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Tennessee football’s top five sophomores for 2020

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 30: Eric Gray #3 of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 30: Eric Gray #3 of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images /

player. Pick Analysis. Running back. Eric Gray. 3. 839. Scouting Report. 5'10 205 pounds

Hometown: Memphis, Tenn.

There were numerous offensive weapons for Tennessee football who saw action as freshmen. Wide receiver Cedric Tillman and even quarterbacks Brian Maurer and JT Shrout all played a good bit, with both Maurer and Shrout starting games. Ramel Keyton had a great bowl game and appears to be another rising star at wide receiver.

However, no offensive weapon broke out like Eric Gray. The product of Lausanne Collegiate School in West Tennessee, Gray was a speedy four-star recruit who spent most of his time behind Ty Chandler and Tim Jordan. By the end of the season, though, his development had shown.

Gray ran for 246 yards and three touchdowns in the season finale against the Vanderbilt Commodores. He then had 120 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown while recovering the onside kick in the Gator Bowl comeback win to beat the Indiana Hoosiers.

Simply put, the guy became a breakout start. Jeremy Pruitt and Jim Chaney have both expressed their desire to use four running backs, and Gray gave them another option. Now, with Jay Graham back as running backs coach, he’s got a great chance to develop as well.

This season, with Jordan dismissed, Gray and Chandler will be the by-committee starting backs, and he should be able to carry what he did at the end of last year into this year. With a power back added and Carlin Fils-Aime’s redshirt being dismissed, he also helps the Vols get the depth the coaches always wanted at the position.

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