Tennessee landed one of the better tight end prospects in the 2025 class when DaSaahn Brame signed on, and the ranking backed that up. 247 had him as the No. 5 tight end in his cycle and the No. 66 player in the nation.
But the gap between recruiting reputation and early college impact was real. As a freshman, Brame was more projection than weapon.
He arrived as a gifted pass catcher, but he still needed time to add size and sharpen the details that matter when a tight end has to hold up in protection or drive people in the run game. That opened the door for fellow freshman Jack Van Dorselaer, who was better suited to the blocking role and ended up getting more of those snaps.
Brame made it clear what his offseason mission was. With Miles Kitselman out of eligibility and Van Dorselaer transferring to Oklahoma, Tennessee had meaningful work available behind Ethan Davis. Brame took advantage of the opportunity and put on 10 pounds, getting from 230 to 240 on his 6-foot-5 frame under new director of sports performance Derek Owings.
Tight ends coach Alec Abeln pointed to the growth right away when fall camp opened. The mental side came first, then the physical jump.
“One, just mastery of the offense, knowing what to do,” Abeln said. “It’s hard to do anything at a high level until you feel really confident in what you’re doing.
I think to the last point, man, the work that those guys have done in the weight room, on the field, those guys are moving better, they’re stronger, more explosive, allowing him to translate in the box a little bit more. And I’m really excited to see what he’ll do this camp.”
Now, early in the 2026 season, that work is showing up everywhere. Brame hasn’t piled up catches - he has six receptions for 43 yards through five games - but Tennessee is getting plenty out of him anyway.
His biggest leap has come as a run blocker. The Vols are comfortable moving him around and using him in the backfield, inline or wherever the play calls for him. On a key fourth-down against Auburn, Brame lined up as a lead blocker for DeSean Bishop and helped spring the space Bishop needed to move the chains and help close out the game.
With Davis out for the rest of the season, Brame’s value only climbs. He’s handled the heavier load alongside Trent Thomas, giving Tennessee a dangerous 12 personnel combination.
The next test comes on the road in the SEC, where Brame will try to keep stacking strong performances. Tennessee visits Arkansas on Saturday, with kickoff set for 4:15 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
In Other News...
Rick Barnes Sends A Clear Message About Tennessees Defensive Standard
At UT Media Day, Rick Barnes made it clear that Tennessees defensive reputation is not built on simply finding ready-made stoppers in recruiting. Instead, the Volunteers coach said the program teaches that side of the floor, with most players arriving thinking of themselves first as offensive pieces and then learning quickly that defense, rebounding and ball control are the real currency for minutes.
Barnes pointed to the way players have grown into that standard over time, using development as proof that the identity can survive roster turnover. Even as the lineup changes, the message stays the same in Knoxville: if a player wants to stay on the floor, the defensive work has to show up first. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Shorthanded Defense Takes Another Hit Before Arkansas
Tennessee heads to Fayetteville this week for its third straight meeting with Arkansas, and the Volunteers are still trying to piece together a defensive rotation that has been tested repeatedly. Kedric Golston II is listed as out, adding another unavailable player to a growing list and leaving Tennessee with even less flexibility as it tries to keep its defense functioning at a high level.
Golstons absence does not come with a reported season-ending injury, but it does underline how thin the unit has become going into a matchup that usually demands depth and discipline. Even so, Tennessees defense has held up well overall, and the question now is how much more strain it can absorb before the extra absences start to show in a game that already carries some history. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Heads To Arkansas With One Much Bigger Question Than Uniforms
Tennessee heads to Fayetteville for an SEC road test at Razorback Stadium, and the Vols have already settled one small detail for the trip: theyll be in all-white uniforms. The bigger storyline, of course, is what the offense looks like with George MacIntyre expected to get the start because of Faizon Brandons shoulder injury, a development that shifts far more attention than any uniform combination ever could.
Even with that uncertainty under center, Tennessee brings a defense that has made life miserable for opposing offenses, entering the game as the nations leader in team sacks. That gives the Vols a clear path to stay in control if the quarterback situation settles quickly, but it also puts added pressure on a road offense that will need to do enough against Arkansas to let the defense keep dictating terms. [Read more 🡒]