All for Tennessee
Fansided

Tennessee football: 10 toughest Vols to replace from 2020 for 2021 season

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee offensive lineman Trey Smith (73) takes the field ahead of a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019.Utbyu0907
Tennessee offensive lineman Trey Smith (73) takes the field ahead of a game between Tennessee and BYU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, September 7, 2019.Utbyu0907 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 10
Next
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – NOVEMBER 30: Eric Gray #3 of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second quarter of the game 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 of the game at Neyland Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /

Scouting Report. Eric Gray. player. Pick Analysis. Running back. Transferred. 7. 815

New team: Oklahoma Sooners

While Ty Chandler is a team player and mastered many of the fundamentals of playing running back, nobody would doubt that Eric Gray was a bigger departure at the position. For starters, he is younger. The 5’10” 205-pound speedster has two years of eligibility remaining at least, maybe even three. He was a huge steal for the Oklahoma Sooners.

On top of that, though, Gray is actually better with the ball in his hands. He was Tennessee football’s top offensive producer last year, and in two seasons over all, he has 258 carries for 1,311 yards and eight touchdowns to go along with 43 catches for 369 yards and three touchdowns. The guy is star in every way.

Obviously, his breakout period came at the end of 2019, when he had 246 yards and three touchdowns against the Vanderbilt Commodores, one of which went 94 yards, and then recovered the onside kick and scored the game-winning touchdown against the Indiana Hoosiers in the Gator Bowl. That was when the future still seemed bright under Jeremy Pruitt.

To be fair, Gray is down on this list as well. That’s mainly because of the talent brought in at running back. Jabari Small is back, Jaylen Wright is a speedster, and junior college transfer Tiyon Evans is a complete player. Then there are multiple power backs. Somebody is bound to step up among those guys.

Home/Vols Football