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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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Nov 12, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Josh Smith (25) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Kentucky Wildcats at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 12, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Josh Smith (25) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Kentucky Wildcats at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

Slot Wide Receiver

1. Josh Smith

He was injured this past spring, had an underwhelming junior season, and then had to deal with an arrest last month. However, we still have Josh Smith holding onto his starting slot receiver job for now. The alleged victim of the assault he was arrested for now wants the charge dropped, so that clears one hurdle. On top of that, he’s going to get full healthy before the year starts.

Most importantly, Smith does have a track record of being productive when fully healthy. He came on as the main slot guy in 2015 with 23 catches for 307 yards and two touchdowns, and although he only had 97 receiving yards last year while hobbling for much of the year, his consistency and reliability are not to be questioned when he’s fully healthy.

Also, as a redshirt senior and the only guy in the receiver rotation with four years of experience playing the position at the FBS level, Smith provides necessary veteran leadership that the new quarterbacks will need.

2. Tyler Byrd

This isn’t much of a debate. Tyler Byrd came on strong in the spring just like Marquez Callaway did while Josh Smith was out, and he is seriously threatening Josh Smith for his starting job right now. With 15 receptions for 209 yards, he actually was the bigger playmaker than Smith last year. And his eight carries for 63 yards and 10 kickoff returns for 263 yards show his versatility.

Byrd is a speed guy who However, the 6’0″ 195-pound sophomore has one more year as a backup in the slot. With Smith fully healthy, he’ll be the reliable guy that the young quarterbacks need to rely on as a safety blanket with the elite talent on the outside. But Byrd will still see significant action.

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