'25 Portal Thread

#1,876
#1,876
NighthawkVol said:
Regarding the wide receivers and the staff’s seeming reluctance to add any, I think back to the 2022 season. That was the best our wide receivers have performed in the Heupel era. We only used four receivers that year, and Keaton was only because Tillman got hurt. Maybe they just plan on shortening the rotation next season. It would make sense.
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We largely did that last year until Bru and Thornton got hurt. The problem arises when guys get injured.
 
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#1,877
#1,877
Carp said:
We largely did that last year until Bru and Thornton got hurt. The problem arises when guys get injured.
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Yeah...I don't know that there's anything wrong with what or how we're doing things with wrs.... Maybe it is more development than we think for this system. But... It's not like there's not other programs that are getting more, earlier, from wrs. So it is a legit question at the very least. And if we're seeing this offense evolve from what it was in 21, 22 to what it's been the last two years from a tempo standpoint, then that should open the door for a rotation with more variety, regardless of injury.

I definitely think we need to get a wr in the portal now... And if we have young guys that can go win one on one.. Let em play and go beat their guy for the ball...

I know there's more to it, I'm over simplifying... As many 'wow'plays as a kid like Williams made at Bama, he disappeared in games too.... So it is a fine line.
 
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#1,878
#1,878
Carp said:
We largely did that last year until Bru and Thornton got hurt. The problem arises when guys get injured.
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Yep. It’s a risk because if anyone gets hurt, you’re likely counting on a freshman. This staff may trust that this group of freshmen, with all being early enrollees, can handle it. Regardless, they’ll have the bodies…7 is enough, unless you lose more than 4 to injury.

Spillman wasn’t going to be ahead of any of those freshmen. Leacock likely wasn’t either. Webb…meh…if there’s a drop from him to Smith or Jackson at the X or Z spot, it’s likely minimal, and he’d have been behind one or both anyway by mid-season. Nimrod is the one who hurts. I guess the point is, if the staff feels the freshman were going to be ahead of these guys (sans Nimrod) on the depth chart anyway, there’s no need to replace them.

One difference from 2022, though…we have grown into a team that is very comfortable in 12 personnel. I’m guessing that grouping is utilized plenty next year, which a) reduces the need for more WRs, and b) reduces the chances for WRs to get hurt. I expect Ethan Davis to be a weapon in 2025.
 
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#1,881
#1,881
I don’t necessarily feel strongly about the WR situation either way. While it does feel like we have been missing a true #1 stud in the rotation since Hyatt left, it’s not like the portal is traditionally rich with elite WR talent. Maybe the staff believes Brazzell has a huge step to take. Maybe the staff feels Matthews can be a Ryan Williams when given the chance, and they are afraid he might leave if we have too many WR options.

WR isn’t necessarily a glaring need, but our development under Pope is still a bit of a question mark and it also does just put us in a very risky situation with injuries, which we faced a lot of this year. Hopefully we can stay healthy next year, but football is a brutal sport and it’s almost certain that one of Squirrel, Matthews, or Brazzell will be injured at some point next season.
 
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#1,882
#1,882
I feel like we are going to need at least 1 WR now from the portal. Nimrod was probably the biggest loss of the 3 transfers although he dropped it a lot. Leacock surprised me but he must have not been performing enough to see the field.
 
#1,883
#1,883
TheMookieMonster said:
I don’t necessarily feel strongly about the WR situation either way. While it does feel like we have been missing a true #1 stud in the rotation since Hyatt left, it’s not like the portal is traditionally rich with elite WR talent. Maybe the staff believes Brazzell has a huge step to take. Maybe the staff feels Matthews can be a Ryan Williams when given the chance, and they are afraid he might leave if we have too many WR options.

WR isn’t necessarily a glaring need, but our development under Pope is still a bit of a question mark and it also does just put us in a very risky situation with injuries, which we faced a lot of this year. Hopefully we can stay healthy next year, but football is a brutal sport and it’s almost certain that one of Squirrel, Matthews, or Brazzell will be injured at some point next season.
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I think the WR room is the biggest difference between the last couple years and 2021/2022. We haven't had guys like Hyatt / Tillman / Velus and the production in the passing game has dropped off a bit. If Matthews/Brazzell can take big steps and Squirrel / Staley do damage in the slot we might get closer to there again.
 
