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Tennessee football: Top 10 junior college Vols of all time

By Caleb Calhoun

6 Sep 1997: Defensive tackle Leonard Little of the Tennessee Volunteers stands on the field during a game against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Tennessee won the game 30-24.
6 Sep 1997: Defensive tackle Leonard Little of the Tennessee Volunteers stands on the field during a game against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Tennessee won the game 30-24. /
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Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images
Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images /

Honorable Mentions

Anthony Miller

Wide receiver; 1986-1987

An eventual NFL Pro Bowler, Anthony Miller arrived from Pasadena City College in Pasadena, Calif. in 1986 and helped Tennessee football return to a bowl game with 667 receiving yards and five touchdowns. However, in 1987, he barely played due to nagging injuries, and that is probably what kept him off this list.

Bernard Dafney

Offensive lineman; 1990-1991

Bernard Dafney came with Chris Mims out of Los Angeles Southwest Junior College in Los Angeles, Calif. in 1990. In that loaded junior college class, and he became a key offensive lineman for the Vols, helping them win a second straight SEC title with an elite rushing attack. We should note that he scored a touchdown on a trick play in 1990 at the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Julian Battle

Defensive back; 2001-2002

After a rough season in 2000, the Vols’ secondary upgraded by adding Julian battle out of Los Angeles Valley College in LA. He helped the team go 11-2 and finish in the top five in 2001. Battle was a rare bright spot in 2002 as well. In two years, he had 132 tackles, two sacks, seven tackles for a loss, three forced and recovered fumbles, 13 passes broken up and three interceptions.

Related Story. 10 greatest single seasons by Vols players in school history. light

Mychal Rivera

Tight end; 2010-2012

Just like Cordarrelle Patterson, Mychal Rivera was a huge part of Tennessee football’s record-setting offense in 2012. He joined in 2010, though, as a member of Derek Dooley’s first recruiting class out of the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif. In three years, Rivera had 76 receptions for 1,018 yards and six touchdowns, including five touchdowns and 562 yards in 2012.

Dan McCullers

Defensive lineman; 2012-2013

In an attempt to make Sal Sunseri’s 3-4 scheme work, Derek Dooley added 6’7″ 352-pound nose tackle Dan McCullers in 2012. Well, it didn’t work, but McCullers became a star, particularly when the Vols went back to a 4-3 under Butch Jones in 2003. In two years, McCullers had 72 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, a forced and recovered fumble and two passes broken up.

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