Tennessee football: 5 blue-chip recruits most likely to sign with the Vols

Tennessee football would love landing this interior O-lineman

Staying on the offensive line for yet another potential target — which speaks to the need in Knoxville after the impending departures following the 2020 season — we have Yousef Mugharbil. The Murphy, NC native is another intriguing prospect who has garnered interest from a litany of Power 5 programs and has stayed firmly in the crosshairs of the Vols throughout the process.

Mugharbil is listed as a 4-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite rankings, the No. 15 offensive guard and the No. 259 overall recruit in the 2021 class. He played tackle in high school and, at 6-foot-4.5 and 304 pounds, he has the body to stay on the outside in college. However, it does seem that he may be best suited to move inside, which the Vols would surely take if they could land him.

Pruitt has tried to instill a very clear blue-collar mentality at Tennessee since he arrived, hence the emphasis on their offensive line. Mugharbil fits that perfectly, especially in the run game. He’s a player who seeks out contact and wants to punish defenders. With some added bulk and time in a college strength and conditioning program, he could be a dominant player on the interior.

What’s interesting about Mugharbil in terms of his recruiting profile right now is that there is no 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction for him to be found at this time. We do know, though, that the Volunteers remain in the mix as one of the favored options for the offensive lineman and, as they rebuild that unit, he’s simply a player who would slot into Pruitt’s team perfectly.