Tennessee football: Top 10 SEC stars 2019 Vols have to account for

Sticking with linebackers, Tennessee football’s two biggest toss-up games are against teams in which they will have to account for players at that specific position. The South Carolina Gamecocks are one, and the Mississippi State Bulldogs are the other. Both have to travel to Knoxville to face Rocky Top as well.

Anyway, the Bulldogs lost a lot of talent similar to the Kentucky Wildcats. But Joe Moorhead entering his second season still gives them hope to build on their 8-5 campaign in 2018. A big part of that will be Erroll Thompson, one of the guys returning.

Thompson had 87 tackles last year, but his versatility is why he stands out. He also had 10 tackles for a loss and four sacks, and he even came away with two interceptions. So he knows how to be all over the field. The 6’1″ 250-pound junior’s potential is through the roof this year.

Former UT defensive coordinator Bob Shoop also knows how to maximize players when he’s not in a program run by Butch Jones, so you can bet he’ll turn to Thompson to make tons of plays against the Vols this year. Given all the questions surrounding UT’s offense, despite their returning talent, Thompson will likely have many opportunities as well.