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Evaluating Tennessee football’s 2023 class at dead period: RBs

By Caleb Calhoun

Smokey and the Volunteer celebrate a touchdown during a NCAA football game against Tennessee Tech at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.Kns Tennessee Tenn Tech Football
Smokey and the Volunteer celebrate a touchdown during a NCAA football game against Tennessee Tech at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.Kns Tennessee Tenn Tech Football /
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Nov 6, 2021; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Jabari Small (2) runs the ball in for a touchdown during the third quarter against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 6, 2021; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Jabari Small (2) runs the ball in for a touchdown during the third quarter against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports /

RBs on roster who will still be eligible in 2023

Jabari Small (Junior)

Jaylen Wright (Sophomore)

Len’Neth Whitehead (r-Sophomore)

Justin Williams-Thomas (Freshman)

Dylan Sampson (Freshman)

Patrick Wilk (r-Freshman)

Hunter Barnes (Freshman)

If you look at this breakdown, Tennessee football has two feature backs, two all-purpose backs and a power back on scholarship who will all be eligible still in 2023. Now, there’s a chance Jabari Small turns pro early if he has an entire season like the way he ended the 2021 season, but he’d have to take a big step forward.

A healthy Len’Neth Whitehead will finally give Josh Heupel and Jerry Mack the three-headed monster at the position they’ve always wanted. Jaylen Wright emerged late in the season as the speedy all-purpose back, a role he’ll hold for the future.

Justin Williams-Thomas was a four-star across the board who arrived in the spring, and Dylan Sampson arrived in the summer. They would be the future feature and all-purpose backs respectively, and that’s what keeps the Vols set up if Small decides to leave early.

Hunter Barnes was an addition out of MUS in Memphis this year, and he joins Patrick Wilk as the two walk-ons in the program. Both have at least four years of eligibility left, so if either develops, they give Heupel even more options. Four scholarship players being sophomores or freshmen is huge for the team, though.

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