion Franklin, Williams Nwaneri, Jordan Ross, and Danny Okoye after already landing three defensive linemen in this cycle. Tennessee has a puncher's chance with all four. Franklin, Ross, and Okoye have the Vols near the top of their recruitments, and while Nwaneri is a Georgia lean at this point, Tennessee was just at the top of his recruitment a few weeks ago.

A few prospects each cycle push a top-10 class to a top-5 class or even higher. Most of those prospects fall under the watch of Pope or Garner, perhaps the top two Tennessee assistants on staff. Time will tell if they can close the deal with these elite talents, but the pressure is on as July announcements approach.

Tennessee's 2024 Recruiting Class

Jake Merklinger, QB
Peyton Lewis, RB
Braylon Staley, WR
Jonathan Echols, TE
Gage Ginther, OL
Jesse Perry, OG
Max Anderson, OG
Kellen Lindstrom, DL
Carson Gentle, DL
Jeremias Heard, DL
Jordan Burns, ILB
Kaleb Beasley, CB
Boo Carter, S
Edrees Farooq, S
Marcus Goree, S

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