Outside Linebacker
1. Darrell Taylor
Redshirt Senior, 6’4″ 255 pounds
This is another non-surprise. Darrell Taylor was a breakout star for Tennessee football last year moving to outside linebacker, and it’s a perfect fit for him in Jeremy Pruitt’s system. Expect him to burst onto the scene even more so as a senior this year, making numerous plays for the Vols. There’s a chance Taylor is the biggest star on the team this year, so watch out.
2. Deandre Johnson
Junior, 6’3″ 241 pounds
Deandre Johnson stepped into the other edge rusher role after Jonathan Kongbo’s season-ending injury. He figures to hold onto that spot this year, and after demonstrating flashes of being a great playmaker last year, he should be a great complement to Taylor this season. Johnson could turn into a very valuable asset for Pruitt and the Vols, and expect to hear his name called a lot this year.
3. Jordan Allen
Redshirt Junior, 6’4″ 249 pounds
After being a four-star junior college transfer in the Vols’ 2018 class, Jordan Allen has not made the splash we thought. However, we have enough faith in Pruitt’s eye for talent to say he’ll still be in the rotation, and with a year of experience, he should be able to step up and be a major threat for UT this year. Allen could even threaten Johnson for that other starting spot.
4. Kivon Bennett
Redshirt Sophomore, 6’2″ 251 pounds
As the breakout player of the spring, you could make a case for Kivon Bennett to be ahead of Allen. He certainly drew more specific mentions from the coaches, which is why we have him on this list still in the rotation. Bennett is versatile enough that he can stand on the line as well, so he’s going to be a valuable rotational player for the Vols in 2019.