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Tennessee football’s top five graduate seniors 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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A huge reason for the excitement behind Tennessee football this year is the number of players who elected to come back and use an extra senior year of eligibility. The NCAA allowed players to play in 2020 and not have it count against their eligibility due to COVID, so seniors since then have been allowed to come back.

This upcoming year for the Vols includes a large group of seniors who opted to use that final year of eligibility despite being seniors last year. Some need the chance to play, others have a chance to further improve their draft stock, and others, honestly, maybe just did it because they like UT.

Whatever the reason may be, they will almost all play a crucial role in the success of UT this year, but who are the most important players in that group? Let’s break that down here. This is our ranking of Tennessee football’s top five graduate seniors who actually are in their final year of eligibility with the NCAA.

These are the best Tennessee football Volunteers who won’t have any eligibility left after Josh Heupel’s second year on Rocky Top.

Tennessee defensive lineman LaTrell Bumphus (11) during morning football practice on campus on Thursday, August 19, 2021.Kns Ut Football Practice Bp
Tennessee defensive lineman LaTrell Bumphus (11) during morning football practice on campus on Thursday, August 19, 2021.Kns Ut Football Practice Bp /

839. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Defensive lineman. 5. 6'3 290 lbs. LaTrell Bumphus. player

After playing three different positions and in four different systems, LaTrell Bumphus should be settled in at defensive tackle for Tennessee football.

Not only is he a graduate senior, but LaTrell Bumphus is loaded with experience all over. He committed to the Vols as a defensive end in Bob Shoop’s 4-3 under Butch Jones in 2017. Then Jeremy Pruitt arrived, and he converted to tight end. However, a year later, he converted back to defensive end in Pruitt’s 3-4.

Tim Banks came along and moved him inside to defensive tackle. Last year, he battled injuries while backing up Matthew Butler. In spite of all that, he seems destined to shine this year. Bumphus’ only fully healthy year as a rotational player saw him rack up six tackles for a loss and two sacks in 2019, and he wasn’t even a full-time starter.

This year, he is expected to be a full-time starter for Tennessee football at defensive tackle. As a result, he makes the list. Solon Page III, Paxton Brooks and Chase McGrath all almost made this spot, but every down players get priority over special teams players. Page, meanwhile, could see his time reduce with Juwan Mitchell back.

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