Same thing here as yesterday: not signed or on the roster without sitting in the transfer portal and the name won't be popping up here. This is just for fun while we wait on any further staff changes and national signing day, so at most consider it as a snapshot of where the roster is ahead of NSD and spring practice. I'll revisit this after spring ball wraps up. I'm not going to be doing special teams because it will largely be the same as things stand right now. Now to get it going.
DE1 - Matthew Butler, 6-4, 276, JR
DE2 - John Mincey, 6-3, 264, SO
Reasoning: Butler was the most common backup to Kyle Phillips last year, and in his nine games played he had 13 tackles and a tackle for loss. Phillips didn't come out of the games often, so Butler didn't see as much action as he probably could have. If they dug deeper than Phillips and Butler, Mincey was that next man up more often than anyone else. The staff added Mincey late last cycle and really liked his skill set as both a stout run stopper and pass rusher, and in his five appearances, he finished with 5 tackles and a sack. Short of adding another player to the mix here, which isn't currently the case in the class, these two and Kurott Garland are the options so there will be some inevitable drop in production from the group. Butler was highly productive in high school and seems like a player who can rise to the challenge. That said, Mincey surpassing Butler wouldn't be shocking based on how the staff has raved about him.
NT1 - Emmit Gooden, 6-3, 306, SR
NT2 - Kingston Harris, 6-3, 316, FR
Reasoning: Gooden is by far the best of the returning defensive linemen, and frankly it isn't even close. In his first year in Knoxville after coming over from the JUCO ranks, he had 33 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and a sack despite never starting a game. When this is likely to be a fairly young group, it's a good idea to put your best player in the middle of the defense, although he did show he could play defensive end last year as well. Harris played in the first two games of the season last year on defense before moving over to guard to help with depth concerns on that side of the ball. He moved back to defense just before the season ended and his big, strong frame is perfect for the nose position. Freshman Elijah Simmons could be interesting at this spot in the future, but the 6-2, 344-pounder will have some work to do in strength and conditioning that may hold him back in his first year on campus.
DE1 - Savion Williams, 6-4, 315, JR
DE2 - Darel Middleton, 6-7, 290, JR or Greg Emerson, 6-3, 305, RFR
Reasoning: Williams is a no-brainer here just like Gooden is. He's the #1 JUCO defensive tackle in the 2019 cycle and like Gooden looks to have the athleticism to play either end or nose. Frankly, the two can be regarded as somewhat interchangeable at the two spots. Even their numbers last year are pretty similar as Williams had 33 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and a sack for his undefeated Lackawanna team. Darel Middleton had a long and winding road to Tennessee that saw him spend a couple years out of football, then in the JUCO ranks, and now on his way to represent his home state team. Middleton is a former high school tight end with great athleticism who had 29 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and a sack in his return to the football field last year, helping East Mississippi CC to an undefeated season and the national championship. Greg Emerson was one of the top players added by the Vols in the 2018 recruiting class but struggles due to injuries and getting back into form held him back last season and he only appeared in a single game. He did a bit of bouncing back and forth between offensive and defensive line, but he seems settled in on defense and if he's healthy he should find a spot in the rotation.
OLBJ1 - Deandre Johnson, 6-3, 244, JR
OLBJ2 - Kivon Bennett, 6-2, 266, RSO or Jordan Allen, 6-4, 242, RJR
Reasoning: Deandre Johnson was the next man up after Jonathan Kongbo got hurt and thus far nobody has proven themselves to be a better fit at that spot. Considering the nature of this spot as a hybrid outside linebacker and defensive end, Johnson is a perfect fit. In two seasons in Knoxville, Johnson has had 17 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. All he does is make plays, and more chances to do so can only benefit him and the team. Bennett was a mid-season move to the Jack linebacker spot, and the staff was very happy with his progress there, holding him out late in the season to preserve a redshirt for him. Allen arrived last year having played high school wide receiver and defensive back before becoming a JUCO defensive end and now an SEC linebacker. He understandably needed time to adjust, although he did have 6 tackles and a pass defended. He played the Sam linebacker last year, but I think an influx of new talent and a more natural fit sees him shift to Jack this season as they look for the best way to utilize his talents.
ILBM1 - Daniel Bituli, 6-3, 244, SR or Will Ignont, 6-1, 239, JR
ILBM2 - Quavaris Crouch, 6-1, 237, FR
Reasoning: Daniel Bituli has led the Vols in tackles both of the last two seasons, but even he would tell you that last season probably wasn't up to the standard he set as a sophomore. He managed to make more plays behind the line of scrimmage, but he also looked lost at times in the new defense. In fact, he was replaced as the starter in a couple of games by Ignont, who made fewer negative yardage plays but was more consistently in position. I would venture to say both play and play a lot of minutes, and both probably register a few starts over the course of the season. Crouch hasn't been healthy for much of the past year, but he's expected to be ready to go for spring football and this elite athlete has proven himself to be very productive as both a linebacker and a running back. He'll get his first look on defense and he has the tools to play early.
ILBW1 - Darrin Kirkland Jr., 6-1, 234, RSR or J.J. Peterson, 6-2, 231, RFR
ILBW2 - Shanon Reid, 6-0, 218, JR
Reasoning: Kirkland clearly wasn't his old self after his serious injury issue from fall of 2017. Even so, he was still relatively productive. The Vols continue to wait, hoping to see a full return to the form he showed as a freshman. Meanwhile, Tennessee has an intriguingly talented option in Peterson, who is coming off a redshirt that was largely forced by his late arrival in Knoxville. He wasn't really in football shape at all and that held him back from contributing much, but he was getting back into form late in the season and he was highly coveted. Kirkland will struggle to hold him off unless he does return to form. I debated moving Jeremy Banks to defense, but there seems to still be a bit of uncertainty surrounding that move becoming permanent, so I went with Reid, who has been a special teams standout the last two seasons as well as a reserve linebacker. If Banks does move to defense, this is a good guess at a landing spot and the flashes he showed last season practicing on defense suggest he could have a bright future there.
