The five-star Class of 2024 offensive tackle from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., is set to reveal his commitment on Thursday, and the Vols are among his finalists leading up to his announcement. Ohio State, Oregon, Alabama, Florida and Colorado are the other schools in the running for the 6-foot-5, 287-pound Seaton, who’s ranked the No. 15 overall prospect and No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2024 class, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. He’s also rated a five-star prospect by 247Sports, where he’s ranked the No. 30 overall player and No. 2 offensive tackle in the 2024 class.
The NCAA transfer portal window opened for undergraduate FBS players on Monday, and Tennessee already has been active in scouting and contacting players from other programs who are in the database and looking elsewhere. The Vols still have one game to play for the 2023 season after being selected to the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Sunday – they will face Iowa in Orlando on New Year’s Day – but the coaching staff will spend much of the next few weeks assessing their needs and shaping the roster for 2024. It’s a big recruiting month with the Early Signing Period coming up later in December, and portal targets will be a part of the efforts for Tennessee’s coaches on their travels and during their remaining visit days.
Third-year head coach Josh Heupel has stated Tennessee’s preference is to build the bulk of his program through traditional high school recruiting, and the Vols currently have the No. 12-ranked 2024 recruiting class, which includes 12 blue-chippers among its 20 commitments, to follow up a top-10 2023 class. But the Vols showed a year ago they will use the transfer portal to fill gaps on the roster and land plug-and-play starters at positions of need.
As roster-management season gets rolling, what positions should the Vols target with the openings they plan to use on transfers? There are different levels of portal targets, ranging from instant-impact additions brought in to fill a gap to players who are more likely depth or rotational pieces. There also are more developmental transfers who might be a year or two removed from high school and have multiple seasons of eligibility left.
