Tennessee football: Ranking Vols position groups by spring practice play

5. Tight End

Position coach: Brian Niedermeyer

Notable players: Dominick Wood-Anderson

It was clear that Tennessee football needed to incorporate the tight end more into its passing game last year. After all, Dominick Wood-Anderson is a receiving tight end, and he was a four-star junior college transfer the Vols were able to lure away from the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Taking that into account, Tyson Helton did not do nearly enough to get him involved. This spring, with the arrival of Jim Chaney, was going to have to involve a focus on using the tight end more for things beyond just blocking.

Well, the Vols did just that. Wood-Anderson had a key touchdown reception in the spring game, and Jim Chaney is using the rotation the way that he used it with Tyler Bray back in 2012. That’s at least the signs he’s giving.

Now, the unit as a whole is developing. If I rank units going into the season, it will be lower than here due to lack of depth and lack of proven production. But Wood-Anderson’s play in the spring along with the fact that some other guys are chugging along was enough for us to put this unit up here.

The group has a lot of work to do but has indeed helped to spread out the passing game. And that’s why we’re able to have it in the top half of this list. It’s still in the middle of the pack, as it could go either way when the season starts. But the leader of the unit, Wood-Anderson, helps its profile.