Tennessee football: 10 major revelations from Vols start of spring practice

9. Aaron Beasley has moved from defensive back to linebacker.

Once a three-star athlete in Tennessee football’s 2019 recruiting class, Aaron Beasley played defensive back for the Vols during his freshman season. He saw action in nine different games and came away with two total tackles, one of which was a solo tackle. So the impact he had on the program was pretty limited, but that was expected.

What was not expected was the fact that he would move to linebacker this spring. That is one of the things that was revealed on the depth chart we shared a link to in our opening slide. Beasley, who stands 6’1″ 215 pounds, will now be joining a more physical unit despite his frame suggesting he doesn’t have the size to do it.

This is likely a move out of desperation due to lack of depth. Jeremy Pruitt noted in Tuesday’s interview that the Vols are actually thinned than they would like to be at linebacker, particularly with Quavaris Crouch out. As a result, they need more options at the position, and moving Beasley there gives them that extra option, for whatever it’s worth.

However, safety has an opening as well after the departure of Nigel Warrior, and moving Beasley away from there could raise another issue. As a result, this is a big deal on two fronts, and it is certainly a bit of a surprise move. Whether or not it translates to Beasley seeing more action on the field remains to be seen, but he certainly will have his chances this spring.