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Tennessee offensive line coach Glen Elarbee won’t be replacing as many starters next year as he initially thought, but the Vols did lose several offensive line contributors to the NCAA Transfer Portal. They are scouring the portal for another offensive tackle who could come in and get snaps, and LSU Tigers offensive tackle Lance Heard is a prime candidate. Heard was the No. 15 player in the 2023 signing class, according to 247Sports’ Composite Rankings. The Louisianna native opted to stay home and play his college football for the LSU Tigers, choosing them over several

premium programs. After one season in Baton Rouge, Heard entered the transfer portal and explored his options. He stopped by Knoxville, Tennessee, for a brief visit over the weekend. Heard will now travel to Norman, Oklahoma, for a visit with the Sooners, who have come on strong for Heard in recent days. There’s still optimism in the Tennessee building regarding their chances, but Heard’s visit with the Sooners could be the deciding factor. He could make other visits during his time in the portal but hasn’t scheduled any other dates.

Tennessee received another commitment from the 2025 class on Sunday afternoon. This time, it’s from tight end Jack VanDorselaer. VanDorselaer hails from Southlake Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas. He is a current four-star prospect at around 6-4 and 225 pounds. He committed to the Volunteers over TCU, Michigan, Oregon, Baylor, Alabama, USC, Texas, and Miami. VanDorselaer was offered by Tennessee back in January 2023 after an unofficial visit. He later visited Tennessee again in September, his most recent visit. He ranks as the No. 11 tight end in the 2025, according to 247Sports’ Composite Rankings. He took the time to break down his commitment to Tennessee with Volunteer Country. He was asked what made him want to commit to Tennessee. The tight end stated, “The town of

Knoxville really felt like home, along with the coaching staff and coach Heupel. I truly feel like the coaches are great men who have my back, and with that, I really would love to work with them. Also, you can’t beat SEC football in east Tennessee.” He then talks about his relationships with the staff by saying, “I have a strong relationship with Coach [Alec] Abeln and Coach [Josh] Heupel. I feel like we can work really well together. Also, the strong relationship makes it really easy to go to work for them and the university.” He also talks about who he would love to bring to Rocky Top. “I would love a quarterback to come with me. I know there are a couple of really sought-after quarterbacks that are interested in Tennessee, but they have to make whatever choice is best for them, but with saying that Tennessee is a great place, it’s hard to say no to.” The four-star states. VanDorselaer gave us a final statement: “I’ve really thought about this whole process and did my homework on every school, and I’m confident that Tennessee is the best fit for

me. I’m really bought into being a Vol and doing everything in my power to win games for this program.” 2025 4-star TE Jack VanDorselaer during an unofficial visit to Tennessee. (Photo courtesy of Jack VanDorselaer) TENNESSEE’S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS Justin Baker, RB Jack VanDorselaer, TE Shamar Arnoux, CB Dylan Lewis, CB Tyler Redmond, CB You Might Also Like: Nico Iamaleava Will Start Citrus Bowl Jared Curtis Breaks Down His Top Schools National Analyst Bills Braylon Staley As Ideal Fit For Tennessee Join the community: Follow Evan Crowell on Twitter: @EvanVCrowell Follow Caleb Sisk on Twitter: @CalebSisk_ You can follow us for future coverage by clicking “Follow” on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @VolunteerCountry & follow us on Twitter at @VCountryFN. Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved. This story was originally published January 8, 2024, 7:00 AM. Take Us With You Real-time

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