OLBS1 - Darrell Taylor, 6-4, 247, RSR
OLBS2 - Roman Harrison, 6-2, 240, FR
Reasoning: We love to talk about players who emerge or explode onto the scene, and Taylor certainly fits that bill. Although a lot of his production came in two games, those two games were so excellent you couldn't help but see what he might become. 36 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 8 sacks were teamed up with three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He just made plays in big games. When he's at his best, the defense as a whole is at its best. Anyone who has talked to me about my top guys in this class has heard me rave about Roman Harrison. He was forced to perform out of position on an undersized team and still put up huge numbers, and his career totals are awesome. He may have to make an adjustment, but he also has ridiculous athleticism, including being timed running a 4.6-forty and displaying a vertical of 38-inches. He's an early enrollee and with his talents, I think he quickly establishes himself as the #2 behind Taylor to offer a legitimate second option.
CB1 - Bryce Thompson, 5-11, 180, SO
CB2 - Warren Burrell, 6-0, 170, FR
Reasoning: Thompson was a Freshman All-American after a spectacular introductory season in college football. 34 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, a sack, 3 interceptions, 10 passes defended, and a forced fumble. He did it all as a freshman corner. He even returned 4 kickoffs for an average of 25 yards per return. He is excellent and aside from adding on a couple of pounds to improve his physicality, there's not much more you can ask from him aside from reasonable improvement from year one to year two. Warren Burrell had at least ten interceptions in high school (some stats for him are a bit incomplete), is a sure tackler, and has displayed the athleticism to block at least three kicks. He's an early enrollee eyeballing 180-185 by the start of his freshman season. There really isn't an established #2 behind Thompson, and Burrell looks like he will be the best candidate for the job.
CB1 - Alontae Taylor, 6-0, 186, SO
CB2 - Kenneth George Jr., 5-11, 195, RJR
Reasoning: Taylor had a bit more of an up-and-down freshman campaign compared to Thompson, but he still gave fans plenty of reason to be excited about his future. He is an elite athlete and solid tackler who is learning to be a better playmaker on the ball as he goes. It would take someone very special to knock him out of the job, and that player doesn't currently seem to be on campus. George was an early camp surprise after running with the first unit at times, but some injury setbacks and the emergence of the freshmen derailed his redshirt sophomore season, limiting him to a few appearances on special teams. However, he has the size and athleticism to become a top-tier performer. At worst, he appears to be a strong candidate to serve as the #2 to Taylor. At the corner spots, redshirt freshman Brandon Davis (could also be a safety), redshirt sophomore Terrell Bailey, redshirt sophomore Cheyenne Labruzza (also safety), junior Shawn Shamburger (also safety), and freshman Tyus Fields could be in the mix. Also don't count out nickel Baylen Buchanan, who filled in at corner at times last season.
NB1 - Baylen Buchanan, 5-11, 193, SR
NB2 - Tyus Fields, 5-10, 190, FR
Reasoning: Buchanan is kinda good at this football thing, in case you missed it. He was all over the field last season with 49 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 4 passes defended, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He looked like the second-best defensive back on the field to Thompson most of the time last season, and unseating him just isn't happening. Fields is an early enrollee, and I still think that's a nice advantage, but an injury will force him to sit out the spring. Even so, this young man hits like a safety and covers like a corner, so nickel is a perfect fit for him. He had 182 tackles and 7 interceptions during his high school career as well as being a capable kick returner. His brother plays at Clemson and his father played in the NFL, so the bloodlines are there. He seems like a good bet.
SS1 - Nigel Warrior, 6-0, 188, SR
SS2 - Jaylen McCollough, 6-0, 194, FR
Reasoning: Warrior had a similar regression as a junior as Daniel Bituli, and he'll hope for a similar rebound as well. He has the bloodlines, athleticism, and instincts to be elite at safety, and he certainly will make the case to be drafted into the NFL, but there's work to be done. Regardless, it is hard to see him being passed up by anyone right now. If a candidate to unseat Warrior can emerge, McCollough looks like the guy. An early enrollee who has seen his stock rise in recent weeks, he is a downhill, run-stopping tackler similar to Warrior, although he may not be quite as fast. He's actually pretty similar to former Vol Brian Randolph, from my perspective. For those who remember, Brian Randolph had a solid chance at the NFL before an injury knocked him out in his first preseason.
FS1 - Trevon Flowers, 5-11, 184, SO
FS2 - Theo Jackson, 6-2, 190, JR or Brandon Davis, 5-10, 170, RFR or Aaron Beasley, 6-1, 220, FR
Reasoning: The departure of Micah Abernathy leaves the Vols needing to fill this spot, but Trevon Flowers was playing plenty prior to getting hurt last season. He never quite got back on track after returning from injury, but his talent is excellent and he's probably the heir apparent to Abernathy. After that, things get trickier. Jackson has yet to really establish himself in the secondary. His talent shows up too inconsistently. Brandon Davis redshirted last season, but the staff is high on him and there is definitely talent there, although it's also fair to say he's undersized for the job right now. Beasley is an interesting option. He's built like a strong safety or a linebacker, but his skill set lines up fairly well for free safety, with over 110 tackles, six interceptions, and a couple fumble recoveries in his last two high school seasons. Also an accomplished running back, he has ball skills and soft hands. I'd be a bit more bullish about him taking a #2 job if he were an early enrollee, but with no clearly established #2 here, he's at least going to have a chance unless someone emerges this spring.
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