Tennessee football: Top 10 Vols with 2021 NFL Draft potential

Once a five-star recruit to the Michigan Wolverines, Aubrey Solomon transferred to Tennessee football this past year, but he didn’t receive the eligibility waiver to play immediately until the week of the Vols’ opener against the Georgia State Panthers. As a result, Solomon needed some time to get into rhythm and be productive.

However, down the stretch of the year, he emerged as an elite player. After the Vols’ 1-4 start, Solomon helped the program turn things around by registering two sacks, 15 tackles and a fumble recovery. Those aren’t stats that blow you away, but Solomon’s job was to get the push in the middle, and he often moved into the nose tackle.

There’s a reason for that, and it’s a reason he’s the defensive tackle on this list. Despite some great performances, Greg Emerson, who stood out at times and will be eligible after this year, was still inconsistent and showed he needs more development. Beyond Emerson, Darel Middleton has his off-the-field issues that could hurt him, and Gooden is returning from an injury.

As a result, Solomon is the only defensive tackle likely to be in perfect position for the 2021 NFL Draft. He is destined for a breakout year, and with Jeremy Pruitt getting him to 6’5″ 315 pounds, there are lots of teams likely to look at him. Look for him to be the main guy up front this year.