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Tennessee football: Ranking position groups for the 2018 football season

By Billy Williford

ATHENS, GA - OCTOBER 1: Jauan Jennings #15 of the Tennessee Volunteers rides the shoulders of Gavin Bryant #36 after making the game winning catch against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATHENS, GA - OCTOBER 1: Jauan Jennings #15 of the Tennessee Volunteers rides the shoulders of Gavin Bryant #36 after making the game winning catch against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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TUSCALOOSA, AL – OCTOBER 21: Bo Scarbrough #9 of the Alabama Crimson Tide leaps over Shy Tuttle #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers for a touchdown at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 21, 2017, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

No. 4 Defensive Line

The defensive line has the star-ratings and the experience. Can they as a group finally breakout and have good seasons?

Key Players

Jonathan Kongbo – R/SR

Shy Tuttle – SR

Kyle Phillips – SR

Greg Emerson – FR

Emmit Gooden – JR

The experience on the defensive line is second to none. And, the star-ratings are rather impressive, but for some reason or another, they have not achieved the level of success that they are surely capable of.

Senior Kyle Phillips leads the way and should have a good season. Phillips has bought into the Jeremy Pruitt mindset and is looking to prove to the nation that he is an SEC caliber defensive lineman. He also was nominated as the most improved player over the summer.

Shy Tuttle and Jonathan Kongbo both have a lot of promise. And, they both have shown they can play in the SEC. However, they haven’t put a full season together. Maybe, this is the year under Jeremy Pruitt and Kevin Sherrer.

Both newcomers Greg Emerson and Emmit Gooden should get some playing time next season and help the Vols build some depth on the defensive line.

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