Three Vols On Senior Bowl Watch List
By Zach Ragan
Yes, I know it’s just a “watch list”. But it’s still worth noting that there three Tennessee Vols on the 2016 Senior Bowl watch list.
(For what it’s worth, there are 375 total players on the watch list.)
Wide receivers Pig Howard and Von Pearson, along with defensive end Curt Maggitt were named to the list on Wednesday.
Howard has led the Vols in receptions the past two seasons, while Maggitt led Tennessee in sacks last year.
Pearson missed some time with the team this spring/summer, due to a sexual assault case in which he was later cleared. Pearson has since returned to the team.
The Vols are fortunate to have a lot of youth on a team that’s expected to compete for the SEC East this upcoming season, but there’s no doubt that they’ll severely miss each of these three players next season.
Howard and Pearson are both perfect fits in Butch Jones’ offense. Both guys are shifty players that can make tough catches in the open field. They’ll both be very important to Tennessee’s success in 2015.
As far as Maggitt goes, well he had an outstanding season in 2014 after sitting out the 2013 season while recovering from a torn ACL.
The Florida native made the transition to the defensive line and while freshman sensation Derek Barnett received most of the off-season attention, it was Maggitt who led the team in sacks.
With Barnett receiving extra attention in 2015, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Maggitt lead the team in sacks once again.