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Tennessee football roster: Projecting the Vols’ 2017 2-deep depth chart

By Caleb Calhoun

Sep 12, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; General view of Neyland Stadium at halftime during the game between Tennessee Volunteers and the Oklahoma Sooners. Oklahoma won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 12, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; General view of Neyland Stadium at halftime during the game between Tennessee Volunteers and the Oklahoma Sooners. Oklahoma won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 10, 2016; Bristol, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Darrell Taylor (19) celebrates after beating the Virginia Tech Hokies at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Bristol, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Darrell Taylor (19) celebrates after beating the Virginia Tech Hokies at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports /

Weakside Defensive End

1. Darrell Taylor

There was no bigger breakout star during the 2017 Tennessee football spring season than Darrell Taylor. Once a four-star recruit, Taylor made the most of his opportunity with the departure of Corey Vereen and Kyle Phillips’s injury to step in and become a star. That’s exactly what he did as well.

The 6’4″ 240-pound sophomore immediately began drawing comparisons to the recently departed Derek Barnett which is crazy to think about.

Last year, he gave us a glimpse when he wasn’t even in the rotation with nine tackles, a tackle for a loss, three quarterback hurries, and a pass broken up. But to stand out the way he did in the spring under first-year defensive line coach Brady Hoke all but assures him this starting job.

2. Kyle Phillips

Darrell Taylor may have stolen the starting job, but Kyle Phillips will still be in the rotation provided he can stay healthy. When he has been on the field, Phillips has been a dominant force. The 6’4″ 259-pound junior from Nashville does have a ton of talent and could easily take this starting job back, one he probably thought he had in the bag after Vereen left.

But he needs to make a big impression on Hoke and Bob Shoop in August practices. We think he’ll come close, but it won’t be enough to outdo what Taylor did in the spring.

The good news is this should give you an idea of how loaded the Vols are here. Phillips is a former five-star recruit with a ton of talent. So Taylor beating him out just shows Taylor’s greatness. And these two together are a great rotation.

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