Author Archives: Brad Shepard

Who’s New? Tennessee Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

 

It’s finally football time in Tennessee, and we’ll be squeezing every morsel of news out of every word that escapes new coach Jeremy Pruitt’s mouth over the next month leading up to the season opener in Charlotte against West Virginia.

But we are here to fully arm you with every bit of information we can leading up to the season’ start. In order to do that, we’ve got to get you up-to-date on all the new personnel you’ll be seeing on the football field in 2018.

More than 30 new players will suit up for the Big Orange who didn’t this spring. Many of those weren’t even in orange and white for the worst season in school history a year ago. That’s not a bad thing, either.

Pruitt came in and immediately determined the team that went 4-8 last year wasn’t equipped to win this year, either. So, he called on reinforcements. Over the next few days, we’ll brief you on the newbies at each position.

Let’s take a look at wide receivers and tight ends.

WIDE RECEIVERS / TIGHT ENDS

The Vols are going to get a major boost when a new old face returns this fall. Though he’s shaking a lot of rust off and reportedly hasn’t looked that much like his old self yet, redshirt junior receiver Jauan Jennings is back from injury, back from suspension, back from expulsion.

He’s back, and he’s expected to start once he gets all the way back and begins to play the way he’s capable. So, you can add him to this list, really. He wants this to be his final season in Knoxville, but in order to do that, he has to perform, produce and show NFL front offices that he can behave while doing it.

This is a huge year for him, and if Jennings has a huge year, the Vols will be a whole lot better because of it. Now, it’s onto the real new faces.

DOMINICK WOOD-ANDERSON, 6’4″, 257-pound Junior TE

Speaking of one-and-done hopefuls, the Vols won a massive recruiting battle in December when the nation’s top-ranked JUCO tight end decided he wanted to close his college days in Knoxville rather than Tuscaloosa.

He may wind up having the biggest impact of any JUCO transfer for UT since Cordarrelle Patterson. Yes, he’s that talented. Wood-Anderson is big and has exceptional hands. It’s almost a guarantee at this point that he is the starting tight end when the Vols open the season against West Virginia. Though he isn’t the most elusive player and won’t outrun a bunch of secondary members, he’s going to be a terror for linebackers.

Wood-Anderson runs great routes, and with the aforementioned hands, he’ll be a major threat for Jarrett Guarantano (or whoever wins the QB battle). There are several guys who could help Wood-Anderson out like Austin Pope, Eli Wolf and LaTrell Bumphus, but this is a guy who looks like he could be the next great Vols tight end.

It’s not out of the question that he could bolt for the NFL if he has a big year, and with the Vols not having any quarterbacks who can guarantee advancing the ball downfield, Wood-Anderson should be a major weapon who is targeted often.

CEDRIC TILLMAN, 6’3″, 212-pound Freshman WR

It looked like the 2018 recruiting cycle could have been a lot cause when you looked at the wide receiver position, especially considering prize recruit Alontae Taylor flipped to defense where he’s showing out as a cornerback early in fall camp. After all, on paper, all we saw was a really late, little-recruited receiver from Bishop Gorman High School who was thinking about walking on at other places.

On 247Sports, Tillman was a very low-ranked 3-star. On Rivals, he was a 2-star prospect. The Vols plucked him from Hawaii, UNLV and Weber State.

All Tillman has done this summer is show out in 7-on-7s, and it’s carried over into fall camp. He’s made some big-time plays, and though he’s raw and isn’t always consistent, it’s obvious the big-bodied first-year player is going to help. If not now, then soon.

He is big and can high-point the ball with the best of them, and Tillman also is getting open and is plenty fast. It’s baffling that a player of his ilk didn’t have a better offer sheet. It looks like he could be a true big find. Of course, he’s got to do it when it really counts, and nobody is anointing him a ’18 breakout star or anything, but there’s a solid foundation with which to work. David Johnson is known for getting the most out of his players, so Tillman could be the latest project.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to see him in the rotation soon. He was quite a late-cycle find that made up for some of the swings-and-misses.

JACQUEZ JONES, 5’10”, 169-pound RS Freshman WR

How well will Jones fit in with this new staff? That’s going to be interesting to see. The Florida product was a little-known player when Butch Jones and his staff took him a season ago. Jones should just be relieved that he was one of the few freshmen who survived the Jones era with all of his eligibility intact. Jordan Murphy (who you can’t remember making a play in 2017) wasn’t as lucky.

Jones is very small, but he is fast. He and Latrell Williams are dynamos who could excel in the open field with the ball in their hand. But how do you get the ball in their hands? He’s still slight, and he looks fully recovered from the knee injury that kept him out a season ago. But he’s behind Brandon Johnson and Jordan Murphy in the slot receiver position.

Can he help this year? We’ll see.

JACOB WARREN, 6’6″, 224-pound Freshman TE

Here is another player who needs to add some weight, especially if he’s going to go through the SEC battles at the tight end position. But when you talk about matchup nightmares, Warren could fit the bill.

His 6’6″ frame is exciting to watch develop, and if he can add 25-30 pounds, he’s going to be a force because he’s got great speed for his size and good hands, too. He reportedly made some plays during the Vols’ open practice Sunday and showed some flashes of things to come. Nobody is expecting him to go out and grab 20 balls in his first year, especially with at least three and maybe more tight ends in front of him.

But this is still a big year for Warren developmentally. With Jackson Lowe and possibly Sean Brown (if he doesn’t grow into a defensive end) coming in next year, Warren could get recruited over if he doesn’t prove he belongs. He’s off to a good start in showing coaches that he can do some things. Now, he’s just got to get bigger and stronger.

With his size and speed, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he can be a red-zone weapon this year, but he has a ways to go to do that, too.

JAMES BROWN, 6’3″, 229-pound RS Freshman TE

Taking Brown in last year’s cycle was an even bigger enigma than taking Jones. You haven’t heard much about him at all in his two years, and though former offensive coordinator Larry Scott recruited and liked him, it’s hard to see where he’ll fit in the rotation.

Brown didn’t play last year, and rarely do you hear of him this year, either. How will he fit in a traditional tight end role? You don’t want to ever call a kid a transfer possibility, but Brown has a lot to prove. The good thing for him is he’s got a fresh start and clean slate to prove it to a new staff.

He was never going to be an instant-impact player, but entering Year 2 of his career, he needs to take a big step forward and prove that he belongs in the SEC. We’ve got to hear a little about him to be able to write anything more than that.

