2023 Depth Chart

#1

NighthawkVol

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2007
Messages
10,019
Likes
34,848
#1
The addition of Jeudy-Lally feels like the last one from the portal, at least until after Spring (although I could see a transfer QB come in to be the 3rd string guy). So I thought I'd take another stab at the 2023 depth chart. By my count, we have 86 scholarship players at the moment, but that's counting DeSean Bishop as a scholarship player. There seems to be some conflicting reports about that.

Some of these guys will play multiple positions, so their position on this depth chart may not accurately reflect how much PT they'll get. For example, I think Josephs and Pearce will both get bigger, stronger, make a big jump, and be studs at the LEO spot, bumping Harrison down to 3rd. But Harrison will also play a lot on the other side, especially in pass rush situations. In fact, Banks often puts 3 DEs on the field for pass rush situations, so you might see Josephs, Pearce, and Harrison on the field at the same time. Same with Dont'e Thornton. He'll play both slot and outside WR. Crawford can play RT or LT and is probably the top backup at both. And of course, Cam Seldon will be a weapon utilized in different roles.

Of course, we really don't know what to expect from the freshmen until later. We'll see how they do in Spring and Fall camps. Maybe one or both of the outside freshman CBs impress. Maybe Hobbs can't be kept off the field. But for now, with a few exceptions (i.e., Arion Carter, Jordan Matthews, Ricky Gibson), I was pretty conservative in my placement of the freshmen on the depth chart.

Lastly, we will obviously see some guys depart after spring. I'm guessing a CB or two leaves (Hadden?). Maybe a DT who isn't getting PT. Maybe even a Safety (McCollough, if gets passed on the depth chart?). But that said, I think this 2-deep looks REALLY good. The 2nd team at almost every position is as good as its been in many, many years. We're getting top tier SEC depth now. And with this coaching staff, it'll be fun to watch who develops. Think about how much guys like Beasley, Wright, Small, Warren, Spraggins, Mays, Keyton, Baron, Thomas, etc. have improved under this staff. Now imagine that same improvement with guys like Josephs, Pearce, McCoy, Sampson, Mincey, Walker, Slaughter, and others. On top of that, so many of the top freshmen are already enrolled, developing and getting coached up to be ready by September. Lots to be excited about.

QB- Joe Milton (RSSr.), Nico Iamaleava (Fr.)

RB- Jaylen Wright (Jr.), Jabari Small (Sr.), Dylan Sampson (So.), Cameron Seldon (Fr.), Khalifa Keith (Fr.), DeSean Bishop (Fr.)

WR- Bru McCoy (RSJr.), Kaleb Webb (So.), Nate Spillman (Fr.)

WR- Ramel Keyton (Sr.), Chas Nimrod (So.), Nathan Leacock (Fr.)

WR- Squirrel White (So.), Dont’e Thornton (Jr.)

TE- Jacob Warren (RSSr.), McCallan Castles (Sr.), Ethan Davis (Fr.)

RT- John Campbell (RSSr.), Dayne Davis (RSSr.), Larry Johnson, III (RSSo.), Shamurad Umarov (Fr.)

RG- Javontez Spraggins (Sr.), Masai Reddick (RSFr.), Vysen Lang (Fr.), Ayden Bussell (Fr.)

C- Cooper Mays (Sr.), Addison Nichols (RSFr.), Jackson Lampley (RSJr.)

LG- Andrej Karic (So.), Ollie Lane (RSSr.), Maurice Clipper, Jr. (RSFr.)

LT- Gerald Mincey (RSJr.), Jeremiah Crawford (Sr.), Brian Grant (RSFr.)



SDE- Tyler Baron (Sr.), Tyre West (So.), Dominic Bailey (RSJr.), Daevin Hobbs (Fr.), Nathan Robinson (Fr.)

DT- Bryson Eason (Sr.), Da’Jon Terry (RSSr.), Kurot Garland (RSSr.), Tyree Weathersby (Fr.), Trevor Duncan, (Fr.)

DT- Omari Thomas (Sr.), Omar Norman-Lott (RSSr.), Elijah Simmons (RSSr.), Amari McNeil (RSSo.), Jayson Jenkins (RSFr.)

LEO- Joshua Josephs (So.), James Pearce (So.), Roman Harrison (Sr.), Caleb Herring (Fr.), Chandavian Bradley (Fr.)

MIKE- Keenan Pili (Sr.), Elijah Herring (So.), Jeremiah Telendar (Fr.), Kwauze Garland (RSSr.)

WLB- Aaron Beasley (Sr.), Arion Carter (Fr.), Kaleb Perry (RSFr.), Jalen Smith (Fr.)

