Tennessee Football: Vols Freshmen Who Will Benefit Most from a Redshirt

For the first time in Tennessee coach Butch Jones' tenure on Rocky Top, the Volunteers are not going to be so dependent on freshmen to step right in and play.

Another solid recruiting class of 21 prospects came in ranked 14th nationally in the 247Sports composite rankings after UT closed brilliantly down the stretch, but this year's haul is deeper on players who may contribute down the road as opposed to now.

On one hand, there may not be the volume of players who provide immediate reps, but the program is at a place where it can redshirt guys and develop their bodies for the future SEC grind. 

There are still instant-impact talents such as defensive end Jonathan Kongbo, safety Nigel Warrior and receiver Marquez Callaway, but a few of the players in this year's class will need some time to marinate.

Having that program depth has allowed Jones and Tennessee's coaches to be more selective in the 2016 class in terms of finding the right fits for the team, as Jones told WKRN-TV Nashville's Joe Leadingham.

"It actually makes it a little bit easier in terms of you're recruiting for depth, again you now have a little bit of a luxury to redshirt players," Jones said.

In the past, UT may not have been able to take a developmental offensive tackle such as Marcus Tatum or Nathan Niehaus because the Vols needed players who could contribute right away. Both of those guys have projectable frames and could be elite tackles down the road, so they're exciting prospects.

It's like that all over the field in this class for UT.

So, while redshirting players in this day and age is difficult to do with everybody wanting to get on the field immediately, let's take a look at some players in the '16 class who would benefit from a year watching film, working out in the weight room and immersing themselves in the playbook.

Ryan Johnson, 4-Star Offensive Tackle

Credit: 247Sports

Ryan Johnson (left) with defensive back commitment Marquill Osborne, is one of UT's tackles of the future.

Just because Ryan Johnson may be the offensive tackle most ready to play out of the trio of linemen the Vols took in this year's class doesn't mean he's going to step right on the field and into the two-deep.

He actually has that opportunity with Tennessee being so shallow on the external part of the line; UT has just Chance Hall and Brett Kendrick as proven tackles. Redshirt freshman Drew Richmond improved with each rep this spring and is expected to battle to start too.

While that would seem to open a door for Johnson, the 6'6", 288-pound tackle from Brentwood Academy (Tennessee) who was one of UT's first pledges in the '16 class and fulfilled a dream by signing with the Vols, that's no guarantee.

The Vols have some interior linemen they could shift out to tackle if the need arose, such as Jashon Robertson, Venzell Boulware and even Jack Jones. Also, though he hasn't shown any signs of helping in his career thus far, UT also still has redshirt senior Dontavius Blair on the roster.

The team has options, but if the Vols turn to a freshman for depth, Johnson seems to be the logical choice.

Even so, the best thing for any freshman offensive lineman is redshirt, get stronger and take his lumps in practice rather than when the live bullets of the SEC gun show are blazing. 

Tennessee hasn't had that luxury in recent years with players such as Ja'Wuan James, Antonio "Tiny" Richardson and Hall being thrust into starting roles their first seasons in Knoxville. Maybe that won't happen this year.

So, while Johnson has the best shot of anybody on this list of getting immediate playing time, it likely would benefit everybody involved for him to sit a year. He'll be a stud down the road.

Jarrett Guarantano, 4-Star Quarterback

Credit: 247Sports

One of the most electrifying players in Tennessee's entire class and a cornerstone commitment was 4-star signal-caller Jarrett Guarantano. 

The 6'4", 201-pound quarterback from Oradell, New Jersey, is raw, but he was the nation's top-ranked dual-threat quarterback for a reason. Teams such as Ohio State and Florida coveted him, as did his father's alma mater Rutgers, but in the end, Guarantano came to Knoxville.

Blessed with a strong arm and good speed, he has the skill set to excel in UT's power-spread system while running the read-option. He seems to be a perfect heir apparent to Vols senior Joshua Dobbs, and the offense wouldn't have to change much with him in there.

Of course, sophomore Quinten Dormady will have plenty to say about that. The Texan was Dobbs' backup as a true freshman, and though he hasn't been consistent in limited action, his high points let everybody know just how good he can be.

It'll be an intriguing battle between Dormady and Guarantano once Dobbs bolts, and redshirt freshman Sheriron Jones is coming on too. But Guarantano probably won't be ready to factor in this year.

He needs to pack on some muscle with a year in the weight room, and it always helps a quarterback to sit, learn and study for a year. On paper, it looks like UT will have the luxury to bring Guarantano along slowly with Dobbs, Dormady and Jones already on campus.

Barton Simmons, 247Sports' director of scouting, talked to Brad Crawford about the star power of quarterback prospects in the SEC, beginning with Georgia's Jacob Eason and Ole Miss' Shea Patterson and going from there:

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There were two no-doubt quarterbacks in the class of 2016 nationally and they're both heading to the SEC. I'll be surprised if Eason isn't a three-year starter at Georgia, and Patterson is the most starter-ready quarterback in the country. I also see guys like Jalen Hurts at Alabama, Micah Wilson at Missouri and Brandon McIlwain at South Carolina as low bust players while Feleipe Franks at Florida and Jarrett Guarantano at Tennessee have immense ceilings given a year or two to develop.

