Tennessee football: 10 players to watch in Vols 2019 spring game

The biggest question surrounding Tennessee football, outside of how many strides it will take on the offensive line, is how it can replace its entire defensive line. All three starters have graduated in Kyle Phillips, Alexis Johnson and Shy Tuttle. And that was the best unit on the team last year.

To make matters worse, the depth behind them was a major weak spot. So there is a lot of work to do here. Jeremy Pruitt did what he could on the recruiting trail, securing three defensive tackles, two of whom are junior college transfers. But they won’t be on Rocky Top until the summer. He needs to make sure he has more options before them.

Well, one of the guys who has managed to stand out is Matthew Butler. Tracy Rocker mentioned the junior defensive lineman specifically as a guy who has made strides. At 6’4″ 285 pounds, he could be a bit of a tweener, but that’s not too bad for a No. 2 defensive tackle in a 3-4 scheme.

Anyway, pay attention to the impact Butler makes on Saturday. If he stands out, the Vols have taken a good step on the defensive line this spring with an added option. They just need the summer to then be able to beef it up. Adding depth is going to be much more crucial this year, as it was a huge issue last season.