Honestly, we thought Ty Chandler would leave early for the 2020 NFL Draft around this time last year. However, Tennessee football’s inconsistency in the passing game, the still-developing offensive line and the transition to Jim Chaney’s offense hurt Chandler more than anybody.
Chandler still went over 600 yards and actually increased his yardage total on the ground from 630 to 655, but his averaged dipped from five and a half yards a carry behind a historically bad offensive line to under five yards a carry behind a developing but much improved line. He also went from 183 to 63 receiving yards, and he went from seven to three total touchdowns.
Simply put, Chandler’s production dipped dramatically, and Eric Gray took his spot as the feature back later in the year. However, even with all that, Chandler is still a solid NFL Draft prospect. He probably just needed time to get acclimated to the new system and deal with the transitions. This year, things should be much better for him.
Remember, Chandler still has lots of versatility. At 5’11” 209 pounds, he has clocked in a 4.4 40-time, and he is truly an all-purpose back as a kickoff returner and a pass-catcher. If his versatility can truly return this year in an offense that should be much more refined, his draft stock will improve dramatically once again. He’s the only running back on this list.