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That ceiling is worth the wait. A kid with the swagger that Guarantano possesses may have a tough time waiting his turn, but if he spends the necessary time learning the system, he'll be a devastating weapon down the road.

Marcus Tatum, 3-Star Offensive Tackle

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Many of the Southeast's top teams coveted 3-star offensive tackle Marcus Tatum, despite his slight build. A player with his frame should be able to pack on the good weight quickly, and when he does, his athleticism and footwork will lead him to being a strong tackle prospect.

All Tatum needs is time.

It isn't every day that a rival SEC program goes into Gator country and plucks a player Florida desperately wanted, but that's exactly what Tennessee did when it got Tatum, who developed strong relationships with several UT players and ultimately chose the Vols.

At 6'6 ½", 255 pounds, Tatum has a ways to go before he's big enough to grade roads on an SEC line, but he'll get there. There's a reason Florida, Auburn, Alabama and many other programs wanted to sign him. In the end, the Vols won that sweepstakes.

Scout.com's Corey Bender said of Tatum:

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[He] is a lanky and lean offensive lineman that plays the position with great bend and leverage. He's a natural athlete that does a good job of sliding his feet and mirroring his opponent in pass protection as well. The four-star prospect has to continue to hit the weight room and strengthen up his frame moving forward, but possesses a ton of upside.

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That's the kind of kid you go out and get when you're deep and strong at the position, which the Vols really aren't yet. But it's also the type of player you can't pass up.

Once Tatum gets around 290 pounds or so, he's going to be the kind of zone-blocking, athletic offensive tackle the Vols need in their system. 

So, while you're not likely to hear much about Tatum this season, Vols fans will be thrilled that he has an extra year in the future.

Ja'Quain Blakely, 3-Star Outside Linebacker

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One of the most unknown prospects in Tennessee's class is 3-star outside linebacker Ja'Quain Blakely, who goes by "Jay."

He was a surprising commitment when he pledged to the Vols out of the blue one week after he visited for UT's Orange Carpet Day event last summer, and after his commitment, he wasn't a player you heard much from anymore, either.

A lot of times, pledges such as Blakely don't stick, or other schools come after him hard. Neither seemed to happen with the Colquitt County (Georgia) High School prospect, who was coached by Rush Propst, who made his name building Hoover (Alabama) High School into a powerhouse.

So, you know Blakely is well-coached, and the Vols obviously saw something they loved in the speedy outside 'backer. 

His 247Sports profile claims he had offers from Florida, Michigan, Michigan State, Arkansas and others. Some of those continued to pursue Blakely, who battled an injury late in his senior year, but he stayed true to the Vols.

Though Blakely could develop into the type of outside linebacker who makes Bob Shoop's defenses tick, it probably won't be in 2016. The Vols have star Jalen Reeves-Maybin manning the outside, and Quart'e Sapp is a rising star. Cortez McDowell and Dillon Bates will be in the mix as well.

Tennessee has some potential on the outside, and that will allow Blakely to spend a season getting stronger. The Vols hope he doesn't keep flying under the radar, but a year of working out will give him the best opportunity to make noise later on.

Brandon Johnson, 3-Star Wide Receiver

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Several prospects in Tennessee's 2016 recruiting class have some strong ties to the pros, and there's nothing wrong with betting on bloodlines.

Of course, Vols star safety commit Nigel Warrior is former UT All-American and NFL All-Pro Dale Carter's son. Baylen Buchanan is the son of "Big Play" Ray Buchanan, and Guarantano's dad played professionally, too.

Brandon Johnson's father has a major league baseball background, as Charles Johnson was an All-American catcher at Miami before starring for the Florida Marlins. But his uncle is Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, and the younger Johnson has been working out with his uncle this spring.

At 6'3", 175 pounds, Johnson hasn't yet filled out his frame, but he has the type of body you want in a wide receiver. The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, product played at American Heritage High School and chose UT over Miami, Georgia and others.

Johnson may not have blazing speed, but he has the size and route-running ability to carve a niche in the offense soon. 

Still, with Tennessee bringing in Marquez Callaway, Jeff George, Latrell Williams and Corey Henderson and with Tyler Byrd apparently starting his UT career on offense, somebody is going to have to stand on the sideline.

Callaway is the best of the bunch. George's height (6'6") and skill set were on display this spring, and it'll be hard to keep the speed of Williams and Henderson off the field when the Vols need it.

That leaves Johnson, but he may wind up being too talented to keep off the field, too. The Vols need some dynamic wide receivers, and playing time is definitely up for grabs. If Johnson comes in and impresses, he won't be the one redshirting.

But he's the best guess for now.

Devante Brooks, 3-Star Tight End

Credit: 247Sports

If anybody needs a redshirt the most in this class, it's Washington, D.C. area tight end Devante Brooks.

While the 6'5", 255-pound prospect from St. John's High School could wind up being a feel-good story that everybody cheers for, his road to recovery is going to be a long one. After being one of the nation's top tight end prospects early in his prep career, injuries hit Brooks in a big way.

