Tennessee football: 10 Vols with injury concerns for 2019

This final spot was a tough one. Kenneth George Jr. is another defensive back who has suffered injury issues, dealing with a season-ending injury, and defensive lineman John Mincey suffered more recent injuries after missing half of 2018.

However, George is more buried in the depth chart than Cheyenne Labruzza, and he remains suspended indefinitely anyway. Meanwhile, Mincey’s injury wasn’t as serious as Labruzza’s even if it was more recent, and he’s more likely to lose his spot in the depth chart on the line this summer than Labruzza is to lose his as the No. 3 cornerback.

Anyway, Labruzza was part of the rash of injuries that wrecked Tennessee football during 2017. He suffered a season-ending knee injury that year, and although he returned to play 11 games in 2018, it was mostly on special teams.

This year, Labruzza could see more action as a reserve in the rotation at cornerback. He was on the first team in the spring game, after all. So the Vols will need him to stay healthy a bit more, and that makes his injury risk a bit more of a concern. Still, Jeremy Pruitt’s recruiting at defensive back gives him options if something happens, and Labruzza not being a starter keeps him at No. 10.