Two five-star offensive tackles were the headliners of Tennessee's 2019 recruiting class, but those weren't the only offensive linemen the Vols brought in to bolster perhaps their weakest position.

And for the one of the three less-heralded additions already on campus, playing for Tennessee is a homecoming sorts.

Chris Akporoghene moved to the United States from Nigeria in 2016 with the original plan of playing basketball, but football instead became his future when he played two seasons at The King's Academy in the Knoxville area and then took a bold step of transferring to Florida powerhouse IMG Academy, where he started nine games at right tackle as a senior.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 294 pounds when he signed with the Vols in December, Akporoghene already has added more than 10 pounds during winter workouts and will go through spring practice when it begins on March 7, and although he's a developmental prospect who's still relatively new to the game, Tennessee sees plenty of natural talent and upside in the now-former three-star prospect.

The Vols got a close-up look at Akporoghene last summer when he attended one of their camps and worked out for the coaching staff, head coach Jeremy Pruitt claiming in December that Akporoghene “took a thousand reps” during the camp.

“Going through the recruiting process, we told him, we said, ‘Hey, you come to camp and earn a scholarship,’” Tennessee offensive line coach Will Friend said at the National Signing Day Celebration in Knoxville earlier this month. “He had always wanted to go to Tennessee and play at Tennessee. He came to camp, and by the first practice that day he had a scholarship offer, just a guy that worked extremely hard.”

The No. 872 overall player and No. 70 offensive tackle prospect in the 247Sports Composite for the 2019 class, Akporoghene is the lowest-rated offensive linemen of the five the Vols signed in this class, a haul headlined by five-star tackles Wanya Morris, who's also an early enrollee, and Darnell Wright, plus interior linemen in four-star Jackson Lampley and three-star Melvin McBride.

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However, quality programs like Oregon, Michigan and Mississippi State pursued him considerably during his recruitment when he pulled the trigger and committed to Tennessee.

Akporoghene immediately brings size and athleticism to Tennessee's offensive line, and he demonstrated good footwork and power while playing right tackle for IMG, a program annually loaded with Power 5 talent. With a large frame and a low body-fat percentage, it wasn't going to take Akporoghene long in with college workout program and nutrition plan to near the 315- to 320-pound range. He likely will begin his career working at his familiar right tackle spot, but his long-term future may be inside at guard.

The amount of reps Akporoghene will get during spring practice will be invaluable for a player with limited football experience, and Friend and the Vols like his upside.

“He’s only played two years of football,” Friend said, “and his future’s going to be very bright. We’re happy to have Chris.”