Tennessee football: Outlet labels these two Vols as key to 2021
Given the fact that Tennessee football hired Josh Heupel with offense on its mind, the production of returning offensive talent will be key to the Vols in 2021. That includes players in the trenches and at the skill positions.
Last week, 247Sports named wide receiver Jalin Hyatt and offensive lineman Jerome Carvin as two Vols who will be key to the season. Brad Crawford listed Hyatt as an X-factor for the season. Sam Marsdale listed Carvin as a player who needs to step up.
With the departures of Josh Palmer and Brandon Johnson, Hyatt being named makes sense, as the 6’0″ 175-pound sophomore showed flashes last year for Tennessee football and was once a four-star recruit out of South Carolina. Here’s what Crawford wrote about him.
"He’ll have to be a focal point as a sophomore within Josh Heupel’s balanced spread-look offensively. Not only can Hyatt take a top off a defense when given the opportunity, but he can make things happen within a unit a bit unsure of its playmakers at the moment."
As a true freshman, Hyatt appeared in all 10 games and had one start. The graduate of Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, S.C. had 20 catches for 276 yards and two touchdowns along with one rushing attempt for three yards. This year, Velus Jones Jr. figures to be the go-to receiver as a senior, but Hyatt could be leading the way for the breakout star in the passing game.
Carvin, meanwhile, is entering his senior year. One of Jeremy Pruitt’s earliest commitments, a four-star out of Cordova High School in Memphis, Tenn. as part of the 2018 class, the 6’5″ 313-pound versatile blocker has plenty of experience playing at this level.
Marsdale cited an article from last month by Patrick Brown of GoVols247 naming Carvin as Trey Smith’s replacement to make his case. With experience playing in every game since his freshman season and 17 career starts, all at guard, there’s certainly a case for him to be the guy to replace Smith. He and Cade Mays together could keep the interior going if the tackles develop.
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What’s interesting about the players on this list is the fact that neither writer named a quarterback. That makes sense, though, as there is faith that the quarterback, whomever he is, will just be an extension of Heupel in this system, so the development of the line and the skill players matter more for Tennessee football this season.