Oct 4, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; A general view of the Tennessee Volunteers Vol Navy on the Tennessee River prior to the game against the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Strongside Defensive End
1. Leonard Little
Well this was an obvious one. Leonard Little could have been recognized as a linebacker, but his switch in 1997 and then his NFL career defined him, all of which came at defensive end.
Despite his demons off the field, Little is one of the greatest players ever to set foot on Tennessee’s campus. He joined Peyton Manning in an elite class of 1997 talent that won that SEC Championship as a first-team All-American, and he was the silent leader.
Little was a sack machine who led the Vols to numerous victories during his time in Knoxville, most notable against Alabama in 1996 and UCLA in 1997. And he and Doug Atkins in their prime would make the perfect combination.
The NFL career validates Little, as he was a Super Bowl champion in 1999 and made the Pro Bowl in 2003 while leading the league in sacks.
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2. Shaun Ellis
While Leonard Little was the most complete defensive end in the modern era of Tennessee football, Shaun Ellis was not far behind. Ellis played with Little for one year, and he picked up where Little left off as a crucial member of the elite defense on the 1998 national championship team.
Ellis should have been an All-American that year, as Tennessee would surely have not won two games unless he was in the lineup then: Florida and Auburn. Against the Tigers he returned a fumble 90 yards for a touchdown.
The NFL career of Ellis also validated him and put his talents near the same level as Little’s. Ellis was a two-time Pro-Bowler who was loved by Rex Ryan before leaving the New York Jets, and he was a deadly weapon. Any Tennessee depth chart would have to include him at defensive end, and he would honestly split time with Little on the strong side.
Next: Middle Linebacker