While the 2019 OL class was built around 5-star OTs Wanya Morris and Darnell Wright, the Thursday commitment of James Robinson – to go with earlier commitments Javontez Spraggins and Cooper Mays – gives Tennessee an outstanding threesome of interior roadgraders around whom they are building this class to complement last year’s OT haul.   While Mays appears to be pegged for Center, both Robinson and Spraggins look like they can play both Guard positions and Robinson even appears to have at least some potential to kick out to Right Tackle.  At least at first, however, he’ll likely be paired on the inside with the aforementioned classmates.  All three are well known for their nasty dispositions and bring the size to back up the attitudes. 

Robinson likely caps off Tennessee’s interior OL class as long as they can hold onto Spraggins, whose recruiting is still in the midst of blowing up, especially since the class of 2019 also featured two interior OL in Jackson Lampley and Chris Akporoghene.  Therefore OL Coach Will Friend and the rest of the staff will now turn their focus to much needed OTs.  Tackles are always a hot commodity every cycle, but for the Vols their an even bigger need despite last year’s stud tandem because the roster is still thin there.  Top options there include the following:

Chris Morris is currently in a heated battle the Vols and  Texas A&M, with Tennessee probably trailing the Aggies at this point.  He took his OV to Knoxville for their Cookout recruiting event in late June before the Dead Period began, then visited College Station unofficially after the Dead Period ended and has been there quite a few times.  Tennessee will undoubtedly need to get him back to campus, ideally for a game and then again for another unofficial in December, since A&M still has their OV available

Marcus Dumervil spent 3 days in Knoxville in mid-June after having OV’d to both LSU and OU in the spring.  He took an UV to instate UF when the Dead Period ended last weekend and the Gators have made a move there.  He does have ties to Vols via Josh Palmer and Kivon Bennett from St Thomas Aquinas HS.  This is going to be a bigtime battle but the Vols are definitely in play here and look like a likely OV destination for him in the fall

JUCOS Tariq Stewart and Antwan Reed have ties to Vol staffer Joe Osovet from his days as the former head coach at their Junior College.  Stewart has an offer from Maryland after earning a UT offer when he and Reed camped in June.  Reed was a Penn State commitment before academic concerns caused him to sign with Western Michigan before ultimately heading to JUCO

Tyson Wannamaker is a longtime South Carolina commitment with a tie to Chris Rumph via a longtime relationship with Tyson’s father.  He visited the Vols for their Cookout event in late June before the Dead Period began and Tennessee continues to be in contact with him and the family.  That one is likely an uphill battle for the Palmetto State native and longtime Cocks commitment, but the Vols will look to hang around and get him back to campus for an OV