Who’s New? Tennessee Running Backs

It’s finally football time in Tennessee, and we’ll be squeezing every morsel of news out of every word that escapes new coach Jeremy Pruitt’s mouth over the next month leading up to the season opener in Charlotte against West Virginia.

But we are here to fully arm you with every bit of information we can leading up to the season’ start. In order to do that, we’ve got to get you up-to-date on all the new personnel you’ll be seeing on the football field in 2018.

More than 30 new players will suit up for the Big Orange who didn’t this spring. Many of those weren’t even in orange and white for the worst season in school history a year ago. That’s not a bad thing, either.

Pruitt came in and immediately determined the team that went 4-8 last year wasn’t equipped to win this year, either. So, he called on reinforcements. Over the next few days, we’ll brief you on the newbies at each position.

Let’s take a look at running backs.

RUNNING BACKS

It’s very easy to overlook some of the “new” guys at the position who could wind up playing a role in the offense in a fullback role. In a scheme that seems to value pass-blocking and power football, the Vols could line up some in — (do you hear angels singing??) — an I-formation. If that’s the case, some of the tight ends or even bigger-bodied runners could play that role.

For now, let’s take a look at one major-impact player who will really help out sophomores Ty Chandler and Tim Jordan, battling those guys for reps. Then, there are also two high-potential players who fit what Jeremy Pruitt wants at the position, especially a true freshman who turned heads this offseason.

MADRE LONDON, 6’1″, 213-pound redshirt senior

When John Kelly left a year early for the NFL, the Vols needed some depth and talent at the position, so Pruitt went out looking for a between-the-tackles, yard-gobbler who could help the Vols bridge the gap from the Butch Jones era.

He found his answer in rugged graduate transfer London, who played his first three years at Michigan State. Though he isn’t the flashiest runner, he’s got a lot of reps in a hard-nosed conference, he has proved he can get tough yards between the tackles and he has a jolt of speed when he gets to the second level.

Though he could never win the Spartans’ full-time job after his freshman year, he’ll battle Chandler for the starting gig in Knoxville and get plenty of meaningful reps as UT tries to sustain possessions and help out their quarterbacks. London’s path is a winding one as he was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and played at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Florida before landing in East Lansing.

During his freshman year, he led the team with 500 rushing yards and had 60 on 12 carries in the Big Ten Championship Game against Iowa. He saw action in 11 games. Then, as a sophomore, he fell down the depth chart and wound up with just 120 rushing yards before rebounding for 300 a season ago. He just couldn’t re-earn the primary job under Mark Dantonio.

He was a factor in Michigan State’s offense each of the past three seasons, finishing with 1,024 yards and nine touchdowns on 243 touches for the Spartans.

Now, London will try to prove he is worthy of going to the next level, but it’s going to be a tough chore behind a rebuilding UT offensive line that needs to prove it is much better than it was a season ago. Having a bruiser like London who has been in some important games will help a ton.

JEREMY BANKS, 6’1″, 211-pound freshman

It may seem crazy that Butch Jones and Co. didn’t even really give an instate running back who wanted to come to UT a sniff in the recruiting process, but that’s exactly what happened with Memphis product Banks. Once Pruitt came in, he turned up the heat on Banks and teammate Jerome Carvin, an important piece of the puzzle as an interior offensive lineman who could start as a true freshman. Both committed to UT, and the Vols are better because of it.

Banks is a workout freak who can do a lot of things with the ball, and it’s going to be exciting to watch him grow and develop. Is he a big-play threat? It’s going to be interesting to see if he develops that aspect because he’s far from slow, but Banks is going to be a dependable player for the Vols.

Even with guys like London, Chandler, Jordan and maybe even Trey Coleman ahead of him on the depth chart, Banks could surge upward. He will have every opportunity to play an important role, and you know Pruitt would love playing a kid he recruited this early. He chose UT over Nebraska, UCLA, Iowa State and others.

He’s quick and he reportedly flashed in 7-on-7 workouts over the summer. It’s going to be fun to see if he can carve himself a role right away.

PRINCETON FANT, 6’2″, 222-pound redshirt freshman

Fant was recruited with teammate Maleik Gray out of LaVergne High School in the Midstate as a receiver, but neither has been able to find a role on the Vols yet. Last year as Fant battled injuries, he also moved around to different positions.

From receiver, the big-bodied prospect shifted to tight end and has also seen time at linebacker. This past spring, the Vols moved him to running back and saw enough out of him in his new role that they kept him there, and that’s where he is listed on the updated roster.

Can Fant develop into a jumbo runner who can be a force in short-yardage and red-zone situations? Or is he just a player who is going to take up a roster spot over the next few years but maybe flash on special teams?

That’s up to him. He has four seasons left to play, and with a brand new coaching staff in Knoxville, opportunity abounds.

Fant is a good athlete with a good attitude, and he has been a team-first player who has taken every position switch fine. He wants to help the team, and the staff is trying to find the best place he can do that. Thankfully for UT, he’s a good athlete who can at least make plays on special teams, and, if he’s healthy, he may have an offensive role.

Who’s New? Tennessee Quarterbacks

It’s finally football time in Tennessee, and we’ll be squeezing every morsel of news out of every word that escapes new coach Jeremy Pruitt’s mouth over the next month leading up to the season opener in Charlotte against West Virginia.

But we are here to fully arm you with every bit of information we can leading up to the season’ start. In order to do that, we’ve got to get you up-to-date on all the new personnel you’ll be seeing on the football field in 2018.

More than 30 new players will suit up for the Big Orange who didn’t this spring. Many of those weren’t even in orange and white for the worst season in school history a year ago. That’s not a bad thing, either.

Pruitt came in and immediately determined the team that went 4-8 last year wasn’t equipped to win this year, either. So, he called on reinforcements. Over the next few days, we’ll brief you on the newbies at each position.

Let’s start with quarterbacks

QUARTERBACKS

We’ll give you a glimpse at who’s back as redshirt sophomore Jarrett Guarantano comes off some starting experience last year to battle for the starting gig again in ’18. True sophomore Will McBride will be in the mix for the job, too. Pruitt said on Thursday that, no matter what everybody thinks, it’s going to be a true four-man battle.

That means one of the two below guys could be under center to run Tyson Helton’s offense when the Vols take on the Mountaineers on September 1.

KELLER CHRYST, 6’5″, 239-pound redshirt senior

If the coaching staff is sold on Guarantano being the guy, they sure aren’t letting folks know. This past spring, with Chryst waiting to come to Knoxville after transferring from Stanford, the New Jersey product had the opportunity to get a head start on Chryst. That didn’t happen. So, now, it’s a free-for-all, and the former starting quarterback of the Cardinal will have a say-so in this battle before it’s all said and done.

