On Tuesday, the Tigers coaching staff extended an offer to 2023 offensive tackle Zalance Heard. Heard hauls from the same high school that Enyce Sledge once played for: Neville High School.
Heard is regarded as a four-star according to 247Sports’ recruiting rankings. He is listed at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds. The Louisiana native has quite the offers thus far. Other programs like LSU, Nebraska, Michigan, Texas, and USC have all offered Heard to this point. Most recently, he took a visit to Nebraska on June 10th.
The Tigers have quite the offensive line commit in four-star interior offensive lineman Bradyn Joiner. However, that isn’t enough for Coach Harsin and the rest of the coaching staff. With several offensive linemen graduating, the staff has prioritized recruiting offensive linemen. More specifically, the offensive tackle position.
Heard possesses great size and could make an immediate impact on the Tigers’ offensive line. Offensive line coach Will Friend is pushing to improve his unit this season. Last season, the Tigers were more effective at run blocking than they were in pass protection. If a prospect like Heard chooses the Tigers, it could instantly change the trajectory of the future on the Plains. The Tigers will more than likely have to battle the LSU for his recruitment. It will be interesting to see how his recruitment unfolds in the coming months.