By securing one of the best offensive lineman available through the NCAA transfer site, Tennessee has taken care of one of its most urgent needs. Lance Heard, a former five-star prospect at offensive lineman for LSU, revealed on Sunday that he has committed to the Tennessee Vols. He chose Tennessee over Oklahoma after making official visits to both institutions two weeks prior.

As a true freshman this season, the 6-foot-6, 340-pound Heard made one start and participated in 12 games for the Tigers. He has three more seasons of eligibility left to play, which gives him four years.

Heard is rated as a four-star transfer by 247Sports, which has him listed as the No. 3 transfer offensive tackle and No. 18 overall transfer for the 2024 cycle. Last month, he was selected to the Freshman All-SEC team.

Heard, a former standout at Monroe, Louisiana’s Neville High School, was Tennessee’s sixth addition via the transfer portal for the 2024 cycle and the team’s first addition of offensive linemen. After signing up for the transfer portal on January 2, he left for his first official visit to Tennessee on January 6. He spent less than seven hours in Knoxville before leaving for Oklahoma for a largely one-day visit with the Sooners on January 7.

He is anticipated to start at tackle for Tennessee in the upcoming campaign, taking over for the injured Gerald Mincey. After announcing his commitment to Kentucky more than a week ago and starting seven games for the Vols this season, Mincey, a former Florida transfer, went back into the transfer portal on January 4.

After missing LSU’s trip to Tampa, Florida for the ReliaQuest Bowl matchup against Wisconsin on January 1, Heard placed his name to the transfer portal. Throughout the 2023 season, he occasionally played with the Tigers’ starting offence. On October 21, he made his lone start as a right tackle versus Army. Heard was unable to assume a more significant role because Miles Frazier continued to start at right guard for LSU, leaving Emery Jones as the team’s starting right tackle.

Heard was rated by 247Sports as the No. 16 overall prospect, the third offensive tackle in the 2023 class, and the second-best player from Louisiana when he graduated from high school. In the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, he was rated as a five-star recruit as well, coming in at No. 3 offensive lineman and No. 15 overall in the 2023 class.

As stated by national recruiting analyst Cooper Petagna in 247Sports’ official assessment of him following high school, Heard “showcases the size, athleticism and play temperament to develop into an elite level collegiate prospect at the next level.” Petagna stated at the time that Heard “projects as an all-conference prospect at the next level with the ability to outperform his current projection and develop into a day one NFL draft choice.”

“With a 7-foot-plus wing span and almost 37-inch arms, the Neville standout’s combination of length and natural athleticism make him one of the more intriguing players in this year’s cycle,” Petagna wrote about Heard in September 2022. Even though Heard is still developing as a pass protector, he has the necessary foot and body agility to adjust to college football fast. He can also finish in the run game with good play strength and power flashes, however he does play high at times, which causes some inconsistency in that area.