3. Drew Richmond, OL
Drew Richmond was one of the top offensive tackles in the 2015 class, and his commitment to the Vols in the class was a shot of electricity for an already loaded class of talent. But much like many of the player in UT’s 2015 class, Richmond has failed to live up to expectations.
Most high four-star/low five-star players come in and contribute immediately to a team. But Richmond redshirted in 2015 and looked poised to take over as a full-time starter in 2016. He started the Vols’ first few games of the 2016 season, but the results were…not what was expected. Richmond struggled as a left tackle and ended up playing in just nine games and only made six starts on the season. Last year, injuries nagged at him and he made seven appearances and started all seven games he played. Once again, he was at left tackle.
Many believe Richmond can perform better as a guard, but we’ll see what happens this fall with Tennessee’s new coaching staff. One thing is for certain: Richmond hasn’t lived up to his billing coming out of high school, and this year will be a big one for him as he looks to capitalize on a fresh start with a new coaching staff.