He suffered two devastating knee injuries that cost him his final two years of high school.

Despite that, the Vols stayed true to Brooks through his recruiting process and honored their scholarship offer. Brooks hopes to repay that loyalty by one day returning to his old self and getting back to shredding linebackers on the field.

After he tore the anterior cruciate ligament twice in his left knee, there's reason for question marks around his career. But he told GoVols247's Ryan Callahan back in early February that he's planning on being ready for the upcoming season:

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I would love to be ready by June, but July is really the end point for me. That's when I really want, have to be 100 percent, because I want to make sure I'm ready for the preseason—fall camp and all that. I want to make sure I'm ready for all that. I want to be ready for June, but if not June, it has to be July. I believe I'm going to reach that.

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Brooks is somewhat of a forgotten player in the class, because how he'll return and whether he'll be the same is so much of an unknown.

But when a young player goes through something like that before ever stepping foot onto campus, he becomes a fan favorite who everybody will be cheering for to return to 100 percent sooner rather than later.

The Vols can ease him in with Ethan Wolf, Jason Croom, Jakob Johnson and Eli Wolf at the position, along with Brooks' classmate Austin Pope. If he is ready, he can shock everybody. If not, hopefully, he'll be on the field for the Vols in '17.

Baylen Buchanan, 3-Star Cornerback

Credit: 247Sports

Baylen Buchanan hopes to be making big plays for the Vols soon.

It would be unwise to count out the 5'11", 186-pound incoming freshman from Peachtree Ridge High School outside of Atlanta. After all, his father had that brash swagger you love in cornerbacks, so surely some of that rubbed off.

There's also the not-to-little note that Buchanan has never shied away from competition. His high school backfield included Warrior and 2017 5-star prospect Deangelo Gibbs. So, even a player with his speed and skills had to compete for a job all the time.

Buchanan may just be a 3-star recruit, but he's no middling prospect.

The Vols were thrilled to sign him. The one-time Louisville commitment was coveted by Oklahoma late in the process. Georgia also offered, along with a bunch of other top-shelf programs.

Late in the process, Ohio State made a frantic push for Buchanan, who ultimately stayed true to the Vols. 247Sports' Bill Kurelic wrote this about Buchanan back on Jan. 20: 

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On Tuesday I Bolted that Suwanee (Ga.) Peachtree Ridge defensive back and Tennessee commitment Baylen Buchanan would be making an official visit to Ohio State either this weekend or the weekend of Jan. 29. Today I confirmed the visit has been set for the weekend of Jan. 29. The Buckeyes offered Buchanan a scholarship on Jan. 7 and both Greg Schiano and Luke Fickell were down to see Buchanan last week.

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Say what you will about Urban Meyer (and Vols fans likely want to say a lot), but the man is one of the best recruiters in the country and knows talent when he sees it. Though the Vols didn't always have Buchanan on their radar, it doesn't take away anything from him as a prospect.

The only thing blocking him from playing time right away is a lot of depth and talent already on Rocky Top. Cameron Sutton, Justin Martin, Emmanuel Moseley, Malik Foreman, Marquill Osborne, D.J. Henderson and others are in Buchanan's path.

So, he may have to get stronger and wait a year. That would be just fine. He'll have his time to shine in the secondary.

Nathan Niehaus, 3-Star Offensive Tackle

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The same day the Vols annihilated Northwestern in the Outback Bowl and received a pledge from Buchanan, 3-star offensive tackle Nathan Niehaus also determined he'd spend the next four or five years in Knoxville.

Yes, Jan. 1 was an excellent day to be in orange and white.

At 6'6", 259 pounds, it's obvious that Niehaus won't be knocking heads in the SEC trenches in 2016, but his frame can hold the necessary weight to be a productive offensive tackle. Therefore, a year or two down the road, Niehaus will have every opportunity to be part of that UT front.

That's good news for the Vols, who appear to have some nice options at the position for the next few years with sophomore Hall, redshirt freshman Richmond and the true freshman trio of Niehaus, Tatum and Johnson.

Much like Tatum, Niehaus could use a year to get in the weight room and a college nutrition system to pack on the right kind of weight and muscle to help him on the college level. It isn't like he has to hold 320 pounds, either. The Vols prefer their tackles to be lean and athletic.

Once the Vols scouted Niehaus, they really wanted the Cincinnati product who was once committed to West Virginia. Callahan listed him as UT's biggest sleeper in the entire class:

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Niehaus, a three-star offensive tackle from Cincinnati, is the lowest-rated player in Tennessee’s class, according to the 247Sports Composite. But don’t get the wrong idea about him. The Vols can’t wait to see how the 6-foot-6, 259-pound Niehaus develops throughout his career. One program source already has suggested that he could be a future starter at offensive tackle, and perhaps within the next couple of years.

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If Niehaus can get somewhere close to 275 pounds by the time he gets on campus, who knows what will happen this year? But the best bet is that he develops for a year and enters 2017 trying to earn legit snaps.

All quotes and information gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. All recruiting information gathered from 247Sports unless otherwise noted. All stats gathered at CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted.

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