The Tennessee Volunteers' tight ends are under a microscope as the 2025 season approaches, with the coaching staff demanding that they become reliable blockers for quarterbacks Faizon Brandon and George MacIntyre.
Ethan Davis, the team's primary tight end, enters the campaign nursing injuries that have limited his participation, and while he has amassed 390 receiving yards over his career, his blocking pedigree remains unproven at the SEC level.
Adding to the mix, DaSaahn Brame brings athletic upside but must add strength and refine his fundamentals before he can earn a role in the trenches.
Preseason drills have already begun, with shoulder pads signaling the start of full‑contact work and live scrimmages that will be used to gauge each player's ability to meet the physical demands of the offense.
Coach Alec Abeln has repeatedly stressed that blocking is a matter of trust and execution, urging players to embrace their identity as either the hammer or the nail without hesitation.
Blocking depth and experience
Transfer Trent Thomas, a 6‑foot‑5, 254‑pound former starter at South Alabama, offers experience in the C‑gap against SEC opponents, a trait the staff believes could translate into more confident protection schemes.
The depth chart also features Drake Martinez, a sixth‑year transfer, junior Cole Harrison, and freshman Luca Wolf, the Austrian prospect recruited from the NFL UK Academy, each of whom must demonstrate blocking competence in the upcoming live sessions.
Abenl has hinted at the possibility of deploying three tight ends in certain formations, but that experiment hinges on whether the group can collectively earn the coordinator's confidence in pass protection.