So, what is UT getting from Chryst in his last year? Well, he’s a big dude who can take the punishment from an offensive line that will be far from elite. You have to love physicality at the QB position, and that’s what he brings. Chryst doesn’t have a big arm, and he wasn’t ever asked to stretch the field too much in a David Shaw offense that stresses ball control and the run game.

He developed a “dink-and-dunk” reputation with the Cardinal, and he’s shown that so far at UT. Other than the physicality and size, you have to like that Chryst is a winner. No, he couldn’t hold off Kevin Hogan or beat out KJ Costello for the job in Palo Alto, but he was 11-2 as a starter.

What doesn’t he do well? Chryst gets the ball out of his hand in time, but he’s not a terribly accurate passer, and though he’s athletic, he’s not real fast. He seems better-suited to run a pro-style offense than Guarantano, but he’s not going to move the pocket a whole lot and make plays outside the tackle box. He needs to be more accurate and more consistent to be a real difference-maker for the Vols.

But there are some aspects of his game that are intriguing, and it’s possible he’ll be better than anything UT has on the roster this season. It would still be a surprise for him to beat out JG.

 

JT SHROUT, 6’3″, 210-pound freshman

When Pruitt and Co. came on board, the Vols had a pair of good-looking quarterback prospects in the fold with Adrian Martinez and Michael Penix Jr. The staff wanted to keep Martinez, even if he wasn’t the ideal fit for the offense, and Martinez ultimately visited Nebraska when Scott Frost took over and wound up flipping to become the Cornhuskers’ quarterback of the future.

Penix and the Vols parted ways, and at last check, he was battling to be former UT offensive coordinator Mike DeBord’s starting quarterback with the Indiana Hoosiers this spring.

Instead, the Vols zeroed in on long-time California quarterback commitment JT Shrout, a Cali boy who seemed locked in with Justin Wilcox and the home-state Bears. Shrout visited Knoxville and decided to flip to Tennessee.

Now, the Vols are excited about Shrout’s future, even if he’s a long shot to win the job this year. “Long shot” doesn’t mean “no shot,” though. One thing that absolutely must improve his his ball security. It’s an eye-popping number when you see that he threw 25 — TWENTY FIVE!!! — interceptions as a senior against 27 touchdown passes.

Was he trying to do too much, or does he just not see defenders very well?

We’ll get the opportunity to see that before long. But Shrout has a loose, live arm and a great frame. Though he could stand to add 20 pounds of muscle, he has a nice physical basis for a collegiate frame.

Richmond Flowers III talked to Josh Ward (via GoVols247’s Patrick Brown) about how Shrout wowed NFL coaches at a camp before his senior year of high school.

“He came to our camp and the guys that were there as well — the No. 1 player in the country in (current Georgia freshman) Justin Fields and players like (current Ole Miss freshman) Matt Corral — well, some buzz started happening, the coaches started talking and what they saw is what they saw. That’s sort of up to them, and the reality is we had it covered by Yahoo! Sports and the sentiment got out about what they felt about JT Shrout.

“The benefit that JT received is just he was around some very quality folks that saw something that they see on daily basis relative to what they look for in the NFL. If you’ve got that, it’s just sort of taking that and honing it, because JT again only played his senior year. But certainly he has the qualities that coaches look for at the highest level.”

So, there are some moldable tools there. It’s just a matter of whether Helton and Co. can extract that from him and how long it will take.

Vols Continue Recruiting Roll With Pledge From JUCO DT Savion Williams

On the heels of landing two blue-chip defensive backs, Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt filled another major need with a major pickup on Tuesday. Top-ranked JUCO defensive tackle Savion Williams committed to the Vols two days after leaving Knoxville after the weekend recruiting cookout.

Williams chose UT over Georgia, Maryland and others. It ultimately came down to back-to-back visits the 6’4″, 315-pound defensive lineman took last week, following up a two-day to Athens with a visit to Knoxville. It didn’t take him long to figure out that he wanted to be a part of what Pruitt is building on Rocky Top.

Williams’ commitment was a bit of a shock to UT fans who thought they were in for a big battle with a red-hot Bulldogs team that has been landing whoever they wanted on the recruiting trail for the past couple of years. But this is a victory Pruitt won over old fellow assistant Kirby Smart.

Williams is a Lackawanna Junior College product, and he prepped at Dr. Henry Wise High School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and he had a strong relationship with graduate assistant Joe Osovet, who was an innovative JUCO coach at ASA JUCO, where he recruited Williams out of high school, according to GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan.

Williams joins JUCO prospects Darel Middleton, a 6’7″, defensive end who is formerly of Oak Ridge, and the nation’s top-ranked JUCO linebacker Lakia Henry as potential instant-impact players in the 2019 class. As Pruitt attempts to rebuild a program that was torn down by the Butch Jones era, he is going after more JUCOs and graduate transfers, and UT hopes it pays off in a big way.

“I definitely know they have a decent amount of D-tackles leaving, and they’re kind of in rebuilding mode,” Williams told Callahan. “I know people kept telling me that. But that really doesn’t matter to me. As long as I get my opportunities and I’m going to play, then I really don’t care.

“But they have a lot of D-tackles leaving, and I feel like me and Darel Middleton are going to be a force to be reckoned with the next couple years.”

The upside for Williams is obvious. Not only is he a massive specimen who will likely stay at defensive end in a 3-4 defense but could bulk up to play on the interior if necessary, he also has three years to play three in Knoxville. So, even if he isn’t quite ready to come right in and give meaningful snaps, there’s time for him to develop.

He adds to the beef on the Vols’ defensive line class.

  • Williams 6’4″, 315 pounds
  • Elijah Simmons 6’0″, 353 pounds
  • LaDarrius Cox 6’5″, 305 pounds
  • Darel Middleton, 6’7″, 290 pounds

Williams is one of UT’s top overall targets, so it was huge news to get him in the fold, especially considering it came on the heels of the official word that Trey Smith has been cleared to play for the Vols in 2018.

Pruitt believes in his evaluations above all else, and that fact has left some UT fans puzzled when the Vols “take” commitments from guys like Jalil Clemons, Elijah Simmons and Roman Harrison. But that doesn’t matter. These are jumbo prospects who can fly all over the field the way few on UT’s roster can or space-eating monsters who can plug run gaps.

Though some of the guys Pruitt took in the 2018 class weren’t the most heavily recruited, some of the early reports on guys like defensive linemen Kurott Garland and Kingston Harris, receiver Cedric Tillman, and cornerback Brandon Davis are positive. So, it speaks to Pruitt’s evaluations.

