Tennessee football: Top five true freshman of Vols 2019 season by impact

He never technically started a game. Eric Gray sat behind Ty Chandler and Tim Jordan all year. But he still managed to become a major playmaker for Tennessee football and proved down the stretch of the season why he was a four-star all-purpose back coming out of Memphis in the Vols’ 2019 recruiting class.

Gray’s breakout game, ironically, came on Senior Day for Rocky Top. Against the Vanderbilt Commodores, he set a school-record for rushing yards in a game by a freshman with 246. He had three touchdowns in the process, including the longest play of the year and one of the longest of the decade, a 94-yard touchdown run.

Against the Indiana Hoosiers in the Gator Bowl, Gray was even better. He recovered the onside kick in their comeback to win 23-22, and he scored the game-winning touchdown two plays later. For the game, he had 14 carries for 86 yards, two receptions for 34 yards and a touchdown. So he was an all-around elite player.

Meanwhile, Gray finished the season with 101 carries for 539 yards, averaging nearly five and a half yards a carry, and he caught 13 passes for 115 yards. He had five total touchdowns. This guy is a star playmaker, and his skills make him a dangerous player in the future. Gray’s ability to cut and run while also be an impact player in the passing game make him a rare talent.