2024 three-star offensive tackle Gage Ginther (Fort Collins, Colo.) has signed his national letter of intent with the Tennessee Volunteers.
With early national signing day approaching, the Tennessee Volunteers want to go out on top. Under head coach Josh Heupel, they have added a lot of players to their 2023 signing class, including some players who could make a significant impact. Volunteer Country will give readers a detailed analysis of every signee.
Gage Ginther, an offensive tackle, is the sixteenth commit to submit a national letter of intent. In the cycle, he is ranked No. 542 by the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Examine what the Vols are receiving.
Prospect: Ginther Gage
Position Projected: Offensive Tackle
Vitals: 287 pounds, 5.5 inches
Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins, Colorado is the school.
Frame: Not many people are mentioning the Vols’ acquisition of a 6-5.5, 287-pound lineman who possesses exceptional hip flexion and pass-protection experience. There are several clips of high school offensive lineman dominating opponents in the run game on their tape. That’s fantastic, but once they go to college, their main challenge will be keeping up in pass protection against quarterback-pressuring pass rushers. Ginther will have a significant advantage over other recruits since he will be at ease with Tennessee’s offense’s timing and technique from the start.
Athleticism: The ability to move fluidly and quickly cover ground. Ginther can regularly advance to the second level in the run game because of his lengthy, focused strides. Although he lacks the superior agility to stop the A+ pass rushers, his athletic ability allows him to play offensive tackle for the SEC.
Instincts: Ginther is another person who obviously studies and has a deep understanding of the game. Throughout his junior and senior seasons, he made a number of outstanding pickups, one of which involved coming off his man to block a free rusher and keep the quarterback clean when the protection strategy didn’t fit the box. He saves series time and time again with these small, game-changing plays.
Polish: His natural framing keeps him afloat even though he occasionally plays high. It is difficult for many offensive lineman to position their hands correctly, and it is even more difficult to get their bodies in unison. Ginther does a fantastic job of marrying the two and always obtains the right framing for his assignments. He drives through his legs and completes the block with his hands after latching on.
Bottom Line: When he gets to Knoxville, there will be some growing pains. Ginter might be taken aback by the first few spring practices because he is used to a different caliber of competition than what the SEC offers. In addition, he still needs to gain a lot of weight before he can kick inside and stop defensive ends and tackles with three techniques. Still, the Vols acquired a gifted and intelligent player who will, at the very least, give them excellent depth. Ginther is obviously intent on being the best football player he can be, and he has an abundance of tools at his disposal.