Four-Star OT Bennett Warren Is The Missing Link In Tennessee's Class

2024 four-star offensive tackle Bennett Warren is being heavily pursued by the Tennessee Volunteers, and he looks to be what they are missing in their class.

The Tennessee Volunteers haven't had much luck landing tackles in the 2024 class. They didn't hit on their initial evaluations early in the class, and though they have four offensive linemen committed, they don't have a true tackle prospect. Then, things began to heat up with four-star offensive tackle Bennett Warren (Sugar Land, Tx.).

The Vols hosted Warren on an official visit on June 23, joining other contenders such as Michigan, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M. The Wolverines and head coach Jim Harbaugh had made major strides in Warren's recruitment, and many were beginning to think of his recruitment as an afterthought, writing him away to Ann Arbor. Tennessee took a different approach, selling him on the environment and creating a fun atmosphere for Warren's family. Immediately following the visit, Tennessee began to surge. We went to the tape to understand why they pushed so hard for him.

Warren measures in at 6-7.5 and 330 pounds. For reference, those numbers are larger than both of Tennessee's starting offensive tackles in 2022. He could fit the bill of an SEC tackle before he even plays a snap of football in his senior season. Warren maintains his agility even at 330 pounds, staying light on his feet and quickly sifting through defenders to reach the second level. Tennessee offensive line coach Glen Elarbee would likely prefer Warren to transfer muscle into his lower body to create more explosive knee drive, barring Warren picking the Vols. However, they would simply reshape body composition, not reinvent the wheel. Warren is such a graceful athlete it would be a mistake to make him completely change his body, as so many offensive linemen do upon arriving at college.

2024 OT Bennett Warren during his official visit with Tennessee on June 23

Few offensive tackles arrive in college with a signature move in pass protection that can aid them. Warren has one. He does a nice job of getting depth on his first two steps in his pass set before taking a step forward and latching on to his defender. His arm length and size ensure that an edge rusher won't capture the corner early in Warren's set, meaning he gets his hands in position almost every time. Warren then uses his strength to get under his matchup's shoulder pads and rips them down into the ground. NFL offensive line coaches teach this technique to high picks that have tools - it's often effective and relies on tools.

Tennessee often focuses on framing in their offensive line searches. They want prospects that can turn their body in relation to the whole field, someone who sacrifices the personal highlight play for the big gainer. Warren has the ankle flexion to quickly rotate his lower body and wall off defenders from reaching the ball. His pad level is still inconsistent, and college defensive linemen may capitalize on a high-set from Warren every now and again, but there will be three instances prior of Warren being the final seal on a big gain in the run game. He appears to be what Tennessee misses in its offensive line class riddled with interior players - the coaching staff has settled on which tackle they want to join those prospects.

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