Tennessee football: 10 safest starting spots on 2020 roster

Tight end

If the 6’4″ 235-pounds fifth-year local senior out of Christian Academy of Knoxville is fully healthy, he’ll be much higher up on this list. Having Austin Pope down at No. 10 is the compromise of the separate reports that have come out about him throughout the summer. They’re not contradicting, but they alter the message.

Earlier in the summer, Pope revealed that he had to have surgery due to a herniated disc in his back. At the time, it seemed as if he was out indefinitely, and he had battled minor injuries throughout last year. However, Jeremy Pruitt then updated at the start of fall camp that Pope is improving and, at this rate, could be ready to go for the opener.

As a result, we’re hedging and putting him 10th. If Pope is healthy, he’ll clearly be Tennessee football’s top tight end. Last year, he was the lead run-blocking tight end, starting alongside Dominick Wood-Anderson, for all 13 games. With Wood-Anderson gone, he figures to take on a larger role this year.

Obviously, Jordan Allen’s conversion to the position, Princeton Fant’s experience and the multiple young guys make this whole unit very deep. But Pope is safely ahead of everybody as the top run-blocker, and that makes it certain he will be starting in every game he’s healthy this year. If he develops receiving skills, nobody will have a chance to compete with him for playing time.