Tennessee football’s top 10 injury concerns for 2020

Midway through the 2019 season, Trevon Flowers was emerging. Although he was only a three-star recruit out of Georgia in Tennessee football’s 2018 class, all signs pointed to him being significantly undervalued because he played basketball and baseball rather than take part in spring activities that could boost his recruiting rankings.

Well, the 5’11” 193-pound product of Tucker High School in Atlanta, Ga. proved himself with one start that year. In 2019, he was settling in as a starter. Then, in his second start that season, against the Mississippi State Bulldogs he came away with a key interception. However, on that interception, play he suffered a broken leg and ended up missing the rest of the season.

Now, Flowers is back. There is also a ton of competition at safety with the departure of Nigel Warrior. Only Jaylen McCullough appears to be locked into a spot. The combination of a need there and Flowers’ recent injury history makes his health a huge concern for 2020. Rocky Top needs more proven depth at safety, and Flowers could provide that.

Given the fact that he relies on speed, the injury to Flowers’ leg could be a major setback. Like Emmit Gooden, we don’t know how it will affect his overall play in 2020. He was a rising star before that injury, and Jeremy Pruitt and co. will need him to get back to that. It’s up in the air if he will be able to when he takes the field this year, and his health will remain a concern.