Lots of people may be shocked by this. However, there is solid evidence that we will provide to show that Shawn Shamburger may be Tennessee football’s best player on either side of the ball in 2020, and that makes him the top pro prospect.
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Shamburger has been playing for three years in two different systems, so he has plenty of experience as a senior. Starting at nickel with Baylen Buchanan out last year, he had 47 tackles, two pass deflections, an interception, four and a half tackles for a loss and three sacks. At 5’11” 185 pounds, he has the ability to play any position in the secondary, a rare talent.
Meanwhile, Pro-Football Focus ranked Shamburger as the Vols’ best returning player because of his abilities in coverage. He never allowed a receiver to gain more than 45 yards in a game, and he was fourth in the nation with 0.67 yards per coverage snap while guarding slot receivers, meaning guys he guarded in the slot averaged only two-thirds a yard when the ball was thrown their way.
So as an elite player in guarding slot receiver and a guy who could play safety, Shamburger has a lot he can show pro scouts. Then there is the personnel. The Vols lost Nigel Warrior to the pros. Trevon Flowers and Baylen Buchanan are both coming back from season-ending injuries. As a result, with only the cornerback slots locked up, Jeremy Pruitt will be using Shamburger a lot.
With the chance to make lots of plays and the secondary being heavily reliant on him, Shamburger’s versatility and experience could turn him into an elite pro prospect this year. He could be Tennessee football’s most important player on defense, and based on what we’ve seen, he’s got to be their top pro prospect right now.