Tennessee football: Five true freshmen most likely to play early in 2021
Aaron Willis. 839. 1. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Linebacker. Richmond, Va.
6’1″ 225 pounds
Who’s surprised by this one? Aaron Willis may have missed all of spring practice due to an off-field issue, but he is still in a better position than any Tennessee football true freshman. Heck, he may be in better shape than any newcomer.
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It’s no secret that the Vols took a devastating hit at linebacker this offseason. Henry To’o To’o, their best defender, transferred to the Alabama Crimson Tide. Quavaris Crouch transferred to the Michigan State Spartans. J.J. Peterson and Martavius French, the latter of whom missed spring due to the same off-field incident as Willis, are still in the transfer portal.
Now, there are still some ways to offset this, starting with new defensive coordinator Tim Banks’ historical preference to run a nickel-heavy 4-3 base defense. That reduces the number of linebackers from four to two on a regular basis, assuming he sticks to that scheme, as he has expressed a desire to be multiple recently.
Then there are the names still at linebacker, including Jeremy Banks, Solon Page III, Aaron Beasley and Kwauze Garland. Transfers Juwan Mitchell and William Mohan could be stars. However, none of them are proven, and specifically at inside linebacker, for UT. There’s a huge need. That’s where Willis, who was a four-star across the board out of the Virginia and Maryland areas, comes in.
Next. Ranking all nine transfer portal additions. dark
The graduate of Life Christian Academy should have an immediate impact on Tennessee football given all the turnover at this position. Even with the number of players still there, Willis is a potential rising star right off the bat. Look for him to play early and often.