Tennessee football: Alontae Taylor not playing in bowl game best for both parties

We’re reaching that time where players make a decision as to whether or not they will stay or go for the NFL. The 2020 COVID eligibility ruling makes it tricky, as many seniors have another year left, and that applies to Tennessee football in a big way.

Jerome Carvin confirmed he’s returning earlier in the week, a huge boost for the offensive line. However, on Wednesday, cornerback Alontae Taylor, who has been a four-year starter, revealed he will not be coming back.

Taylor, who said he has been battling injuries the past two weeks, revealed he will declare for the 2022 NFL Draft and will not play in Tennessee football’s bowl game. He made the announcements Wednesday night on Twitter.

Honestly, Taylor is making the right choice. He’s ready for the pros and needs to get healthy. It may be helpful for other Vols not coming back to follow suit. We’ll have to see what guys like Trevon Flowers and Cade Mays do, but if they are choosing to leave, they should do the same thing.

Nowadays, nobody’s draft stock really improves in a meaningless bowl, especially if their stock is high enough for them to be confident enough in leaving before their eligibility is up. Unless they’re playing in the College Football Playoff, there’s too much information out there for any NFL scout to overreact to one bowl performance that everybody knows involves teams not at full strength.

As a result, it makes sense for a player like Taylor to sit out if he’s focused on the NFL. At the same time, though, it’s also helpful for the programs. With the Vols looking towards the future under Josh Heupel, they also benefit from Taylor sitting out.

Look, there are questions about UT’s secondary in the future. Kenneth George Jr. will be gone just like Taylor, so Warren Burrell is the only returning starter. Kamal Hadden and Brandon Turnage have both seen action at cornerback and nickel, and both of them will be seeing a heavier role next year, as Theo Jackson also can’t return.

It’d be really helpful if they got the start in the bowl game so Heupel and the coaches could see how they play together. Turnage showed promise earlier in the year by winning SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors in a win over the South Carolina Gamecocks while starting at nickel. Hadden played well against the Alabama Crimson Tide two weeks later.

These two haven’t started full-time together, though. The bowl would be the perfect chance for them to do that, and with Taylor gone, at least one of them will. That’ll be a huge step forward for the Vols as they get set for 2022.

Obviously, Tennessee football will have questions elsewhere, and plenty of other players need to make decisions. The transfer portal also will limit the number of answers Vol fans can find in the bowl, but it does help. Players like Turnage and Hadden getting those extra practices with the first team is a huge boost.

In the meantime, everybody should wish Taylor the best. He’s been a great and loyal Vol the past four years, and his NFL future is bright. As one of the leaders Heupel’s first year, he truly did help set the standard for the program.