The Tennessee Head Coach Has Been Fired Just Because…
After getting a scholarship offer from Tennessee during his junior season, Carde Smith is now ready to take a closer look at the Vols this weekend. The four-star Class of 2025 offensive lineman from Williamson High School in Mobile, Ala., announced Thursday in a post on his X account that he’s scheduled to visit Tennessee on Saturday for its first junior day of the year.
Smith, who’s a Top247 prospect in 247Sports’ rankings, tagged Tennessee senior offensive analyst Max Thurmond, offensive line coach Glen Elarbee, Vols recruiting intern Evan Davis, wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope and offensive scouting coordinator Mack Scanlon in the post confirming his weekend travel plans. It will be his first visit to Tennessee, which joined the growing list of teams pursuing him more than three months ago.
The 6-foot-5, 285-pound Smith picked up a scholarship offer from Tennessee on Oct. 16. He now holds offers from more than 10 schools, including Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt. He’s ranked by 247Sports as the No. 213 overall prospect and No. 21 offensive tackle in the 2025 class and the No. 15 junior from the state of Alabama. He’s also a four-star prospect in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, where he’s ranked the No. 220 overall player and No. 19 offensive tackle in the 2025 class and the No. 13 junior from Alabama.
In November, Smith told 247Sports’ Christian Clemente that he grew up liking Alabama, but he “fell in love with Auburn” once he “got to high school.” He attended one of the Tigers’ camps in June, received an offer from them in September and visited them multiple times during the 2023 season. At the time, Smith told Clemente that Auburn was in his “top two,” along with Tennessee. After taking a closer look at Smith this fall, 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks wrote in November that Smith “flashes drive-blocking conviction and block-finishing ability.”
“One of the first things noticeable about the Mobile (Ala.) Williamson standout is encouraging hand placement consistency,” Brooks wrote of Smith at the time. “He’s effective in the run game and in pass protection with a higher floor based on what we’ve seen to date. Smith is still working on keeping his feet pumping on contact, but flashes drive-blocking conviction and block-finishing ability.
“We need to get verified data on Smith in regards to measurements, but he’s listed in a few spots in the 6-5, 300 neighborhood and appears to wear his mass well. Smith’s hands may be ahead of his feet, but he looks like he’s got tools.” In early November, Brooks wrote that Smith “assembled some solid tape this fall.” Brooks added at the time that Williamson “got competent efforts from (Smith) on the ground and in pass (protection).”
