Offensive line will be another big area of focus for the Vols in the 2020 class just like it was in the 2019 class. Luckily for Tennessee, there are a lot of quality offensive linemen within Tennessee’s state borders in the 2020 cycle, and one of the top linemen in the state just included the Vols in his list of top schools.
Chris Morris is a four-star offensive tackle who plays for Freedom Prep Academy in Memphis. He tweeted out his list of top programs in his recruitment right now, and Tennessee made the list along with several other SEC schools.
My top 12 schools that I will be hunting this season!!!@RivalsWoody @bartonsimmons @CSmithScout @pure_youth @TomLuginbill @johnvarlas pic.twitter.com/ldwJnJTgt7
— Chris Morris (@ChrisMo75901) January 23, 2019
According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Morris is the No. 119 overall player and No. 7 player in the state of Tennessee. He’s also the 16th-ranked offensive tackle in the 2020 cycle according to those ratings.
The 6-foot-4, 287-pound tackle holds offers from all the teams in his top 12, which includes schools like Alabama, Oklahoma, Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M, and Florida. He has offers from nearly three dozen FBS programs, and those offers include schools not in his list of favorites such as Florida State, LSU, Ohio State, and Oregon.
Morris is scheduled to come in on an unofficial visit to Knoxville this upcoming weekend. It will mark the first time since April of 2018 that Morris has made it back to Knoxville, but the Vols have been pretty involved with Morris in his recruitment.
You can hear our full interview with Morris previewing his visit to Knoxville, discussing his top teams, and more over on RTI Premium!
The rising senior has a huge frame and can add a lot more good weight to his body. He does a good job of getting low on defenders and doesn’t just rely on his superior build and strength to do all the work for him when blocking. He has fast feet and steps back quickly in pass protection, and he has some good aggressiveness when run blocking. He needs to work on his base and get stronger there, and he also needs to get more consistent with his technique. But he’s a solid blocker and definitely has the tools to be a good tackle.
Morris has some stiff competition for the top tackle position in the state of Tennessee, and most of it will be coming from players in his area. He currently is the No. 4 offensive tackle in the state of Tennessee, and he trails three other four-stars. Knoxville Catholic’s Bryn Tucker is the top tackle in the state, and the other two are Memphis players. Omair Thomas and Marcus Henderson are ranked just ahead of Morris in the 247Sports Composite rankings.
The Vols don’t have to look far for help on the offensive line in the 2020 class, and Morris figures to be one of the linemen getting a lot of UT’s attention.
