While the Tennessee football team did lose some important talent this past season, the Vols are bringing in a slew of new talent this offseason after constructing the No. 12 overall 2024 recruiting class and picking up some key transfer portal players.
Tennessee’s 2024 recruiting class was headlined by five-star EDGE rusher Jordan Ross and four-star wide receivers Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley, followed by elite in-state athlete Boo Carter. The Vols also added some firepower with a pair of offensive four-star prospects in running back Peyton Lewis and quarterback Jake Merklinger. Overall, Tennessee finished the class with two five-stars, 15 four-stars, and 12 three-stars.
Then you get to the transfer portal.
Tennessee has hauled in eight players from the portal to date covering an assortment of key positions in need of depth or starting replacements. The Vols brought in a trio of secondary players with CB Jermod McCoy (OSU), S Jakobe Thomas (MTSU), and CB Jalen McMurray (Temple) to help replace several players that either moved on from the program or transferred this past offseason. Tennessee also built up its offensive line with OT Lance Heard, gave Nico Iamaleava another weapon with Chris Brazell, and added to the trenches with two tight ends and a defensive lineman.
So, while it is the definition of an unconsequential question to ponder in the offseason, who will end up being Tennessee’s most impactful newcomer this season?
ESPN’s Blake Baumgartner believes that the answer lies within the Vols’ 2024 recruiting class and not the portal class.
In a recent article, ESPN’s Baumgartner and Tom VanHaaren selected the “most important” newcomer to each of the Top 25 teams that were selected for the publication’s way-too-early rankings earlier this week. Baumgartner selected four-star wide receiver Mike Matthews as his pick.
“Matthews, the headliner of a 14th-ranked recruiting class, could very well give quarterback Nico Iamaleava and Tennessee’s offense a tantalizing playmaker because of his versatility on the field,” Baumgartner wrote. “As a senior, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Matthews caught 39 passes for 751 yards and nine touchdowns for Parkview High School (Georgia) and could add to an offense that was 19th in the country at 448.1 YPG.”
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Speaking of new wide receivers, Brazzell could also be an argued candidate for the same title. The former Tulane receiver had a breakout season in 2023 with 711 yards and five touchdowns on 44 receptions. The 6-foot-5 receiver earned a four-star transfer portal ranking after being a three-star prep prospect. Brazzell gives Tennessee an experienced, legitimate top receiver that the conference hasn’t seen yet.
While Tennessee has returning pieces all over the offense and a promising young quarterback, Tennessee’s secondary needs some work and received some reinforcement from the portal. A strong argument can be made that Tennessee’s most important newcomer will be in the trio of secondary additions from the portal with McCoy and Thomas being the most likely and McMurray following behind.
It’s impossible to overlook Lance Heard, though. And it’s not just because of his 6-foot-6, 340-pound frame. Heard, an All-SEC Freshman Team selected from the 2023 season, transferred from LSU to Tennessee this past month to give the Vols a much-needed replacement piece on the offensive line. Heard is a big and strong offensive tackle who could potentially protect Iamaleava’s blindside at the left tackle position as John Campbell Jr. potentially shifts over to the right tackle position.
Heard fills arguably Tennessee’s biggest position of need and his presence should be a good fit on the Vols’ experienced offensive line.
So, who is Tennessee’s most important newcomer? It’s obviously hard to currently say before spring camp begins. ESPN selected Mike Matthews. Jermod McCoy, Lance Heard, and Chris Brazzell all have a strong argument, too.
What’s your answer? Drop it in the comments below.
