Tennessee football: Ranking Vols 10 position units for 2019

3. Wide receivers

When you combine potential with proven production in different years, you get an elite unit here for Tennessee football. Jeremy Pruitt made a splash move by luring Tee Martin back to Rocky Top to coach this unit, which is why David Johnson moved over to running backs.

Of the six Vols who were in the rotation at some point last year, Jauan Jennings led all of them in 2016 with 40 receptions for 580 yards and seven touchdowns, including the go-ahead touchdown against the Florida Gators and the Hail Mary to beat the Georgia Bulldogs. Brandon Johnson led all of them in 2017 with 37 receptions for 482 yards and a touchdown.

This past year, though, Marquez Callaway led them with 37 receptions for 592 yards and two touchdowns. All three of those guys are seniors. Then, Josh Palmer was named the most improved offensive player in the spring.

Add in the speed of senior Tyler Byrd and junior Jordan Murphy to open up the slot, and the Vols are loaded at receiver. Jennings is the gamer. Callaway, who runs a 4.4 40-time, is the best guy with the ball in his hands and has great leaping abilities. Palmer and Johnson are the best route runners. This unit overall is just loaded with talent and experience.

As a result, it certainly belongs near the top of this list. The only reason it’s not higher is because, even if this fault lies elsewhere, nobody on the roster has even gone over 600 yards in a season. So there is proven production but not proven elite production. That’s what this season is for, provided everybody stays healthy.

Guys like Jacquez Jones and Cedric Tillman are still there to provide more depth, and then there’s four-star Ramel Keyton, who was an early enrollee this year. So the unit is loaded, even as three-star commitment Jerrod Means works out at defensive back.