Tennessee football: 5 3-stars who could shine for Vols in 2019
All the stuff we said about Tennessee football’s defensive line in the last post remains true with this one, and it’s why another defensive tackle is No. 1 on this list. Again, the unit needs immediate help quickly.
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We had to look at Jeremy Pruitt’s intentions if you’re looking for why we would have Darel Middleton ahead of Elijah Simmons. It’s assumed that Pruitt would go for another junior college defensive tackle for immediate help alongside Emmit Gooden.
Add in the Aubrey Solomon transfer, and Pruitt clearly targeted transfers he knew could start right away. Middleton comes from Last Chance U, East Mississippi Community College, and he’s only a sophomore.
At 6’6″ 280 pounds, he’s obviously more of an end in Pruitt’s scheme at this moment. Sure, we said that Matthew Butler stood out there, but Middleton could put on enough weight to start in the middle too if he has to.
Middleton’s competition is going to be another junior college transfer at the position, Savion Williams. Those two and Simmons will likely all be in competition to start alongside Gooden at defensive tackle, and Solomon’s eligibility rules could throw another player into the mix.
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However, even with that competition, it’s so wide open that Middleton clearly belongs at the top of this list. He’s a JuCo guy Pruitt wants to use right away, and he comes from a program known for turning out JuCo talent. As a result, keep an eye on Middleton when he arrives this summer. This is one three-star who could definitely make an immediate impact.