Position Previews: Offensive Line

Credit: University of Tennessee Athletics

By Tucker Harlin

For as horrid and disastrous his tenure was at Tennessee, Jeremy Pruitt actually managed to recruit plenty of high-level talent in his three years.

There’s not a position group where this is more evident than the offensive line.

Pruitt left behind both Mays brothers, a future first round pick in Darnell Wright, and a pair of potent guards in Javontez Spraggins and Jerome Carvin.

Spraggins and Cooper Mays are still hanging around on this year’s bunch at right guard and center.

There was a noticeable dip in the strength of the offensive line when Mays had to miss the first month of SEC play in 2023. Spraggins also missed the last two games of the season with a lower body injury.

The tackles in the Josh Heupel era have mostly come to Knoxville via the transfer portal, and it’s no different this season.

John Campbell shifts from left to right tackle this season. Campbell is now in his seventh year of eligibility after spending five of those at Miami.

LSU transfer Lance Heard will take over on the left side as Gerald Mincey has transferred to Kentucky. Heard is physically impressive, but his path to the field in Baton Rouge was not an easy one as he sat behind All-American Will Campbell.

Left guard is the area where this group has the most questions.

Andrej Karic started a handful of games there in 2023. However, injury history and performance could see that opportunity go to someone else. As far as veterans go, the Vols could choose between either Dayne Davis or Jackson Lampley.

There are also younger talents like Sham Umarov and William Satterwhite the staff is bullish on. However, no lineman recruited out of high school by Josh Heupel has started in his offense, so this would be something totally new.

Overall, the offensive line should be one of the stronger units in 2024. It doesn’t quite have the depth of the receivers and defensive line, but its experience is unmatched