Analyzing What Gage Ginther Brings To Tennessee

Three-star offensive lineman Gage Ginther committed to the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday. What does the Colorado native bring to the program?

Recruiting departments are obsessed with finding the next measurables freak, the guy who can come in and set explosion numbers during summer workouts. Granted, those guys encompass a large portion of our sport's top players, but every once in a while, you have to recruit a good, technical football player.

That's what Tennessee did on Saturday when they landed 2024 interior offensive lineman Gage Ginther. He's the No. 1 player in Colorado, which isn't saying much since he's ranked outside the top 750 on some recruiting sites. However, that should change quite quickly, given the type of football player he is.

Gage Ginther, 2024 OL

He stands 6-5.5 and 287 pounds, a bit of an awkward height. Ginther primarily plays left tackle for Fossil Ridge High School but likely won't have the athleticism to play on the edge in the SEC. He's a bit tall to play guard, but Tennessee did start the 6'5" Jerome Carvin at left guard in 2022.

The first thing that jumps off Ginther's type is his competitive nature. He blocks all the way downfield, going until the whistle blows and sometimes after. Ginther isn't doing it to taunt opponents or look cool; he's attempting to create alleys for his teammates. He doesn't destroy plays by straying from his gap assignment to make a highlight block and always follows the play design.

He can play high at times, but what saves him is his natural framing. Many offensive linemen struggle to place their hands in the right spot, and getting their bodies in sync is even more challenging. Ginther marries the two extremely well and always gets the correct framing on his assignment. Once he latches on, he drives through his legs and finishes the block with his hands.

Ginther is also someone who clearly studies and understands the game at a high level. He made several impressive pickups throughout his junior season, including one where the protection scheme didn't match the box, and he managed to come off his man to block a free rusher and keep the quarterback clean. He repeatedly makes these subtle, game-changing plays that save series.

There are going to be some growing pains when he arrives in Knoxville. Ginter is accustomed to a different level of competition than what the SEC entails; the first few spring practices may come as a shock. Furthermore, he's got a lot more weight to put on before he can kick inside and handle defensive tackles and 3-technique defensive ends.

Nonetheless, the Vols landed a talented, smart player that, at worst, will provide quality depth for them. Ginther has a lot of tools to work with and is clearly focused on becoming the best football player that he can be.

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