He’s going to be a fun player.
What a weekend it was for Tennessee on the recruiting trail. The Volunteers landed a longtime target in four-star safety Lagonza Hayward on Saturday, then turned around and pulled off a flip of four-star tight end Da’Saahn Brame.
The former Oregon commit swapped his green and yellow for the orange and white after another visit to Knoxville, and he’s going to bring Tennessee a level of athleticism we haven’t seen at the tight end spot in some time. Brame offers a 6-6, 235 pound frame — almost that of a jumbo-type receiver.
Brame is the 102nd ranked prospect in the class of 2025 — the fifth-ranked tight end prospect in the cycle, according to 247Sports.
The athletic ability here is obvious, and his statlines from his junior season in Derby, Kansas back that up. Brame hauled in 13 touchdowns on just 46 catches, utilizing that ability to run after the catch and as well as going up and getting the football in contested situations.
Brame is primarily a pass catcher, showing ability as a ‘big slot’ type. He really can get down the field and work the seams, showing plenty of speed to create mismatches all over the field.
The question here is the question with all tight ends — how quickly can he adapt to such a tough position? Tight end holds a lot of responsibility in both the run and passing games. The good news is that Holden Staes and Ethan Davis should remain on the roster for the 2025 season, so Brame will have a chance to settle in.
It’s going to be very interesting to see how this staff utilized Brame and just exactly how they view him. Will they try to mold him into a traditional role? Or will they get creative with his unique skillset and move him around as a chess piece? Either way, the staff has done a nice job rebuilding this room by adding Davis, Brame and fellow 2025 commit Jack Van Dorselaer. Alec Abeln’s room certain appears to be set for the next few years.