Tennessee Football: 4 Commits Who Will Start a Game in 2015 for the Vols

The Tennessee Volunteers are on pace to welcome another top-five recruiting class Wednesday, when their non-early enrollees sign letters of intent to spend their college careers in Knoxville.

If head coach Butch Jones' impressive 2014 class was the foundation for restoring Rocky Top to its former glory, the 2015 class is the mortar that holds that foundation together.

One of the perks of being a highly rated recruit in last year's class was the sheer number of opportunities to see the field right away. In fact, players like Jalen Hurd, Von Pearson, Jashon Robertson, Derek Barnett and Ethan Wolf have all locked down starting spots heading into 2015.

However, that doesn't mean the class of 2015 will be relegated to merely providing depth next season. As good as the 2014 class is, there are still some holes in Tennessee's roster that can immediately be filled by this year's new crop of signees.

Here are four current commits or enrollees who have great chances of landing atop the depth chart in the 2015 season.

Kahlil McKenzie, DT

Credit: 247Sports

While fellow elite defensive tackle Shy Tuttle is already enrolled, 5-star recruit Kahlil McKenzie is the more likely of the two to start a game in 2015.

With the departure of senior Jordan Williams, McKenzie has an excellent chance at filling his spot on the interior of the defensive line next to redshirt junior Danny O'Brien.

Craig Haubert, a recruiting analyst for ESPN, said on the Knoxville News Sentinel's radio show that McKenzie is a standout player in Tennessee's 2015 class:

"

He's got tremendous size. He is literally like a house. He is as big and tall as he is wide. He is strong, he is explosive. I think he's got the opportunity at times to disrupt plays in the backfield, but more importantly he can take up space, he can draw multiple blockers, and I think he's one of those guys who can help players around him be better just because he's going to draw that type of attention.

"

Widely regarded as one of the most college-ready recruits in the country, McKenzie is poised to have the same freshman impact on Tennessee's defensive line next season as Derek Barnett did in 2014. He will either start from Day 1 or work his way into that position by the end of the season.

Tommy Townsend, P

Credit: 247Sports

The loss of senior punter Matt Darr to graduation gives way to an open competition heading into the 2015 season for incoming freshman Tommy Townsend.

In addition, the only punter on Tennessee's roster is redshirt sophomore Trevor Daniel.

Although Daniel has more time in the program, Townsend likely has a much higher upside. According to KohlsKicking.com, Townsend is the No. 3 punter in the class of 2015, and "he hit multiple 5.0-second hang times at the [Kohl's] Underclassman Challenge."

Jones and special teams coach Mark Elder worked magic on the careers of Darr and kicker/punter Michael Palardy, seemingly changing both from busts to heroes overnight.

A strong freshman season from kicker Aaron Medley in 2014 shows that Townsend has a great chance to get his career off on the right foot (no pun intended) under Tennessee's coaching staff and be a reliable four-year starter for the Vols.

Alvin Kamara, RB

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While Alvin Kamara might not necessarily be listed as a starter on Tennessee's depth chart at any point in 2015, there's a good chance he will take the first handoff out of the backfield in several games next season.

Although Jalen Hurd emerged as the clear starter toward the middle of the 2014 season, he and Marlin Lane split carries and shared time atop the running back depth chart.

Hurd's development throughout 2014—including an impressive 122-yard, two-touchdown performance in the TaxSlayer Bowl—means Kamara won't be the top dog from Day 1 like he might be at many other programs. But he's certainly capable of giving Hurd a run for his money in practice leading up to the 2015 season opener.

However, because both running backs have different running styles and strengths, Jones and running backs coach Robert Gillespie will use them equally as a one-two punch to keep defenses off-balance with neither establishing clear dominance at their position.

Justin Martin, CB

Credit: 247Sports

New Year's Eve 2014 brought a late Christmas present to the Vols: a commitment from junior college defensive back Justin Martin.

The loss of Justin Coleman to graduation created a hole in Tennessee's roster, so landing Martin was critical for defensive coordinator John Jancek and defensive backs coach Willie Martinez.

A 4-star recruit, Martin was coveted by several programs—including Oklahoma, Texas A&M and LSU—before he opted to sign with Tennessee.

The No. 2-rated defensive back in junior college, Martin being one year removed from high school football will give him an edge on some of the Vols' other defensive backs angling for playing time in 2015.

Don't be surprised if Martin establishes a spot as a starter next to Cameron Sutton during summer camp and holds that position throughout 2015 and beyond. 

Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.