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Tennessee football: Evaluating 2021 RB class at dead period

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 18: Detail view of footballs lined up on the field before the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 18, 2010 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Florida won 31-17. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 18: Detail view of footballs lined up on the field before the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 18, 2010 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Florida won 31-17. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images /

Here is the running back situation for the Tennessee football Volunteers’ 2021 class.

There is nothing like having a group of running backs who can all be valuable weapons. Jeremy Pruitt has been consistent about his goal since he took over as head coach of Tennessee football. He wants to be able to go four-deep with different types of backs.

Ideally, going four-deep includes having one power back, one all-purpose back and two fundamental backs. Thanks to the efforts he has made on the recruiting trail, he’s getting to that point heading into 2020.

Even with the dismissal of Tim Jordan, Tennessee football will have the redshirt of Carlin Fils-Aime lifted. In addition to Fils-Aime, Ty Chandler has been a feature back for the past two years. Meanwhile, Eric Gray is a rising star.

Both Gray and Chandler can be all-purpose backs, and Fils-Aime and Chandler can be fundamental backs. Add in two new recruits in three-stars Tee Hodge and Len’Neth Whitehead to the 2020 class, and Pruitt has options for power backs. Finally, three-star Jabari Small gives UT a group of complete running backs for the first time in years.

However, Chandler and Fils-Aime are both seniors. As a result, Rocky Top has to keep recruiting to make sure the pipeline of running backs continues. What does that look like right now? Well, in this post, we’re going to evaluate the Vols’ running back class for 2021.

To do this, we’ll be taking a look at the players they already have committed, the top prospects being pursued and other potential prospects. We’ll close with a final take of what they need and what we think will happen.

Heading into this year, Rocky Top is in good shape at running back. But in the midst of this dead period, which is longer than usual for the sport, what are they looking like for the future? Let’s break that down now. This is our evaluation of the running backs situation in Tennessee football’s top five ranked 2021 recruiting class.

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