Nobody has to talk himself into Williams. He’s a guy virtually everybody who saw wanted. He’s also Jayson Swain-approved.

The commitment from Williams surges the Vols to ninth in the Rivals.com rankings and 14th in 247Sports. The Vols still have a ton of high-profile targets on their board with perhaps room for five more players. It’s always fluid, though, and a couple of the commitments currently in the class could choose to look elsewhere. LeDarrius Cox visited Auburn with his mother this past weekend, and he won’t be the last player who flirts with other teams.

But the Vols are thrilled to have a player of Williams’ caliber in the fold, and it continues the trend of getting quality prospects who are bigger athletes that can help the way the Vols look when they get off the bus and during the game.

Another Day, Another Big-Time Pickup for Tennessee’s Secondary

 

 

All of a sudden, Tennessee is the happening place to be for cornerbacks.

After failing to close last year’s or start this year’s class with a quality defensive back, Tennessee followed up Friday’s Warren Burrell commitment with a pledge from North Carolina DB Tyus Fields, who chose the Vols over Clemson and North Carolina State.

The 4-star cornerback’s brother plays for the Tigers, but Fields has been locked into what coach Jeremy Pruitt has been dishing out for several months now. Though he doesn’t fit the big cornerback that Pruitt normally covets, Fields packs a punch like one.

The 5’10”, 182-pound William Amos Hough High School standout is a big-time hitter, and that physicality is an important reason why the Vols want him to be a part of the future. He committed to UT at the cookout this weekend, and it’s going to be interesting to see how the numbers shake out.

With Jaydon Hill expected to have Tennessee at the top of his list and announcing soon, the big, physical defender from Bob Jones High School in Madison, Alabama, is definitely a take. But what about after him?

The picture cleared up a little for the Vols on Thursday when Elijah Blades chose Oregon over UT, but there are still some very good targets who could want in the boat. Louisiana cornerback Devin Bush is one, as is Georgia prospects Jaylen McCullough and Jordan Huff. Having a group of interested prospects like that is a big reason why the Vols weren’t disappointed to let instate athletes like Woodi Washington, Lance Wilhoite Jr. and Adonis Otey walk. Of course, those guys could play on offense, but it looks like at least a couple of them won’t on the next level.

The Vols wanted Memphis area standout Maurice Hampton to come to Knoxville, but the long-time LSU pledge appears locked into the Bayou Bengals to play football and baseball, unless Pruitt can work some defensive magic there recruiting.

All will be fine either way. Getting Burrell and Fields on back-to-back days is huge for the Vols, who are now surging up the rankings and are 11th nationally and fifth in the SEC behind Alabama, Texas A&M, Georgia and LSU. With some big-time playmakers left on the board, it’ll be interesting to see how far the Vols can rise.

Offensive lineman Darnell Wright, running back/linebacker Quavaris Crouch, a couple of defensive tackles, another defensive back and a pass-rusher look like the way UT wants to close out the class. Throw in a wide receiver there, and of course there’s the possible attrition of a couple of players who are currently committed.

But Saturday was about Fields.

“Really, it was Coach Pruitt, and how he brought everybody together,” Fields told GoVols247’s Wes Rucker. “He’s forming something really special up here at Tennessee.”

The Vols have commitments from two of 247Sports’ top six prospects in the state of North Carolina, and this is the way the Vols recruiting back in the heyday of the program under Johnny Majors and Phillip Fulmer. That state was a priority. Of course, most of the hay has been made in Georgia this year, and UT is a bigger factor in Alabama than it has been since the Fulmer era too with Pruitt’s roots and connections there.

But UT put Brian Niedermeyer in the Tar Heel State, and it’s paying huge dividends. The Vols want to be a presence there in the 2020 class and beyond, too, and if they can land Crouch, it would be the kind of commitment from NC that will send shockwaves across the country.

John Garcia Jr., who is a 247Sports analyst, told Rucker in another story that the Vols are making major noise in that state.

“It’s no secret that when Tennessee is rolling, that I-40 connection really resonates with kids. Tennessee’s a lot closer to those areas than a lot of those North Carolina schools would like to acknowledge.

“When Tennessee is going good, they’re able to pluck the best from North Carolina and compete with Clemson, Virginia Tech and others in that area.”

This is some pretty big success Pruitt is experiencing and UT hasn’t even starting winning yet. If the Vols can make some moves on the football field (where it counts) recruiting is going to heat up in a hurry. This year’s class has the size upgrade, is meeting the needs in the trenches and in the secondary and has even landed a promising prospect at quarterback in a year that isn’t very strong at the position.

Warren Burrell Finally Gives Pruitt His Elite Cornerback Commitment

 

To say new Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt has struggled when luring elite cornerback prospects to Knoxville since taking over for Butch Jones last year wouldn’t exactly be accurate. But it certainly hasn’t been easy for a man known for developing defensive backs.

This isn’t as simple as recruiting to Alabama, after all, where the Crimson Tide are winning national championships in bucketloads.

Last year, star prospects like Isaac Taylor-Stuart, Olaijah Griffin, Tyson Campbell and others flirted with the Vols, but they all went elsewhere. Trevon Flowers wound up choosing UT over Clemson, and there’s nothing wrong with the commitment of super-athlete Brandon Davis, but the Vols struck out on elite corner prospects.

So, Pruitt went out and turned a couple of his stud athlete commitments into defensive backs. The Vols have Alontae Taylor and Bryce Thompson slated to play the position, and both of those kids have very high ceilings at the position. They both also could play receiver if needed, so it’s going to be fun to watch and see how good they are at cornerback — and if they stick. If they are destined to play there, Pruitt and Terry Fair will have a couple of nice, moldable prospects.

But the Vols went out and finally got a high school cornerback who was very high on their list Friday. A day after JUCO cornerback Elijah Blades spurned UT to commit to Oregon, the Vols landed North Gwinnett High School DB Burrell. He’s a 4-star prospect on Rivals, and though he’s just a 3-star on 247Sports, it sounds like he’s due for a big bump after listening to Rusty Mansell say he “checks all the boxes,” as a prospect.

Burrell had more than 25 offers but wound up choosing UT over Florida and North Carolina State. He is the first CB domino to fall for the Vols, who also are high on the lists of Jaydon Hill, Tyus Fields, Jordan Huff, Devin Bush and others. Tennessee needs at least three true cornerbacks in this class and maybe more. Burrell is a huge start.

