There's an early sign that Tennessee Vols' latest commit is better than his recruiting ranking indicates

Osenda, 6-foot-7/330 lbs from Chattanooga, TN (he's originally from Canada), is rated in 247Sports' composite rankings as the No. 32 offensive tackle in the nation and the No. 10 player in the state of Tennessee. He's also rated as the No. 380 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class. 

I'm sure plenty of fans -- mostly opposing fans -- will see Osenda's three-star rating and roll their eyes at the idea that he's a big get for the Volunteers. 

Recruiting rankings, however, don't always tell the whole story. Also, recruiting rankings can change. And it wouldn't be a surprise to see Osenda end up as a four-star recruit by the time he gets to Knoxville. 

Osenda has the size and athleticism to be a future NFL offensive tackle (that's not a prediction, we'll see how he develops once he's at Tennessee). He's excelled as both a run blocker and a pass blocker at the high school level. If Osenda develops as expected, he has the potential to become a starting SEC offensive lineman with no obvious weaknesses.

But how do we know those skills will translate to the SEC? 

We of course don't know for sure that they will. However, the fact that Osenda was recently offered by Ohio State and Georgia -- two programs that routinely land the top high school talent in the nation -- suggests that he's a much better player than his three-star rating indicates. 

Georgia's offer to Osenda came after the offensive lineman visited Athens for the Bulldogs' win against the Vols this past season. Georgia offensive line coach Stacy Searels offered Osenda after seeing the youngster's elite size in person. 

(Fun fact: Searels was teammates at Auburn with Tennessee defensive line coach Rodney Garner.)

I don't necessarily think that Osenda was a top priority for Ohio State or Georgia, but they obviously had some interest in the Baylor School standout. And that alone gives me confidence that Osenda is the type of player that belongs on a championship-caliber roster. 

Osenda will be an interesting player for Vols fans to keep an eye on. We'll see if his recruiting ranking improves before he arrives at Tennessee. And most importantly, it'll be interesting to see if he develops into an eventual starter for the Volunteers.