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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 Silas Walker/Getty Images
Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images /

Final take

No matter what happens with this class going forward, Tennessee football is in good shape for 2021 with its current cast of running backs provided they all stay. In fact, that will be the first year Jeremy Pruitt will have exactly what he wants. He’ll have a veteran running back to fill every void at the position.

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Eric Gray, provided nothing changes, will still be there as the all-purpose back. Tiyon Evans is a junior college transfer who immediately fills the need for an experienced power back, and the Vols will be able to push him with Len’Neth Whitehead and Tee Hodge still in the mix. Both Whitehead and Hodge add height to their power back profile, so they could add a different type of value.

Then UT will have a complete back in Cody Brown, the four-star committed for that class. Finally, they have multiple options for their fourth back, including all-purpose back Jabari Small, who will join the roster this year, 2021 three-star Jaylen Wright, who could provides the fundamentals, or 2021 athlete Elijah Howard, who has world-class speed.

Simply put, Pruitt and Jim Chaney already have somewhat their set combination next year with Gray as the lead guy, so it’s not necessary that he add another running back to this class. That means this position should not be a focus of his anymore for next year’s class.

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Prediction

Because of how loaded Tennessee football is about to be at running back, there will be no more commitments at the position. Pruitt and Chaney have just found too much talent, and new running backs coach Jay Graham will have plenty to work with. As a result, even with the impending losses of Ty Chandler and Carlin Fils-Aime, no more running backs are joining UT’s 2021 class.

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