He’s arguably the top player at the position on Tennessee’s list besides Blades, who was a true plug-and-play JUCO cornerback and a big loss. Burrell is a 6’0″ prospect who has long arms and great feet. He can be a shutdown-type prospect. Mansell told GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan that Burrell was a “very confident player.”

That alpha mentality is vital at a position where you’ve got to have a short-term memory. It’s going to be fun to see who else UT lands at the position, and while the Vols won’t stop recruiting Blades, look for them to target other JUCO DBs, and they’ll also continue to recruit some of the top players on their board. Again, Pruitt’s pedigree developing defensive backs has UT high on several of those guys’ lists. With numbers tight, it’s unsure who UT will take, who the Vols prioritize and where they’ll fit.

But Burrell always had a spot. He informed Pruitt last Saturday that he was on board, and he is a major piece to the puzzle. Pruitt values lanky corners, and though Burrell isn’t the tallest cornerback, he has a wide wingspan and also possesses good technique. He’s a winner, too. His team won a state championship a year ago, and they’ll look to repeat this season.

This wasn’t an easy recruiting win for the Vols, according to Rivals’ Chad Simmons, who spoke at length with Burrell. The prospect said at times over the course of the past few weeks, the Vols, Gators and Wolfpack all held a lead.

UT thought it was in the best shape for a long time, and he kept in contact with Vols coaches even as he was visiting other places. Tennessee ultimately landed him because of his relationship with Pruitt and Fair.

“Coach Pruitt being a defensive guy and knowing a lot about defensive backs definitely played a big role in my decision. He has had a lot of success at Alabama, he has been a part of multiple national championships and having the chance to learn under him I feel will make me a much better defensive back. That is a huge plus.

The Vols have been in on so many corners, it seems, since Pruitt took over. For whatever reason — the biggest of which has to be last year’s 4-8 record — they haven’t been able to close the deal. Now, UT goes back into Georgia for yet another pledge, and it’s a very important player who could help them open the floodgates at the position.

It’s possible Fields, Hill, Bush and others could make decisions before the end of the summer, and the Vols feel good about all three of those prospects. It’s still important the Vols play well on the field this year to keep some positive momentum going, but the commitment of Burrell puts the Vols in the top 15 of the recruiting rankings on 247Sports at 14th.

Still, in the rugged SEC, the Vols are behind Alabama (1), Texas A&M (2), Georgia (5), LSU (7), Mississippi State (12) and Auburn (13). The Vols are also 14th on Rivals with the Burrell pledge.

This could be a big weekend for the Vols to move up as they’ve got some important targets at their cookout. Check back on GRT for more details.

The Next Step List: Jarrett Guarantano and Kyle Phillips

 

Football is near.

And it won’t be long until we’re gearing ourselves up for the Vols to usher in the Jeremy Pruitt era.

We all know 2018 likely isn’t going to be a pretty sight, but that doesn’t mean we can’t talk ourselves into the Vols being much-improved under the former Alabama defensive coordinator. After all, Butch Jones is gone.

You just can’t help this time of year to be a tiny bit optimistic, even if logic (and recent history) suggests this is going to be yet another rebuilding campaign in Knoxville. Pruitt wants to win now, and he definitely isn’t used to losing after successful tenures in Tuscaloosa, Tallahassee and Athens, Georgia.

He’s outfitted UT’s roster with more size, and an infusion of collegiate talent. And he’s won some recruiting battles for guys who must be able to come right in and make an impact.

But what about the dudes already on the team? Who needs to make a major step forward in 2018 for the Vols to rise above the 4-8 doldrums of a historically horrible season where it looked like the team quit on former coach Butch Jones and his staff?

So far, our list has gone a little like this:

Offense: 5. Jauan Jennings 4. Ryan Johnson 3. Ty Chandler 2. Drew Richmond

Defense: 5. Jonathan Kongbo 4. Theo Jackson 3. Darrell Taylor 2. Baylen Buchanan

Who are the top two, then?

OFFENSE

No. 1 JARRETT GUARANTANO, RS SOPHOMORE QUARTERBACK

Say what you want to about graduate transfer Keller Chryst, and he may actually win the starting quarterback gig. But I’m not sure that’s the best thing for the Vols.

What would be an ideal situation is for the former dynamic, highly rated high school prospect from New Jersey to grow into his full potential and surge into stardom with three years left to play. Not only would that help the Vols ease into the Jeremy Pruitt era with a dependable signal-caller, it would allow guys like true freshman J.T. Shrout and recruit Brian Maurer to develop.

You have to think if Guarantano doesn’t beat out Chryst, his time at Tennessee would be nearing an end. It’s tough to speculate on something like that, sure, but I’m not sure if he can’t beat out a former backup at Stanford in year 3 of his time at UT if he’ll ever be the player the Vols thought they were getting when they recruited him.

Guarantano is not a run-first guy the way Joshua Dobbs was. He has a cannon for an arm and though he can make all the throws, he struggled with his anticipation and throwing guys open as a second-year freshman a year ago. His “internal clock” was broken, too. He never felt the pressure the way you want your quarterback to, and too many times, plays broke down because he didn’t get rid of the ball.

This spring, you would have loved to see him separate himself and earn a little bit of a head start with Chryst not on campus. He didn’t do that, and Guarantano really isn’t an ideal fit for new offensive coordinator Tyson Helton’s system. But that doesn’t mean he’ll fail. He’s got a lot of talent and can make all the plays. He can even run a little.

The Vols need for Guarantano to be a fiery leader, a gamer who grinds out plays and can make the spectacular ones occasionally. Helton has developed a lot of quarterbacks who’ve posted big-time collegiate numbers, and while nobody expects Guarantano to be a breakout star, the Vols need for him to be a steady force.

This Tennessee team can’t win football games with a “game manager.” I’m afraid that’s all Chryst would be with his accuracy issues and the lack of proof that he can ignite a downfield attack. Guarantano has that field-stretching arm. He has that ability. He has that swagger.

But can he put everything together?

Right now, he’s a leftover icon from an era gone wrong on Rocky Top. He was the Chosen One to play quarterback for the future of the Vols, but Butch Jones chose him. So, Guarantano doesn’t have the fan base’s heart, and he certainly doesn’t have the stats or the resme for us to believe in him.

He has to prove that he’s a good player and not just another recruiting miscue by a staff that failed to develop player after player after player.

DEFENSE

No. 1 KYLE PHILLIPS, SENIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

For a while, I thought about putting Darrin Kirkland Jr. on this list. After all, he nearly left the Vols, and if he could return to his form as a true freshman when he was literally all over the field making plays, he would be a major boost to UT’s team.

