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Tennessee football roster: Projecting Vols’ 2019 2-deep depth chart

By Caleb Calhoun

LEXINGTON, KY - OCTOBER 28: Daniel Bituli #35 and Nigel Warrior #18 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrate a recovered fumble against the Kentucky Wildcats at Commonwealth Stadium on October 28, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY - OCTOBER 28: Daniel Bituli #35 and Nigel Warrior #18 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrate a recovered fumble against the Kentucky Wildcats at Commonwealth Stadium on October 28, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Offensive Tackle

1. Darnell Wright (LT)

Freshman, 6’6″ 300 pounds

Yes, this is the biggest limb we’re going out on. Tennessee football needs immediate help at offensive line, where the Vols were historically bad last year, struggled in the spring game, and lost four players to retirement and another to injury. One more player remains in limbo due to injury, and another remains limited. That all leaves room for a summer enrollee to make an impact. Darnell Wright was the top recruit in the Vols’ 2019 class, and the five-star has projected raw talent. That talent will be enough for us to project that he’ll take the starting left tackle slot.

2. Wanya Morris (RT)

Freshman, 6’4″ 309 pounds

Both Vols starting tackles will be freshmen by the time the season starts. Wanya Morris was UT’s second highest-rated recruit, and he would’ve been a consensus five-star if not for an injury. However, he was healthy in the spring as an early enrollee, and he managed to steal a starting spot in the spring game. Morris’s potential is that bright, and Jeremy Pruitt probably loves him. So yes, he’s going to start at right tackle.

3. Marcus Tatum

Redshirt Junior, 6’6″ 308 pounds

The veteran in the system, Marcus Tatum would be projected to start at left tackle right now if not for Wright arriving the summer. But Tatum is a valuable rotational guy, so no matter what, he’ll be seeing some action.

4. Nathan Niehaus

Redshirt Junior, 6’6″ 304 pounds

Nathan Niehaus, even with all the issues facing other linemen, is the guy who fell back into the pack in the spring game. Still, he’s in the rotation for now. We just don’t know of anybody who could overtake him given the current state of the roster.

***NOTE: Trey Smith’s status remains in limbo due to his blood clots. If he is able to get back to the field, he will be the starting left tackle, with Wanya Morris starting at right tackle and Darnell Wright the first guy off the bench. Marcus Tatum will be the final guy in the rotation, and Niehaus falls off this list.

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