Tennessee will likely find themselves relying on a couple of young tight ends this season in addition to their senior, but ultimately the general situation is viewed as better than it was last year when starter Dominick Wood-Anderson was basically the only guy who really fit the physical profile the coaches were looking for. Now they have at least three with the two freshmen, and depending on how a couple of other players have used the spring and summer, they could have as many as five that fit the bill.
Dominick Wood-Anderson was a JUCO that pretty much everyone wanted at the tight end position after moving there following being a high school quarterback and basketball player. He was solidly productive at Arizona Western, finishing his two years there with 45 receptions for 476 yards and 4 touchdowns while learning the position. Tennessee won the battle for his signature, looking to him to become the starter following the departure of Ethan Wolf. In his first year as the primary starter for Tennessee, he had 17 catches for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns, but given that it was his first season in the SEC and only his third playing tight end, it was at least good enough. Wood-Anderson took a big jump from his first season at Arizona Western to his second, more than doubling his receptions, and it's not a huge leap to think he could do the same this season. If not, it will likely mean one of the two highly-regarded freshmen have cut into his receptions. Wood-Anderson had 4 receptions for 19 yards and a touchdown in the spring game, so a good start toward a jump in receptions.
Jackson Lowe was an early enrollee this spring and quickly made his presence felt, not as though you were likely to miss the 6-4, 253-pounder. Lowe arrived probably needing to improve his strength some to further develop as a blocker, even though he wasn't exactly known for being the most explosive of receiving tight ends. That said, he can certainly make big plays as evidenced by his 16.2 yards per catch average in high school. He also put that on display in the spring game with 3 receptions for 60 yards, although his longest reception ended in a bit of tragedy has he lost some focus and fell victim to a defender's punch and fumbled away the ball. Lowe is almost certainly heading into the season as the #2 tight end, but it's certainly reasonable to expect his fellow freshman to push him for playing time.
Summer enrollee Sean Brown isn't going to be a receiving stat sheet stuffer, but if you want a player to help create a hole, the 6-5, 250-pound freshman is your man. Also a productive defender, Brown brings that defensive mentality to the tight end position, looking to punish the man across from him and advance to the next level. He was also an occasional ballcarrier for his high school team, although I don't know that we'll see that feature too much in Knoxville. If Lowe brings the receiving to the table, Brown is the enforcer on blocking downs. That said, I would expect Lowe to progress as a blocker and Brown to become a decent receiver. Brown could also fill the H-back/fullback role.
I know I've spent a lot of time on these two, but believe it or not they aren't the only scholarship tight ends on the roster. Austin Pope is easily the most experienced tight end on the roster, having spent three years at Tennessee so far. He's just not the most productive, having only caught three passes during his time with the Vols. His weight has fluctuated some. Ideally, he'll enter the next season around 240 or so and become part of the rotation at tight end. Pope was a very productive high school player who has been trying to strike the right balance between size and athleticism to get the job done. Last year he saw some time at fullback as well, a role he could continue to fill, although he may face new competition in that role.
Redshirt sophomore Princeton Fant has had a heck of a time finding his home on the roster, having been listed at wide receiver, running back, and tight end at different times. For now, tight end appears to be his official role, but he is a very strong candidate to fill the fullback role given his winding path. At 6-2, 230, he isn't necessarily the ideal fit for a tight end, but as an H-back/fullback type, he's exactly what you typically look for in that capacity.
Jacob Warren is a redshirt freshman and the tallest of the tight ends at 6-6. He arrived on campus looking much more like a skinny wide receiver than a tight end, but 20-some odd pounds later, he is filling out nicely. Warren racked up over 1,000 receiving yards in his last two years of high school and averaged 16.7 yards per reception, so he's a player who can certainly make an impact if he can grow into a contributor physically.
Andrew Craig made the move last season from preferred walk-on to contributor, even though he didn't add any statistics. He played in 11 games as a reserve tight end and goalline fullback, a role he'll look to continue to fill as a redshirt junior. When Craig was added, he was best known for his play as a defensive lineman although he had the build to play tight end. Now, he's fulfilled that vision.
It's a pretty similar situation right now with new preferred walk-on Hunter Salmon, who was a highly productive defensive end in high school who mostly spent his time at tight end clearing holes for the running backs. Salmon blocks with a defensive lineman mentality, similar to that of Brown. He doesn't just look to block his man; he looks to run him completely out of the play, put him on his back, and block the next man if he keeps his feet.
Up next, an article I'm sure many have been waiting for: the offensive line. Will the blocking again hold the offense back or will they clear the way back to bowl eligibility? We take a deeper look next time.
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