In 2024, the Tennessee Volunteers might have a lot of work ahead of them with this transfer portal player.
Tennessee football finished their class ranked No. 10 in the SEC and No. 22 in the nation. The transfer portal is now locked until later in the spring. Out of this cycle, the Volunteers will be sending out twelve while receiving just eight commits. Four three-star players and four four-star players make up the eight transfers.
Tennessee football and Josh Heupel are familiar faces on the portal. As they have now recruited eight commits in each of their previous three transfer classes, they have actually been rather consistent. There are hits and misses in every class, transfer possibility excepted. But more than a typical recruit, there’s always something to prove, especially with transfers.
The majority of transfers do so because they feel they are being passed over by other players on the team and are frustrated with their lack of playing time. They should be, at the very least, determined to disprove that. All eight of the Volunteers’ incoming transfer commits for the 2024 cycle are considered to have the greatest work ahead of them, but one player in particular may have more to prove than the rest. Holden Staes, a former tight end at Notre Dame, is that person.
Holden Staes has the most to prove for Tennessee football in 2024
Former four-star prospect Holden Staes is ranked No. 21 nationally as a tight end and No. 37 in Georgia. He maintained his four-star ranking upon his transfer to the Tennessee football program, ranking as the portal’s 29th overall athlete but its second-best tight end, per 247sports.
Although Staes’ star rating and potential qualities undoubtedly pleased Tennessee Volunteers fans, I would contend that the former Fighting Irish Notre Dame athlete still has a lot to prove.
Staes’s stats from his rookie year only include one reception for eleven yards; he started as a sophomore last season. Staes only had 15 receptions for 176 yards at 11.7 yards per grab in 11 games with the Fighting Irish (he missed the final game against Stanford due to a shoulder injury). On 369 snaps, he also scored four touchdowns. Staes has a lot of potential, as evidenced by this, even though his four touchdowns in just 15 receptions aren’t bad at all.
Naturally, Staes trailed junior tight end Mitchell Evans, who had almost twice as many, throughout the entire season the previous year. In addition, there was freshman Cooper Flanagan, junior Davis Sherwood, and sophomore Eli Raridon, each of whom contributed some productivity.
Even with his productive and dynamic offense since Heupel arrived in Knoxville, the tight end hasn’t always been the star of the show. Is that because his offense isn’t designed that way, or has the skill not been there?
This is the amount of time Heupel has employed the tight end in his three seasons as head coach of the Vols:
Over the last three seasons, no tight end from Tennessee has over 300 yards. Once more, is this due to a lack of skill or is the system and tight ends being utilized more for blocking? The Volunteers might have selected the incorrect tight end if such is the case. PFF gave Staes a pass blocking score of 37.7 and a run blocking grade of 44.3, for an overall grade of 61.1. His overall score is lower than McCallan Castles (65.1) but slightly higher than Jacob Warren (60.7) from the previous year.
Tennessee football supporters should be wary of both their new tight end and the output of a tight end in a contemporary college football offense, even though they may be thrilled about him.
