Tennessee football’s top five true freshmen most likely to play in 2022

Injuries at running back combined with Justin Williams-Thomas’ hype and style of play make him a prime candidate to see lots of action for Tennessee football.

He wasn’t on any list at the beginning despite the hype behind him, but things have changed dramatically for Justin Williams-Thomas. When Len’Neth Whitehead went down with a season-ending injury, Jerry Mack would not be able to use his three-headed monster anymore of a power back, an all-purpose back and a feature back.

Sure, Tennessee football added Clemson Tigers transfer Lyn-J Dixon, but he’s another speed back. His addition is also what pushed Dylan Sampson off this list, as Sampson, a true freshman, is an all-purpose back playing the same position as Dixon and Jaylen Wright. It elevated Williams-Thomas, though, and for good reason.

Williams-Thomas seems more likely now to back up Small as the other feature back, which should work well given his frame. Sure, there’s still no power back, but it gives Josh Heupel the versatility he needs to make sure the running back situation is solid going forward. There won’t be three different backs, but he can go four-deep.

We all know Tennessee football’s system under Heupel and Alex Golesh starts with the run. Despite the tempo, spreading the field and the elite quarterback play, they run to set up everything. That creates a need for multiple backs, and Williams-Thomas can fill that void.