All for Tennessee
Fansided

Tennessee football: 5 needs for Vols to address in 2020 recruiting class

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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
Tennessee football
Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images /

1. Wide Receivers

Amidst all the other needs we named on this list, Tennessee football at least has bodies beyond 2019. That’s not the case for the Vols, and they’re going to need immediate help at wide receiver after this season.

More from All for Tennessee

Three of the Vols’ top four wideouts are seniors this upcoming year, including Marquez Callaway, who was their leader in receptions and yards, and Jauan Jennings, who was their leader in touchdowns. Then there’s Brandon Johnson, who led the team in receiving in 2017.

The only other guy is Josh Palmer. Then, in the slot, the Vols never found anybody last year, but one of their two scarcely used players, Tyler Byrd, will also be a senior this year. Simply put, Jeremy Pruitt and Jim Chaney have a lot of work to address here.

They didn’t address the issue in 2019 with only two commitments in four-star Ramel Keyton and three-star Jerrod Means. That’s not enough to replace the departing talent for the future, and they’ll need to put lots more emphasis on that for 2020.

Luckily for them, new wide receivers coach and former national championship-winning Vol Tee Martin is now on the staff, and he’s a proven elite recruiter, especially at this position. So the coaches need to use him a lot now.

Next. Top 30 Vols since 1998 national title. dark

Tennessee football was once Wide Receiver U. Chaney is known for utilizing elite wide receivers and helped them set records his last time on Rocky Top. Martin may have had the greatest receiver ever to throw to while at UT in Peerless Price and was recruited by Joey Kent. Together, those guys along with Pruitt have a job this offseason to re-establish that brand.

Home/Vols Football