Very few players were as underused as Dominick Wood-Anderson in 2018. He was a four-star junior college tight end who got his rating specifically for his receiving abilities and was lured away from Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Despite being primarily a receiver, Wood-Anderson has the size of a blocking tight end at 6’4″ 257 pounds.
Simply put, Tennessee football has a rare weapon here. In 2018, he caught 17 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns. But his numbers should be so much bigger given his abilities, and entering his senior season, that’s going to be the expectation. After all, he’s one of the biggest mismatches on the field. There’s no way the offense doesn’t utilize that.
Jeremy Pruitt loves physical tight ends, and new offensive coordinator Jim Chaney loves incorporating receiving tight ends into his passing game. Wood-Anderson brings that key combination to the offense, so there’s no reason to avoid getting him the ball as much as possible. While Austin Pope will see action, Wood-Anderson is clearly the tight end.
Remember what Chaney did when he had Mychal Rivera his last stint on Rocky Top? There’s no reason to believe he can’t do even more with Wood-Anderson. This year, Wood-Anderson should be a major impact player and another insane weapon in the passing game. Don’t be surprised if he gets lots of national recognition for his play.