Tennessee football: 5 key position battles for Vols 2019 spring practice

3. Defensive line

We could have said specifically defensive tackle or defensive end. But Tennessee football lost everybody on the defensive line this past year, and that means the entire unit is up for grabs. That’s why we just put it all on here.

The hardest part about this position battle is it’s one of desperation. Jeremy Pruitt returns almost everybody at the other positions or at least won’t miss anybody with a couple of exceptions. But here, he lost everybody from his most productive unit in 2018. Alexis Johnson and Shy Tuttle switching out at defensive tackle and one of the defensive end sides were amazing.

At the other outside spot, Kyle Phillips was the best player on the team. In fact, all three individually were maybe the three best players on the team. Paul Bain was a great reserve as well. Pruitt has a ton of work to do to replace all of these guys.

Emmit Gooden is the only returning player who has demonstrated any productivity for the Vols up front. Matthew Butler, Kivon Bennett and John Mincey all got some experience. But one of them has to step up. Aubrey Solomon, a Michigan Wolverines transfer, likely won’t be eligible, but if he is, he could be another big pickup.

Then you have Kingston Harris, who played offensive line last year, Greg Emerson, who was coming back from a high school  injury last year and redshirted, and possible Ja’Quain Blakely, who may be at tight end. Simply put, this position is totally up for grabs.

The only reason we don’t have it higher on the list is because some of the key guys who could fight in the rotation won’t arrive until the summer. That includes three-star Elijah Simmons and two junior college transfers, four-star Savion Williams and three-star Darel Middleton. Williams and Middleton would also be favorites to play early. But this is still a race to watch.