Tennessee football: 10 Vols who should have breakout seasons in 2022
Pick Analysis. r-Junior. 9. player. 839. Scouting Report. Defensive lineman. Elijah Simmons
6’2″ 340 pounds
To fit Tim Banks’ system, Rodney Garner has to standard defensive tackles, which would be what Matthew Butler and Omari Thomas were last year and what Thomas and probably LaTrell Bumphus will be this year. He then has a hybrid defensive tackle who can play on the end, and he also has a guy who would play nose tackle in a 3-4.
This allows Tennessee football to be multiple up front and run a deep rotation. Last year, Elijah Simmons was tasked with filling that nose tackle void, and Da’Jon Terry, who had transferred from the Kansas Jayhawks, was his backup. However, Simmons got banged up down the stretch.
As a result, with expectations of finally bursting onto the scene, Simmons finished the year with just one and a half tackles for a loss, a pass deflection and 11 tackles, only four of which were solo. He had 10 total tackles the year before. Terry, meanwhile, had two and a half tackles for a loss, a sack and 19 tackles, 11 of which were solo.
This year, though, Simmons should be primed to take this role back. He’s dropped 10 pounds to add a bit more mobility, which is helpful given how much Banks uses the nickel scheme, and he’s healthy. As a result, he’s just a rotational player, but he should emerge for Tennessee football.