Tennessee Football: 5 Players Poised to Break out in 2015

Fresh off a victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes in the TaxSlayer Bowl and with a second-consecutive top five recruiting class on the way, the Tennessee Volunteers are one of the hottest teams in the country.

A big reason for that hype is the amount of young talent the Vols bring back in 2015. Jalen Hurd, Derek Barnett and Joshua Dobbs will be among the best players in the SEC next year.

But one of the advantages of Tennessee's bursting-at-the-seams 2014 class is that the players who weren't breakout stars this season get another crack at it next year.

Head coach Butch Jones's first-year class, pieced together at the last minute shortly after he was hired on Dec. 7, 2012, also returns a few playmakers who will play big roles for the Vols next season.

While Tennessee will rely on its established stars next year, here are five under-the-radar players who are poised to break out and help lead the Vols back to relevance in 2015. 

OT Dontavius Blair

Credit: 247Sports

When Tennessee's entire starting offensive line departed after 2013, it looked like junior college transfer Dontavius Blair was a no-brainer to take over the left tackle position for Tiny Richardson and keep the inexperienced unit afloat during the grind of SEC play.

But early reports out of spring camp revealed that Blair's lack of conditioning and technique meant he wasn't even close to establishing himself as a starter on the line, according to Wes Rucker of 247Sports.

While Blair improved throughout summer camp and over the course of the season, he never saw the field, as redshirt senior and injury-riddled Jacob Gilliam held down the left tackle spot instead.

Whether Blair redshirted due to a lack of effectiveness at the position or because the coaches wanted to save him for 2015 may never be known, but one thing is for sure: 2015 is his year to shine.

Tennessee's entire offensive line will be better next season; a unit that was devoid of leadership, experience and depth will suddenly have all three.

That takes the pressure off Blair and will allow him to ease into the position with game-tested veterans at his side.

Blair's size at 6'8" and 300 pounds make him a natural fit at left tackle, and with nearly two years under Don Mahoney's tutelage by the time he takes the field next season, he could be the biggest surprise player in the conference. 

LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin

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With the loss of A.J. Johnson to suspension/graduation and Curt Maggitt becoming a weapon at defensive end, Tennessee's linebacker corps could be in desperate need of veteran leadership next season.

Enter Jalen Reeves-Maybin.

Maggitt and freshman Derek Barnett got all the accolades for the defense in 2014, but Reeves-Maybin's production is impossible to ignore. He racked up 101 tackles, including two sacks and 11 tackles for loss, in a sophomore campaign that rivaled Johnson's in terms of overall effectiveness.

Reeves-Maybin had his best game as a Vol against the Hawkeyes in the TaxSlayer Bowl, notching 13 tackles and a tackle for loss against Iowa's veteran offense.

There's no question that Tennessee's linebacker unit will be his to lead in 2015. 

S Todd Kelly Jr.

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Todd Kelly Jr. started his career at Tennessee with a play that led directly to a touchdown. 

Utah State's kickoff return man was slung to the ground by A.J. Johnson early in the first quarter, losing the ball in the process. Kelly Jr., a freshman making his first-ever collegiate start, instinctively fell on the ball, recovering it deep in Aggies territory. Tennessee capitalized with an immediate touchdown.

From there, Kelly Jr. only improved as the season progressed. 

His toe-dragging interception at Vanderbilt was so spectacular that no one in the crowd or on the Tennessee sideline thought the play would stand, as noted by Patrick Brown of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. But upon further review, Kelly Jr.'s athleticism and elite instincts were on full display, and he came down with one of the best turnovers of the 2014 season.

He provided quality depth at a position that needed it in 2014, and he'll play a much bigger role next season. With 13 games under his belt and three starts in Tennessee's defensive backfield, the former 247Sports 4-star recruit has a great chance to start and excel next to veteran safeties Brian Randolph and LaDarrell McNeil. 

KR Evan Berry

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Evan Berry's future may be at safety or defensive back, but his biggest contribution in 2015 will likely be at kick returner.

After senior kick return specialist Devrin Young suffered a rib injury at the halfway point of the 2014 season, Berry got the nod to replace him in the end zone on kickoffs. 

Although he only received 14 kickoffs during his freshman season, he was second in the SEC in total yardage with 29.5 yards per return. In fact, his first-ever return went for 68 yards against Chattanooga on Oct. 11, and he followed that up with a return for 58 yards against SEC East champion Missouri on Nov. 22.

Berry adds another dimension to Tennessee's kickoff return game and is a threat to take it to the house every time he gets the ball. Butch Jones emphasizes special teams and flipping field position, and Berry's ability to tack on an extra five yards every time the Vols receive a kickoff will pay off next season. 

WR Josh Smith

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Tennessee's wide receiver corps will be loaded in 2015, with Marquez North and Jason Croom returning from injuries, Von Pearson and Josh Malone continuing their development and Pig Howard providing veteran leadership.

Among all of that talent stands Josh Smith, who may be one of the Vols' most reliable offensive weapons next season.

After a 2013 freshman campaign that led to countless perfect routes and just as many dropped passes, Smith looked to be on pace for an excellent season in 2014 before suffering a high-ankle sprain against Oklahoma on Sept. 13.

As one of Tennessee's crispest route-runners, Smith has a knack for getting open on nearly every passing down. Although he may not headline the unit next season, Smith could quickly become a favorite target of Joshua Dobbs, especially on critical third downs when bigger targets like North, Croom, Malone and Pearson are double-covered.