Tennessee football: Five key 2019 Vols who were three-stars or lower

This spot would have gone to Baylen Buchanan. But Jeremy Pruitt’s recent announcement that Buchanan is out indefinitely due to a spinal issue means it’s going to the other guy who was in contention to start at star for Tennessee football, Shawn Shamburger. Now, with Buchanan out, the job should be Shamburger’s to lose unless Pruitt moves people around.

But Shamburger has the experience. He is very athletic and has experience, having seen significant playing time dating back to his freshman year under Butch Jones in 2017. Once a three-star, Shamburger has shown his abilities as an athlete who can get physical.

Last year, when he started against the Auburn Tigers, he was key in the victory, coming away with three tackles. Despite Buchanan’s experience and the potential to move guys like Nigel Warrior over to star, Shamburger had as much of a chance to win that starting job as anybody, and he was the favorite for some people.

This all comes from a guy who was not ranked nationally in 2017 and was only the No. 66 cornerback. Oh, and coming out of Georgia, he was the No. 76 ranked player at his position. So he is clearly in line to overachieve this year, and that is why we are putting him on this list.