Tennessee football: Velus Jones Jr. returning suggests he’ll be No. 1 WR

At least one veteran wide receiver is returning to the Tennessee football Volunteers.

It was just the spark Tennessee football needed. Just a few days after offensive lineman Cade Mays announced that he would return for his senior season in 2021, one of the Vols’ most productive players down the stretch of this season said he would also return.

Velus Jones Jr., who was a senior this past year, is taking advantage of the NCAA rule allowing players to retain a year of eligibility even if they play in 2021. After a strong finish to the end of the season, the Alabama native will be coming back next year.

This past year was Jones’ first season with Tennessee football, as he was a graduate transfer from the USC Trojans, where he committed to play out of Saraland High School in Saraland, Ala. while Tee Martin was wide receivers coach and offensive coordinator there. He announced his decision to return to UT on Twitter Monday.

Given the recent wave of transfers, Jones’ decision to come back suggests he knows how much Jim Chaney and Jeremy Pruitt will rely on him next year. We know that Brandon Johnson is transferring, and Josh Palmer likely won’t be back either.

That would leave Jones, who stands at 6’0″ 200 pounds, as the one senior this year who will be back. In 2020, he only caught 22 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. However, He had 195 total receiving yards and all three touchdowns against the Florida Gators and Vanderbilt Commodores, so he made a bigger impact down the stretch of the season.

If he didn’t think he’d be a major target next year, though, he would likely follow Johnson and look elsewhere for his final year of eligibility. His decision to come back combined with his late-season production lead to the idea that he’ll be used a lot more in 2021.

It’s likely Jones just needed some time to pick up Chaney’s system but began to thrive once he did. Now, though, with more familiarity, he has a chance to turn into a star next year, particularly with all of his roles. Remember, he was Tennessee football’s feature kickoff returner as well, running back 18 kicks for over 22 yards a return.

Add in the fact that he saw more targets once Jarrett Guarantano was pulled, and not having Guarantano next year could mean he’ll see even more balls thrown his way. For some reason, Jones and Guarantano never had a connection.

Chaney usually reserves go-to receiver roles for bigger targets, and Jalin Hyatt and Ramel Keyton would seem to be in line to fit that role next year. However, that’s often with quarterbacks who are more known for their strong arms. Next year, accuracy with Bailey and mobility with Kaidon Salter and Brian Maurer will be the nature of UT quarterbacks.

Although we don’t know exactly how this will play out, there’s no doubt that Tennessee football could use the return of Jones. He’s got speed and solid hands, and with another full year, he could become a deadly weapon.