Tennessee Football: 5 Positions Where the Vols Are Stacked

The Tennessee football team will feature a much more talented roster in 2015 than it had a season ago, but youth and inexperience are prevalent throughout.

Even so, there are several positions where the Volunteers are loaded.

Extreme optimism abounds in Knoxville because of all the talent at skill positions as well as a defense that looks primed for some breakout playmakers on all three levels.

While the Vols won't look that way in spring due to myriad injuries depleting the roster, everybody is expected to be available once fall practice begins. For an example of how depth-challenged UT will be when spring drills start later this month, it will have just five scholarship defensive linemen healthy.

Head coach Butch Jones is probably another year away from having his roster where he'd like it from a depth-of-talent standpoint and the right amount of experience, but there are reasons to be excited about several positions.

If they can stay healthy and live up to expectations, there is a reason to believe that several of these units can help carry the team. Of course, with three freshman quarterbacks backing up Joshua Dobbs, the success of the offense hinges on keeping him upright.

Let's take a look at the areas where the Vols have depth, talent and experience.

Safety

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Few teams around the nation can boast a starting senior tandem on the back end of their defense, but that's exactly the enviable position the Vols will enjoy this year.

The best part about that is one of them will be in a dogfight to even hang on to his starting spot, thanks to the emergence of elite sophomore Todd Kelly Jr.

Fifth-year senior Brian Randolph is a steady staple for the Vols, and they greatly missed him during the first half of the Missouri game last year after he was suspended for targeting versus Kentucky. He's almost assured a spot in the starting rotation.

The Marietta, Georgia, native finished 2014 with 88 tackles, which was third-best on the team, as well as two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Though he didn't have as big a year producing turnovers as he did as a sophomore, Randolph still had a very good season and could play at the next level after his days on Rocky Top.

A season after many fans had him thrown on the proverbial scrapheap, LaDarrell McNeil busted out as a junior. He finished fourth on the team with 76 tackles and also intercepted two passes. 

Most importantly, McNeil was an enforcer over the middle, punishing receivers and running backs alike who came into his area. He and Kelly will battle for the starting job, but both will play a ton.

Beyond that trio, freshman Stephen Griffin is an athletic, talented prospect who probably doesn't have to help this year but could if he were needed. Devaun Swafford is a former walk-on who can provide meaningful snaps, and UT has several other defensive backs who could wind up at safety or corner.

Safety is going to be a huge need in this recruiting class, but it's also going to be a strength this season before Randolph and McNeil graduate.

Outside Linebacker

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Last year, Tennessee had such little dependable depth at outside linebacker that sophomore rising star Jalen Reeves-Maybin hardly came off the field.

With so much talent returning this season—and the fact that UT plays predominantly in nickel packages with only two linebackers—it looks like the Vols are going to have more weapons at the position than they can put on the field at one time.

It all starts with Reeves-Maybin, whose breakout 2014 campaign saw him tie for the team lead with 101 tackles. Eleven of those went for a loss, and he had two sacks, an interception and two fumble recoveries.

The Clarksville, Tennessee, native looks primed to become the next great Vol linebacker.

People think of senior defensive leader Curt Maggitt more as a defensive end now, but the hybrid player stood up a lot in 2014 and wreaked havoc on opposing offenses when he did, so he really is a force no matter where he plays.

Redshirt freshman Dillon Bates was gaining meaningful reps on the outside in his first year until a torn labrum sidelined him for the year.

At 6'3", 222 pounds, Bates may get a look at the wide-open middle linebacker spot this spring, but he has the athleticism and coverage skills to be a force on the outside.

Senior Chris Weatherd played mostly in pass-rushing packages a season ago, but if he can learn the defense, he'll be a force with the size and athleticism to be an Eric Striker-type player on the outside. UT would get leaps and bounds more athletic defensively if he could become an every-down linebacker.

A player UT fans should be excited about is sophomore Cortez McDowell, who appears on the Reeves-Maybin path of going from a special teams dynamo to a guy who can be depended on defensively.

Elliott Berry and incoming freshmen Quart'e Sapp and Austin Smith have potential as well. There's just a lot of talent and just three spots to put them. That group could really upgrade Tennessee's athleticism on the second level.

Defensive End

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Tennessee returns the most prolific sack tandem in the nation from a season ago in Derek Barnett and Curt Maggitt.

Only Washington's Hau'oli Kikaha and Andrew Hudson (31.5), Utah's Nate Orchard and Hunter Dimick (30.5) and Missouri's Shane Ray and Markus Golden (23) combined for more sacks as a tandem, according to CFBStats.com.

