Tennessee football vs. Chattanooga: Five Mocs to watch for against Vols

4. Devonnsha Maxwell

Defensive Lineman; Sophomore

6’2″ 275 lbs

So far, as just a sophomore, Devonnsha Maxwell has burst onto the scene as an elite defender up front for the Chattanooga Mocs. And since he lines up in the middle, Tennessee football could have some trouble. After all, despite their improvements on the offensive line, their interior line has remained a major issue.

If you don’t believe it, just look at how the Vols have struggled on short-yardage plays. They failed to convert a 3rd and 2 and a 3rd and 1 against the Georgia State Panthers, and a week later, they failed to convert two 4th and 1 plays, and they ran the ball both times. So there are major issues up front for UT, and Maxwell could exploit that.

Against Eastern Illinois to open the season, Maxwell had six tackles and one and a half tackles for a loss. The next week, he had a drop-off in the Mocs’ loss to Jacksonville State. However, he still managed two tackles and one tackle for a loss. So he is a force to be reckoned with and maybe the Mocs’ best defensive player.

This is already a good start after his FCS Freshman All-American season, in which he had 32 tackles, six and a half tackles for a loss and five and a half sacks. Maxwell may be a bit undersized when going up against SEC offensive linemen, but his proven production and the issues facing the Vols will still give him plenty of chances to wreak havoc.