Then I remembered: It doesn’t matter if Kirkland is a beast or not because the Vols’ linebacking corps should be one of the few positions on the team that has talent stockpiled. Between him, Daniel Bituli, Kongbo, Taylor, Will Ignont, Quart’e Sapp, JJ Peterson, Jordan Allen, Deandre Johnson, Austin Smith, Shanon Reid, Dillon Bates and others, surely the Vols can find a serviceable — if not dynamic — foursome. Yes, Kirkland is important, but I think the players I’ve put on the list are more important.

So, I’m going to go with a defensive lineman here.

Though Shy Tuttle probably should have been on here somewhere (I’m still not convinced Kongbo is a factor…) the top spot goes to Phillips. Remember when he destroyed the U.S. Army All-American Game, committed to Tennessee over LSU, and we all thought we were in for four years where he was going to terrorize SEC quarterbacks?

That seems like so long ago.

As a freshman, he started at defensive end, lacked explosion, moved inside to his chagrin but made some plays and then his season ended prematurely with injury. Injuries, inconsistency and mismanagement hindered him as a sophomore, and he was just so-so last year. Now, this offseason, he’s added a few pounds and is up to 273 pounds. He is expected to play inside some and can also play at that weight on the outside, too.

But he’s going to play a big role. Pruitt thought enough of him that Phillips represented Tennessee at SEC Media Days, not Tuttle. He’s a smart kid, a good kid and he hasn’t enjoyed the kind of career he expected. Now, this year, he hopes to build off a really good spring and finish his career in Knoxville with a flurry.

The Vols need dependable, rugged players on the defensive front who can stay in their slots, not get blown off the ball, and, most importantly, stop the run. That’s something this team hasn’t done in years. Now, if Tuttle can have a solid final year and a guy like Phillips can be a cog in the front, it can free up the ‘backers to make plays.

Is this group going to get a lot of sacks? That’s doubtful. But the Vols absolutely must get pressure on quarterbacks and help out what is expected to be a young and inexperienced secondary. When you look at that defensive line, there are some formerly heavily recruited players who’ve had mediocre careers who are really looking for something in their swan song.

Phillips is the perfect embodiment of that. He needs a big year if he’s going to get any NFL teams to give him a second look. The Vols need him to be a factor if they’re going to be any good at all this season.

So, here he sits, at the top of the list. It’s now or never for Phillips and a lot of his Jones-recruited teammates who suffered through the worst season in the history of the program a year ago.

What Roman Harrison’s Commitment Means to the Vols

Over the past decade, new Tennessee head football coach Jeremy Pruitt has developed a reputation for building some of the best collegiate defenses the sport has ever seen. So, you go into his tenure with the Vols trusting that UT is going to be much-improved on that side of the ball.

“Trust” is the perfect word for what followers of Vols football recruiting are having to do in the first year of Pruitt’s work on the trail. While Tennessee has landed several high-profile recruits, the Vols also are taking some virtual unknowns along the defensive front.

Right now, you shrug it off and say, “Pruitt knows what he wants on that side of the ball.” That may be true, but it’s also important for Vols fans to still be in show-me mode until he proves something. There are an awful lot of defensive linemen who don’t fit the bill of having a huge offer sheet.

The latest in the long lines of little-known DL commitments came Wednesday with the pledge of 3-star defensive end/outside linebacker Roman Harrison. The 6’2″, 241-pound defender camped at UT a few weeks ago and showed out, leaving Tennessee’s coaching staff wanting him in orange.

Harrison hails from tiny Bainbridge, Georgia, and his only two high-major offers besides the Vols were Michigan State and Georgia Tech. But Tennessee loved his explosion, and Pruitt was comfortable enough with his in-person evaluation to take him this early in the process.

Despite his pedestrian ranking, Harrison gives the Vols “a lot to be excited about,” 247Sports Director of Scouting Barton Simmons told GoVols247’s Ryan Callahan. Still, with few spots remaining in the class and some big names left on the board, this was one that came a bit from nowhere.

That’s no knock on Harrison, who analysts seem to love while talking about his pass-rushing speed and his motor. It’s just a left-field pledge to UT, and it seems this is a big reason why the Vols backed off North Carolina pass-rusher Terrell Dawkins, who is destined to go elsewhere.

Apparently, Pruitt loves Harrison that much.

With all the defensive back needs, another wide receiver, another offensive lineman and a few other needs out there, the Vols aren’t being judicious with their spots. It seems they’re taking guys they like and will sort things out later.

Pruitt doesn’t really care about your stinking rankings, and — again — he trusts what he and his coaches see at camps. In a year where a ton of instate prospects are looking elsewhere, that’s tough for some Vols fans to stomach. It’s difficult seeing athletes like Woodi Washington, Lance Wilhoite and Kane Patterson head to top-shelf programs like Oklahoma, Oregon and Ohio State.

It’s really hard to watch Tennessee boys and big needs like defensive linemen Bill Norton and Zion Logue go to rival Georgia or another big-name prospect like Joe Anderson at South Carolina. Even instate lineman Tymon Mitchell looks like he’s visiting the Dawgs, too.

So, when you see a commitment from a guy like Harrison who event the most fervent recruiting followers haven’t heard of, you do one of two things — you make the assumption that the Vols are “settling” or “reaching” or you trust the staff.

There’s a lot of trusting going on dating back to the last class.

The Vols’ defensive lineman pledges under Pruitt began with little-known lineman Kingston Harris, who played at powerhouse IMG Academy and didn’t even start. Even so, he reported to school at 6’3″, 316 pounds and looks ready to play. Pruitt also “discovered” a guy like Kurott Garland, who played at a small Georgia school. Three-star defensive lineman John Mincey had some good offers but wasn’t a hot commodity, and JUCO Emmit Gooden was a late addition.

This year, the Vols followed up those signings with commits from LeDarrius Cox, who is a 3-star prospect but has offers from Auburn and others; little-known Starkville, Mississippi product Jalil Clemons, who doesn’t have an offer from the hometown Bulldogs; former Oak Ridge standout and JUCO prospect Darel Middleton; massive 350-pound nose guard Elijah Simmons from Pearl-Cohn High School whose only other SEC offer was Mizzou; and now Harrison.

Maybe these are all diamonds in the rough; maybe they’re rough around the edges. We have no idea of knowing. But while it’s easy to trust a defensive-minded coach, it’s hard for us to trust after the past decade on the football field.

It’s a tough spot as a follower of recruiting.