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#1,884
#1,884
Vols410 said:
I think the WR room is the biggest difference between the last couple years and 2021/2022. We haven't had guys like Hyatt / Tillman / Velus and the production in the passing game has dropped off a bit. If Matthews/Brazzell can take big steps and Squirrel / Staley do damage in the slot we might get closer to there again.
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Matthews has the strength to fight corners and the open field ability to turn short plays into big gains. I’d love to have a 6 6” tree with speed on the outside, but barring the second coming of Julio Jones, there are not many receivers I’d swap for M&M’s future.
 
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#1,889
#1,889
#1,891
#1,891
https://247sports.com/player/david-blay-46151875/

"Louisiana Tech’s David Blay is a defensive lineman in the transfer portal who’s on Tennessee’s radar, according to sources. Blay is a redshirt junior, so he has one remaining season of eligibility.
I’m told Blay is at Illinois right now, and he’s expected to visit Penn State after that, followed by USC. A possible trip to Tennessee would be sometime after that. It’s worth noting that Blay has not announced an offer from the Vols on his X account, while he has announced offers from some of those other schools. But sometimes that doesn’t mean anything in regard to the way schools interact with and pursue targets in the transfer portal, where not every offer is announced.
The 6-foot-4, 303-pound Blay is originally from Pennsylvania and spent two years at Division II West Chester University before transferring to Louisiana Tech last year. As a redshirt freshman for the Bulldogs, he appeared in 10 games and finished the year with 16 tackles. This year, he started all 12 games during the regular season and recorded 46 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
This post was edited by Ryan Callahan 23 hours ago"

-Callahan (12/12)

Supposed to be at PSU this weekend. Haven't seen anything other than the above on a USC visit. Visit here is "possible, but nothing set in stone" per RC. IMO PSU will likely be hard to beat...
 
#1,893
#1,893
VawlIn said:
That’s not smart nor sustainable in the SEC. If he goes down they have to replace 2 positions and he will be lining up across from future NFL players on an almost weekly basis. This isn’t the Big 12 (which is essentially a glorified mid major conference). Now if we had a future 1st round pick at safety or star and they could play Boo around 30 snaps a game on both sides it might be feasible. But I think at most they try to work him into getting 8-10 touches a game if anything
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It’s already been stated it’s gonna take a LOT !!! To keep him here, and if that’s something he wants ( I have no idea) then you better do it or someone else will
 
#1,894
#1,894
GVol1966 said:
It’s already been stated it’s gonna take a LOT !!! To keep him here, and if that’s something he wants ( I have no idea) then you better do it or someone else will
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What credible source stated that about Boo? Just curious where it's coming from
 
#1,897
#1,897
The list I’m keeping an eye on:

Tacario Davis CB Arizona
Jamal Jerrett DT Uga
Monster Delane CB VT
Dasan McCollough LB Oklahoma
Jaylen Brown DL Mizzou
Jaeden Gould CB Cuse
Cameron Calhoun CB Utah
Duce Robinson TE USC
Isaiah World OT Nevada
Travis Shaw DT UNC (likely to visit)
Khamauri rogers CB MSST
Nic Anderson WR OU
Micah Hudson WR TTU (TOS watching us here)
David Blay DT LATech (TOS watching us here)
Keeshawn Silver DT UK
Fluff Bothwell RB SoAL (TOS watching us here)
Josh Thompson IOL NWSTN (likely to visit)
Caleb Odom TE Bama
Miles McVay OL Bama
Ethan Onianwa OL Rice
Gunnar Hansen OL Vandy
Tyriq Poindexter OL VMI
Xavier Grey OT Liberty
Josh Braun IOL Arkansas
James Thompson Jr DT Wisc (visiting Dec 14)
Wendell Moe IOL Zona (talking to us)

Any IOL that enter the portal here on out

Anyone have any thoughts/intel on any of these guys?
 
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