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Tennessee football: 10 players Vols can least afford to lose for 2022

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee defensive back Trevon Flowers (1) and teammates return to the locker room after warming up for the NCAA college football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the South Carolina Gamecocks in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, October 9, 2021.Utvsc1007
Tennessee defensive back Trevon Flowers (1) and teammates return to the locker room after warming up for the NCAA college football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the South Carolina Gamecocks in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, October 9, 2021.Utvsc1007 /
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Tennessee linebacker Jeremy Banks (33) makes an interception during an NCAA football game between Tennessee and Missouri on Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Mo., on Saturday, Oct. 2 , 2021.Utmizzou 1002 0807
Tennessee linebacker Jeremy Banks (33) makes an interception during an NCAA football game between Tennessee and Missouri on Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Mo., on Saturday, Oct. 2 , 2021.Utmizzou 1002 0807 /

Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. r-Senior. Jeremy Banks. 9. Linebacker. player. 839

6’1″ 224 pounds

As we mentioned in the opening slide, Tennessee football was wrecked at linebacker last year after Juwan Mitchell went down for the season. Jeremy Banks was the other main linebacker, and he was joined in the rotation by Aaron Beasley and Solon Page III. They had the three lowest PFF regular season grades of anybody who played at least 100 snaps.

Simply put, there were some major issues at linebacker last year, which were to be expected given the injury to Mitchell and the transfers to Henry To’o To’o and Quavaris Crouch a year ago. It’s hard to say losing Mitchell again would be devastating because we don’t know how fresh and in rhythm he’ll be to start the season in the first place.

However, it’s a different story with Banks. Although his PFF grade was low too, Banks was the ultimate playmaker for the Vols. He led the SEC among players coming back for this year and tackles and led all linebackers in the SEC coming back for this year in solo tackles.

On top of that, Banks was a top five linebacker returning for this year in tackles for a loss. Taking all of that into account, while he may have a few issues in coverage, he’s crucial to this unit, as he’s the only proven contributor back there. Losing him would cause a similar problem that losing Mitchell caused.

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