There are a lot of reasons to like Harrison. Pruitt and staff loved him at camp and offered him. He’s playing out of position for a small school, lining up at nose guard and wreaking havoc. Simmons told Callahan:  “The fact that he plays out of position makes him that much more intriguing to me. (He is) tough and strong enough to be an inside guy, but clearly brimming with edge athleticism.”

I mean, you know this guy isn’t going to be a high-visibility prospect when one of the best recruiting pics we get from him is this:

That’s small-town ball, y’all.

Pruitt going on his own evaluations is a reason why the Vols are currently ranked ninth in recruiting in the SEC. Yes, there are some big targets remaining on the board, but it seems Pruitt’s immediate plan are for the Vols to be a whole lot bigger as a team, rankings be darned.

Just how high can this class go? I’m sure Pruitt isn’t going to stop recruiting marquee players, and if better, higher-ranked guys want on board later, he’ll make it work. But what if Harrison and Co. are the better, higher-ranked guys at a later date? Pruitt has a long history of developing top defenses.

Maybe these guys are top defenders. Maybe his staff will turn them into those. We’ll all find out.

The Next Step List: Drew Richmond and Baylen Buchanan

Football is near.

And it won’t be long until we’re gearing ourselves up for the Vols to usher in the Jeremy Pruitt era.

We all know 2018 likely isn’t going to be a pretty sight, but that doesn’t mean we can’t talk ourselves into the Vols being much-improved under the former Alabama defensive coordinator. After all, Butch Jones is gone.

You just can’t help this time of year to be a tiny bit optimistic, even if logic (and recent history) suggests this is going to be yet another rebuilding campaign in Knoxville. Pruitt wants to win now, and he definitely isn’t used to losing after successful tenures in Tuscaloosa, Tallahassee and Athens, Georgia.

He’s outfitted UT’s roster with more size, and an infusion of collegiate talent. And he’s won some recruiting battles for guys who must be able to come right in and make an impact.

But what about the dudes already on the team? Who needs to make a major step forward in 2018 for the Vols to rise above the 4-8 doldrums of a historically horrible season where it looked like the team quit on former coach Butch Jones and his staff?

OFFENSE

Drew Richmond, Junior Offensive Tackle

Tonight, we take a look at a couple of developmental disasters who have ability, but do they have the make-up, the responsiveness and the time to turn things around?

Perhaps the most important non-quarterback on Tennessee’s football team this fall is going to be former high 4-star offensive tackle Drew Richmond, a national signing day victory over Ole Miss when he flipped from the Rebels and gave coach Butch Jones one of his biggest pledges, both from a talent perspective and from a perception perspective.

After redshirting his freshman season, though and starting at the all-important left tackle spot in 2016, last season was a wash. Rather than improve on an up-and-down year thrust into the starting lineup, Richmond instead missed five games and played terribly at times when he was on the field. His performance was a microcosm of the team itself as he took a gigantic step backward and was even labeled a bust by some.

How bad was he last year? According to Pro Football Focus, he graded out third-worst on UT’s offense, per an article from GoVols247’s Patrick Brown. Only Devante Brooks and Marcus Tatum were worse. He can’t do anything about that now, and with a fairly clear path to start yet again, Richmond told Brown this spring that he has to look ahead.

“That’s just in the past,” Richmond said. “I can’t worry about that. I’m just focused right now on the growth of myself and the team. I’m just focused on this year. That’s all I can be worried about.”

There is no fairy dust for new coach Jeremy Pruitt’s staff, but as good as Walt Wells was on the recruiting trail for UT a year ago, his players didn’t respond on the offensive line. This spring showed some fair glimmers for the O-line under new coach Will Friend, and Richmond needs to build off some good performances and let it translate onto the field when it counts.

The Vols need for him to, too.

Let’s just say for instance that Trey Smith knocks off the rust and is the first-team All-SEC performer he was picked to be this preseason. Then, if Richmond responds and realizes three-quarters of his potential and turns into, say, a Dallas Thomas-type player this year, that gives UT two good-to-great linemen. With the prospects they have on the interior of the line, the Vols can find a serviceable duo there, which only leaves the right tackle spot as a place where guys like Jahmir Johnson, Tatum, Chance Hall and others can battle it out.

It’s not an ideal scenario, but it would be hard for UT to be worse along the front than it was a season ago. Under a new regime, it’s a fresh start for Richmond. With Smith, Ryan Johnson, Riley Locklear and Jerome Carvin in heated battles at guard and Alabama transfer Brandon Kennedy expected to lock down the center spot, that isn’t a bad start for UT up front.

Richmond turning into a solid player would be absolutely massive for the Vols. Is it possible he simply isn’t that good? Of course it is. He was embarrassingly awful at times last year, after all. But I refuse to give up on him just yet.

DEFENSE

Baylen Buchanan, Junior Cornerback

I basically could just take everything I wrote for Richmond, copy it, and paste it here. While they play completely different positions, the similarities between Richmond’s and Baylen Buchanan’s development [or lack thereof] are striking. It underscores just how awful the Jones coaching staff was when it came to developing players.

Again, Buchanan was a bit of a late bloomer in the recruiting process, but teams like Oklahoma, Ohio State and Louisville wanted the son of “Big Play” Ray Buchanan late in the process, and he chose to commit to the Vols. After he played in five games as a true freshman and wound up with 20 tackles, last year was horrific.

Was Buchanan a star as a freshman? Absolutely not. He looked bad at times but showed some promise. Last year, he couldn’t find the field, playing in just six games and registering four tackles. This is a kid who had eight tackles against Alabama in his first year in the program. With his bloodlines and that kind of career start, for him to be a nonfactor last year was puzzling, at best.

This past spring, he was arguably the Vols’ top cornerback. That’s promising, but it’s also scary. UT must have better play out of the position moving forward, and it’s obvious this coaching staff believed this spring that Buchanan was one of the better options. Will that continue into the fall? That’s the million-dollar question.

Here’s the deal: The Vols moved freshman Alontae Taylor to the position late in the spring, and he showed immense promise. They believe he could be a starter there immediately, and there’s a reason teams like Alabama and Georgia wanted him on defense. Also, the Vols received a major late recruiting coup when Bryce Thompson flipped from South Carolina, and he’ll start his career at cornerback, too. That’s another dynamic athlete to go with Taylor. Freshman Brandon Davis is a promising athlete, but he’s raw. Then there are guys like Cheyenne Labruzza, Maleik Gray and Shawn Shamburger who are “tweeners” and will fit somewhere in the rotation, but will it be at cornerback? Marquill Osborne is going to be a factor at the position, too.

