Tennessee football: Vols WR/DB Alontae Taylor opening camp on defense

Fall camp starts on Friday afternoon and one of the Vols 2018 prize prospects in starting out on the defensive side of the ball.

Alontae Taylor the 6-foot-0, 186-pound four-star prospect out of Manchester, Tennessee starts fall preseason camp as a defensive back for the Tennessee football program.

Taylor was a huge get for head coach Jeremy Pruitt and staff in their first recruiting class. According to 247Sports Composite, Taylor was ranked No. 122 in the nation and the No. 4 best prospect in the state of Tennessee.

There is a lot of uncertainty when it comes to the football team in the upcoming season. No position is more uncertain than the secondary. There isn’t a single guy lining up to playing defensive back that has locked up a starting spot. It’s all up for grabs in the defensive backfield.

That opens the door for Taylor who has shined bright in summer camp. It isn’t out of the realm of possibilities that Taylor could start in the first game of the season against the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Pruitt has shown that he isn’t afraid to try players out at different positions. Taylor has had reps at wide receiver, and every indication given was he was doing well on the offensive side of the ball. But, he might have a better chance at more playing time in the secondary.

Camp begins on Friday, and we wouldn’t be surprised if Taylor is one of the players to stand out and become a starter as a freshman. It always wouldn’t surprise us if Pruitt allows Taylor to play both sides of the ball when needed.

Butch Jones would have never done that. He was too afraid. Take Evan Berry, for example, find a way to get the kid the ball. Taylor might be the same way. Lockdown corner, yet every time the ball is in his hand or around him, there could be a big play waiting to happen.