Where the Tennessee Vols fall in ESPN's post spring transfer window top 25 rankings

With spring practice and the spring transfer portal window now behind us, not a lot will change between now and the start of the 2024 season as far as how each college football program is viewed. 

Rosters are essentially set and depth charts are taking shape. The only major hurdle left ahead of the 2024 season (for every program) is simply staying healthy through fall camp. 

With that in mind, ESPN released their updated post spring top 25 rankings on Monday. 

The Tennessee Vols come in at No. 15, just ahead of Clemson and right behind LSU. 

From ESPN: The Volunteers' high-flying passing attack slowed down a bit in 2023, going from No. 1 in the FBS in scoring (46.1 points) in 2022 to 35th (31.8) last season. With highly regarded passer Nico Iamaleava taking over, things should be headed back in the right direction. Transfer receiver Chris Brazzell (Tulane) and freshman Mike Matthews might take some of the attention off Squirrel White and Bru McCoy, who is coming back from a fractured right ankle that caused him to miss most of 2023. LSU transfer Lance Heard was working as the No. 1 left tackle in the spring and should solidify a unit with three returning starters. The Vols' defensive line, led by James Pearce, should be its strength, and it will have to be good with a rebuilt secondary. Tennessee plays an early nonconference test against NC State and road games at Oklahoma and Georgia with Alabama at home. If Iamaleava is as good as advertised, the Vols might be back in the playoff hunt.

This has pretty much been the range where the Vols have been in most preseason rankings.

And that's probably a good thing. The Vols seem to play better under Josh Heupel when they're being doubted a little. And while being ranked No. 15 isn't exactly "being doubted", it's also not like Tennessee, which is coming off a 9-4 season, has done anything yet to be ranked higher than No. 15 -- they're going to have to prove they're deserving of a top five or top 10 ranking. 

Preseason rankings, of course, don't mean anything. They have zero impact on how the season will actually play out. But it's still always intriguing to see how teams are viewed before the season even starts.