But Buchanan really did look good at times this spring; that’s not just lip service. He was healthier, in much better shape and didn’t look lost a lot of times. Is he a No. 1 cornerback for an SEC football team? No, he shouldn’t be. But he also shouldn’t just be a special teamer who can’t work his way onto the field. Whether that was because of the incompetence of Jones’ staff or because Buchanan wasn’t doing the right things on and off the field, I don’t know.

But, again, I stress: This is a fresh start.

Buchanan has the opportunity to step right into the fray this fall. If he is solid, it’s going to make the team better. It’s also going to elevate the competition and make guys like Taylor and Thompson better.

The Vols need him to really battle for that starting gig.

The Next Step List: Ty Chandler and Darrell Taylor

Football is near.

And it won’t be long until we’re gearing ourselves up for the Vols to usher in the Jeremy Pruitt era.

We all know 2018 likely isn’t going to be a pretty sight, but that doesn’t mean we can’t talk ourselves into the Vols being much-improved under the former Alabama defensive coordinator. After all, Butch Jones is gone.

You just can’t help this time of year to be a tiny bit optimistic, even if logic (and recent history) suggests this is going to be yet another rebuilding campaign in Knoxville. Pruitt wants to win now, and he definitely isn’t used to losing after successful tenures in Tuscaloosa, Tallahassee and Athens, Georgia.

He’s outfitted UT’s roster with more size, and an infusion of collegiate talent. And he’s won some recruiting battles for guys who must be able to come right in and make an impact.

But what about the dudes already on the team? Who needs to make a major step forward in 2018 for the Vols to rise above the 4-8 doldrums of a historically horrible season where it looked like the team quit on former coach Butch Jones and his staff?

Let’s take a look at our latest installment.

OFFENSE

No. 3 Ty Chandler, Sophomore Running Back

New Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt likes big backs. Though Chandler, the sophomore Montgomery Bell Academy running back, added a few pounds to creep over 200 pounds, he still isn’t what you’d call a bruiser.

That’s why Pruitt brought in Michigan State transfer Madre London, added freshman Jeremy Banks and converted Princeton Fant to the offensive backfield. It’s not an indictment of Chandler, who is expected to be the Vols’ primary back, but there are some questions about whether or not he is an every-down back in the SEC.

Many teams thought he would be out of high school, when he chose the Vols over Georgia, Ole Miss and others. Now, he’s just got to prove he’s the stud everybody thought he’d be a couple seasons ago. As a true freshman, he rushed for 305 yards and a 4.3-yard average running behind an absolutely horrible offensive line that was injury-riddled and inefficient. He also had 10 catches for 108 more yards.

With the way Tyson Helton wants UT to be able to throw the ball, Chandler’s ability to catch out of the backfield could be a major asset. But with Will Friend coaching the offensive line, Trey Smith back and that group expected to be better, it’s time for Chandler to shine.

He’s got another gear on the second level and has proved the ability to get outside the tackles. It’s arguable that toward the end of a forgettable 2017 season, he was more productive than John Kelly, who left for the NFL a year early and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams.

The Vols need Chandler to be a beast. While it’s nice to have a veteran bruiser like London who has a lot of carries in the rugged Big Ten, and the Orange & White Game breakout of Tim Jordan was encouraging, this should be Chandler’s job. The Vols need him to realize his massive potential, and they’ll be a better team if the most talented player earns it.

Coming from Alabama, where it wasn’t abnormal to watch the Crimson Tide throw out fourth-string runners that could start for 100 other college football teams, Pruitt predictably wants quality depth at the position.

“I think if you’re going to be good at running the football in this league, you better probably have four to six guys,” Pruitt said at SEC Media Days this week. “It’s a physical game. When you turn around and hand the ball (off), there’s 11 guys on the other side that are usually big and fast and angry trying to hit you, so there’s lots of contact. I think you probably need four to six guys.

“It’ll be interesting to see how it shakes out with these guys. I know they’re working hard. I think we’ll probably need all of them before the year’s over with.”

That’s true, and the Vols will definitely need at least four of those guys to step up. But Chandler needs to be an elite playmaker, a guy who is capable of being a game-breaker and somebody who can get the tough yards as well. If he’s not, the Vols will be forced to have one of its most electric athletes watching from the sideline.

DEFENSE

Darrell Taylor, Junior Outside Linebacker

A year ago, as a redshirt sophomore defensive end, Taylor was supposed to be a defensive leader who got after the passer for Bob Shoop’s defense. Instead, he was a nonfactor late in the season, finishing with just 27 tackles and 4.5 for a loss, only making headlines when he was suspended indefinitely.

Some of the whispers surrounding Taylor’s off-the-field actions were disturbing as he obviously battled maturity issues. It was yet another frustrating aspect of a forgettable ’17 season under Butch Jones.

Now, with Pruitt in town, Taylor moved back a level to play outside linebacker where he is expected to play pass-rushing specialist outside linebacker. It’s a spot he played this spring to mixed results, and he shed 7 pounds this offseason and now sits at 247 pounds. The Virginia native looks like the perfect fit for the position, and he could again be a leader on what is expected to be one of UT’s deepest positions.

At linebacker, the Vols should have Taylor, Jonathan Kongbo, Jordan Allen, Darrin Kirkland Jr., Daniel Bituli, Will Ignont, JJ Peterson, Deandre Johnson, Austin Smith and others. That’s a very strong unit on paper. If Taylor produces the way he should, though, he’s a perfect prospect to break out under the new coaching staff. It’s just a matter of how he adapts to position coach Chris Rumph’s tough-love style.

Pruitt actually praised Taylor’s work in the spring, though he didn’t talk much about individual players too often.

“Darrell has done a good job this spring,” Pruitt said, according to GoVols247’s Patrick Brown. “He seems to be willing to learn. He needs to improve on how he plays on special teams, I can tell you that. I told him that after the scrimmage (on Saturday).

“He’s done some good things on defense from rushing the quarterback and was stout at the end of the line, but running down on the punt team, he couldn’t run no faster than me. That’s not how we want to practice.”

Typical Pruitt; praise with some grief mixed in. But it’s also been typical of Taylor, who can show flashes then frustration. If the Vols are going to be much-improved in 2018, they absolutely have to cause some duress on opposing quarterbacks. I love Deandre Johnson’s potential, and Jordan Allen and JJ Peterson could help, too. Everybody is intrigued to see what Kongbo looks like on the second level.

But Taylor can be a star. Whether he is or not is up to him, how much he grows up and how quickly he learns.