Nov 22, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Russell Hansbrough (32) rushes against Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Curt Maggitt (56) and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (34) during the first half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Defensive Line: A+
Tennessee’s 2015 defensive line class has the potential to go down as the greatest in school history with the amount of overall talent they brought in. Two five-stars, three four-stars, and a highly-rated three-star not only make this a talented group, but an extremely deep one as well.
Five-star defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie is the gem of the 2015 class, ranked as the No. 1 overall recruit in the country by some services and No. 3 by 247Sports. The son of former Vol Reggie McKenzie, Kahlil will likely immediately compete for playing time as a freshman and could steal a starting spot at tackle before the season ends.
The other five-star along the line comes in at defensive end, and he is an in-state prospect. Kyle Phillips, the No. 1 player in the state of Tennessee, will add considerable talent to an already loaded defensive end position for the Vols.
Defensive tackle Shy Tuttle was rated as a five-star recruit for the most of the season, but he has since been pushed back down to a high four-star at season’s end. The massive lineman joins Phillips as an early enrollee for the Vols, and their early presence will only help them gain lean muscle and work on their technique.
Four-star defensive ends Andrew Butcher (another early enrollee) and Darrell Taylor round out the talented defensive end position, and Quay Picou is the third defensive tackle in the class. Picou may be the lowest rated of the group, but he is a solid prospect with plenty of upside.
Tennessee’s defensive line group in the 2015 class has the potential to produce several elite SEC players, and they are easily the best unit in the Vols’ 2015 class. McKenzie and Tuttle could both start at defensive tackle as freshmen, and Phillips and Butcher have a chance of contributing as freshmen as well.
The 2015 defensive linemen in Tennessee’s class will be a group to watch for many years to come.