Despite all the work he has done to rebuild Tennessee football, Jeremy Pruitt still needs lots of help at outside linebacker. Outside of key four-star commitments who need to develop, Pruitt has to turn to inside linebackers like Quavaris Crouch for help. With Darrell Taylor gone, he needs more veteran help than ever.
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Enter Deandre Johnson. Along with Kivon Bennett, Johnson helped play opposite Taylor to allow for Derrick Ansley’s defense to attack the passing game from both angles. This year, Johnson, Bennett and Jordan Allen, assuming he returns to full health, figure to be the guys who can make up the edge rushing rotation at linebacker.
Only Johnson, however, was a three-star across the board. He has also been in the program the longest, as Allen was a junior college transfer and Bennett, who came in with Johnson, redshirted as a freshman. The 6’3″ 246-pound rising senior from Miami had four and a half tackles, two and a half sacks, a forced fumble and a pass deflection this past year.
Entering this year, there’s a chance he becomes the top edge rusher. After all, he is the only senior at that position. As the one three-star recruit there, that would be a major accomplishment. But even if he doesn’t reach those heights, he will still have a major role to play throughout the year in the defense, making him a very crucial player.