The Vols duo combined for 21 sacks and 35.5 tackles for a loss and teamed for the biggest reason why UT's defense went from laughingstock in 2013 to a feared unit last year.

Behind those two, UT has a stable of steady players and some incoming stars. Juniors Corey Vereen and LaTroy Lewis had spurts of brilliance in relief roles a season ago, and both will be on the field for significant snaps this season as the Vols build depth.

Either of those two players are capable of getting to the quarterback in a hurry.

Kendal Vickers and Dimarya Mixon should find most of their action on the interior, but they are inside-out guys who could play on the exterior if needed.

Perhaps the best news for the Vols is they shouldn't be. The 2015 recruiting class features four defensive ends who can stack up with any in the nation.

Mid-term enrollee Kyle Phillips earned 5-star status on 247Sports (though he was still a composite 4-star), and he has elite ability that makes him an almost can't-miss prospect at strong-side defensive end. Fellow mid-term enrollee Andrew Butcher is another 4-star who has the strength to work his way into an early rotation.

Darrell Taylor is a 4-star weak-side defensive end who isn't yet on campus, but he possesses the wingspan and the frame to grow into a pass-rushing force. Quay Picou most likely will play his college days at tackle, but he could stay on the outside if needed.

There is an embarrassment of riches on the outside for UT and defensive line coach Steve Stripling. The biggest problem should be finding playing time for all of them.

Offensive Guard

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It's difficult to call any area of an offensive line that struggled mightily a season ago a place where the Vols are "stacked."

But the fact is UT has plenty of size, talent and experience at the offensive guard position, and that should be a cornerstone of Don Mahoney's offensive line in 2015.

The Vols return both starters from a season ago who failed to miss a single start in senior Marcus Jackson and sophomore Jashon Robertson. They were arguably the team's two best linemen, and both will be counted on again.

Robertson is a rising star who will have an NFL future if he continues at this progression. While Jackson could latch on as a late-rounder, he needs more consistency pass blocking than he had a season ago.

While players such as Kyler Kerbyson (who should start at one tackle position) and Dylan Wiesman (backing up center) may be needed at other positions, their best spot is at guard. So, both could be used there in a pinch.

Redshirt sophomore Austin Sanders saw some game action a season ago, and while he wasn't ready, with another offseason in the weight room, Tennessee has to like his potential to build depth.

Incoming freshmen Venzell Boulware (who spurned Ohio State at the 11th hour) and Zach Stewart have high ceilings, though neither are expected to be needed this year. Tackle Jack Jones also could shift inside in the future.

The wild card of the bunch is big Charles Mosley, a 6'5", 370-pound redshirt freshman who has massive size and underrated athleticism for a big guy. Though he's listed on the roster as a defensive tackle a year after missing the season with a broken bone in his leg following a car crash, he could move to the offensive line.

If he does, he will make an already-deep position deeper and better.

Wide Receiver

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Wide receiver was supposed to be a position that produced an abundance of highlight-reel plays for the Vols a season ago.

Instead, it became a revolving door to the training room.

Cody Blanc started the injuries way back at the beginning of camp. Then, Von Pearson suffered a high ankle sprain in the season's second game against Arkansas State that limited him for one-third of the season and kept him from being as dynamic as he was expected to be.

Sophomore Josh Smith's own high ankle sprain forced him out for the season. Then, leader Marquez North and sophomore Jason Croom also suffered season-ending injuries.

All that talent returns in 2015 to go along with the Vols' leading receiver Alton "Pig" Howard, senior Johnathon Johnson and sophomore Josh Malone.

That's not even to mention 5-star receiver commitment Preston Williams, or Vincent Perry and Jocquez Bruce, who could get their first looks as pass-catchers.

The Vols have plenty of options for quarterback Joshua Dobbs, and a few of them could be special.

North is a 6'4", 221-pound specimen who displayed the propensity to catch touchdown passes before getting hurt. If he lives up to his potential, he is talented enough for this to be his last season in Knoxville.

Pearson is another certain NFL player who has the wheels and change-of-direction to be a big playmaker for the Vols.

Smith and Howard are steady contributors who could have all-conference seasons, and Malone is the kind of talent who can be elite if he dedicates himself.

Croom is a big-bodied target who has shown flashes of being a great red-zone receiver, but he just needs to develop consistency.

There is a lot about which to be excited looking up and down that receiving corps. If they can stay healthy, they could post some huge numbers with Dobbs primed to have a big junior season.

All statistics gathered from UTSports.com, unless otherwise noted.

Brad Shepard covers SEC football and is the Tennessee Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter @Brad_Shepard.