Tennessee football’s top five candidates to replace Cade Mays at RT

As Tennessee football’s backup right tackle last year, Dayne Davis is the logical choice to replace Cade Mays. However, is he ready?

Sometimes you just replace the guy with his backup. Dayne Davis saw lots of action for Tennessee football last year anyway, as Cade Mays dealt with quite a few injuries. As a result, he seems like the obvious favorite to step in and replace Mays as the starting right tackle this year.

Now, there are some real questions as to whether or not Davis can be a full-time starter anywhere on the line. After all, the former walk-on who graduated from Sullivan East High School in Bluff City, Tenn., may have proven himself to be a reliable blocker, but being the main guy anywhere is clearly a different story.

Last year, Davis had the second lowest PFF regular season grade of any offensive lineman who played at least 100 snaps, only ahead of Jerome Carvin, and remember, Carvin had to move around from left guard to center because of injuries. Simply put, Davis was probably the worst rotational lineman to see significant action last year.

That’s why there’s a legitimate race to find Tennessee football’s starting right tackle this year. However, Davis has shown an ability to develop time and time again, so he has earned the right to be the favorite to start at right tackle for now.