Tennessee football’s top five sophomores for 2021

6’5″ 260 pounds

Elijah Simmons is a promising talent for Tennessee football at defensive tackle, which is why he makes this list. However, Tyler Baron is an expected talent for the Vols at edge rusher, and all signs point to him having a breakout season this year.

More from Vols Football

• How to Win a GUARANTEED $200 Bonus Betting Just $5 on the Vols vs. Florida!
• Tennessee Football at Florida: Five Keys to a Vols Victory
• Week 3 SEC Power Rankings: Did Tennessee Football’s Win Help At All?
• Week 3 AP Polls: Why Did Tennessee Football Drop in the Polls?
• Tennessee Football: Top Five Performers in 30-13 Win vs. Austin Peay

The graduate of Knoxville Catholic High School in Knox County had three tackles for a loss, a sack and 21 total tackles, 13 of which were solo last year. That was in reserve action as Deandre Johnson and Kivon Bennett were the main pass rushers for the Vols for most of the year. Their departures put more expectations on Baron.

Of course, a lot of the success of all of UT’s edge rushers depends on the scheme Tim Banks decides to run. However, Baron is a unique player whose talent is immune to schemes. If he has to play up on the line in a 4-3 or 4-2-5, he’ll thrive. That’s also true if Banks sticks to a 3-4. Simply put, Baron’s skills are multiple, which is why he should have an epic sophomore year.

Many players on here are based on projections, and Baron certainly fits that mold. However, more than most, it’s almost certain that he’s going to break out for the Vols. That’s enough for us to have him high up on this list of sophomores.