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Tennessee football: 10 Vols freshmen most likely to play early in 2018

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 5: The Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey runs through the end zone after a score against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 5, 2013 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 5: The Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey runs through the end zone after a score against the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on October 5, 2013 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images /

Another true freshman, Greg Emerson was an early enrollee as well for Tennessee football. And that is huge when it comes to him being able to pick up the necessary reps to be a productive member of the defensive line.

Now to be fair, the unit up front is fairly deep. Kyle Phillips is locked in at defensive end. And when it comes to defensive tackle, you have a collection of guys who should be ahead of Emerson. These include Shy Tuttle, Alexis Johnson, and Emmit Gooden.

However, after those guys, Emerson is probably the most proven option. And remember, Jeremy Pruitt likes hybrid defensive ends who can line up at tackle or on the inside for one role in his 3-4 defense. Emerson fits that mold.

As a four-star recruit, some services actually listed Emerson at defensive end. Factor in him being 6’3″ 305 pounds on top of that, and he’s clearly the type of versatile guy Pruitt would want to run that side of the defensive line.

Taking all that into account, there are four rotational guys for two spots. That means you have to figure Emerson will see some action. As a result, he belongs very high on this list. The only red flag is that the Vols tried him out on the offensive line this past spring.

Emerson has some of the best potential of any member in the 2018 recruiting class. Pruitt and Kevin Sherrer are going to want to get him on the field somehow. He’ll definitely play a role in keeping the defensive line fresh, so it’s almost a certainty he’ll see the field.

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