Eric Crosby, 6-1, 325 - Crosby enrolled at Tennessee a bit overweight and not quite ready to help out, so he redshirted last season. He started off spring practice this year working at nose guard, but roughly midway through spring ball he was moved to the offensive line, specifically at guard. Crosby was wildly athletic for his size, getting work at running back in high school mostly as a goal line option. He displayed good athleticism that allowed him to be a disruptive force off the defensive line while also having the size to impose his will. He seems likely to be able to hold up to double teams, but his future position will need to be settled and his weight managed.
Greg Emerson, 6-3, 310 - A high school defensive end who has outgrown the tradition 4-3 mold, he could probably handle his business at a nose or defensive end in the 3-4. He has surprising athleticism for his size and is a dynamic defender...or he was prior to a serious injury the summer before his senior season. He wasn't his old self this spring, and he was moved to offensive line to help with depth issues on that side of the ball. That move hasn't been made permanent yet, so it's hard to say if he's a defensive end, nose guard, or an offensive guard. Once he's healthy and fall camp arrives, such decisions will be made, but if he's back to his old self on defense it would be hard to justify moving him to offense.
Emmit Gooden, 6-4, 315 - This young man is just a football player in every single sense. In high school, he had 213 tackles, 81 tackles for loss, and 24.5 sacks in three seasons. In the JUCO ranks, he had 136 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks in two seasons. He's big, but he's also athletic and makes it so interior linemen can't handle his quickness and edge defenders aren't used to his strength. Odds are that he's going to end up as a nose guard at this point as he continues to add wieght over 300 pounds, but he is likely still capable of playing end if that's where he can help most. All that said, his technique still needs work, but until now it hasn't held him back as his skill set is simply so good that blockers rarely get the better of him.
Kingston Harris, 6-3, 290 - Harris is another who might also be able to help out at end, but he definitely looks like a future nose guard. Harris is as strong as a bull and can jam up blockers in the hole, but he's not exactly as athletic as an Emerson or Gooden. He's a nose, through and through. His skill set fits the role perfectly. Although he may not be the quickest interior defensive lineman, he was fairly productive in a loaded high school program like IMG Academy, producing 133 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 9 sacks in 30 games played for a school that is essentially a major college feeder school. How good was the defensive line he was a part of? Well, the guys he played on the defensive line with either committed or signed with Georgia Tech, Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Miami, and even a defensive tackle who finished his senior season with all of 3 tackles is heading to Chattanooga to play (although that player in question only spent his senior season with IMG and had been a starter at his previous school). Yeah, the group was that good.
Alexis Johnson, 6-4, 308 - Upon joining the Vols out of the JUCO ranks, he had several setbacks, some self-inflicted, that held him back as a true junior. This led to him redshirting. Last season, he became a regular in the rotation for the Vols. Last season, he had 14 tackles and 2 sacks in 11 games played, which was a small sample of what he showed he could do during his stop at Fort Scott CC. There, he had 87 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks, but that hasn't translated fully to the SEC level yet. Still, he provides a valuable and experienced backup option. He's not the most disruptive interior defensive lineman, but he's sound and capable. He'll likely get his minutes this season.
Brant Lawless, 6-3, 290 - This is one I'm not so sure won't end up at end. He's likely athletic enough to do it and he is a disruptive force, producing an average of 40 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks during his four seasons in high school. He's everything you want an interior defensive lineman to be: big enough to use a swim move, stout enough to hold up at the point of attack and control leverage, strong enough to keep blockers off of him, and quick enough to make plays in the backfield. Of course, that's why he had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and LSU just to name a few. Lawless probably still hasn't reached his full potential yet either. His technique is still on the raw side and he will benefit greatly from time in a collegiate strength and conditioning program. I wouldn't bet against him finding a spot in the rotation somewhere on the defensive line.
Shy Tuttle, 6-2, 311 - Last season was the healthiest one of Shy Tuttle's Tennessee career so far, having essentially missed a season's worth of games over his first two seasons. In 2017, Tuttle was able to play in 10 games, almost as many as he played in his first two seasons overall. He also started four games and had his most productive season to this point with 27 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. It gets better though as he looked even healthier this spring once he got past some early conditioning issues. Tuttle is the expected starter for this season, but someone like Gooden could easily push him for the job if he shows up in good football shape.
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