LCB- Gabe Jeudy-Lally (RSSr.), Jordan Matthews (Fr.), Christian Charles (Jr.), Kamal Hadden (RSSr.)

RCB- Warren Burrell (Sr.), Rickey Gibson (Fr.), De’Shawn Rucker (Jr.), Dee Williams (Sr.)

NB- Tamarion McDonald (Sr.), Brandon Turnage (RSJr.), Christian Harrison (RSFr.), Christian Conyer (Fr.)

S- Doneiko Slaughter (Sr.), Jaylen McCollough (Sr.), Andre Turrentine (RSSo.), Cameron Miller (RSFr.)

S- Wesley Walker (RSJr.), Jourdan Thomas (So.), John Slaughter (Fr.), Jack Luttrell (Fr.)



K- Charles Campbell (Sr.)

P- Jackson Ross (So.)



KR- Squirrel White (So.)

PR- Dee Williams (Sr.)

LS- Matthew Salansky (RSSr.)*



86 on scholarship

*Non-scholarship player
 
#3
#3
With how well Slaughter played at CB this year, I don't think we'll see him at safety. He might move back to NB though, as that's actually where he started his career, but he might just start at corner.

We have a lot of options in the secondary, just have to hope they can find the right combination.
 
#5
#5
Is Daevin Hobbs supposed to be an inside or outside defensive lineman? We have so many SR interior guys and it doesn't seem like we've got a lot of depth after 2023 as of right now.
 
#8
#8
The addition of Jeudy-Lally feels like the last one from the portal, at least until after Spring (although I could see a transfer QB come in to be the 3rd string guy). So I thought I'd take another stab at the 2023 depth chart. By my count, we have 86 scholarship players at the moment, but that's counting DeSean Bishop as a scholarship player. There seems to be some conflicting reports about that.

Some of these guys will play multiple positions, so their position on this depth chart may not accurately reflect how much PT they'll get. For example, I think Josephs and Pearce will both get bigger, stronger, make a big jump, and be studs at the LEO spot, bumping Harrison down to 3rd. But Harrison will also play a lot on the other side, especially in pass rush situations. In fact, Banks often puts 3 DEs on the field for pass rush situations, so you might see Josephs, Pearce, and Harrison on the field at the same time. Same with Dont'e Thornton. He'll play both slot and outside WR. Crawford can play RT or LT and is probably the top backup at both. And of course, Cam Seldon will be a weapon utilized in different roles.

Of course, we really don't know what to expect from the freshmen until later. We'll see how they do in Spring and Fall camps. Maybe one or both of the outside freshman CBs impress. Maybe Hobbs can't be kept off the field. But for now, with a few exceptions (i.e., Arion Carter, Jordan Matthews, Ricky Gibson), I was pretty conservative in my placement of the freshmen on the depth chart.

Lastly, we will obviously see some guys depart after spring. I'm guessing a CB or two leaves (Hadden?). Maybe a DT who isn't getting PT. Maybe even a Safety (McCollough, if gets passed on the depth chart?). But that said, I think this 2-deep looks REALLY good. The 2nd team at almost every position is as good as its been in many, many years. We're getting top tier SEC depth now. And with this coaching staff, it'll be fun to watch who develops. Think about how much guys like Beasley, Wright, Small, Warren, Spraggins, Mays, Keyton, Baron, Thomas, etc. have improved under this staff. Now imagine that same improvement with guys like Josephs, Pearce, McCoy, Sampson, Mincey, Walker, Slaughter, and others. On top of that, so many of the top freshmen are already enrolled, developing and getting coached up to be ready by September. Lots to be excited about.

QB- Joe Milton (RSSr.), Nico Iamaleava (Fr.)

RB- Jaylen Wright (Jr.), Jabari Small (Sr.), Dylan Sampson (So.), Cameron Seldon (Fr.), Khalifa Keith (Fr.), DeSean Bishop (Fr.)

WR- Bru McCoy (RSJr.), Kaleb Webb (So.), Nate Spillman (Fr.)

WR- Ramel Keyton (Sr.), Chas Nimrod (So.), Nathan Leacock (Fr.)

WR- Squirrel White (So.), Dont’e Thornton (Jr.)

TE- Jacob Warren (RSSr.), McCallan Castles (Sr.), Ethan Davis (Fr.)

RT- John Campbell (RSSr.), Dayne Davis (RSSr.), Larry Johnson, III (RSSo.), Shamurad Umarov (Fr.)

RG- Javontez Spraggins (Sr.), Masai Reddick (RSFr.), Vysen Lang (Fr.), Ayden Bussell (Fr.)

C- Cooper Mays (Sr.), Addison Nichols (RSFr.), Jackson Lampley (RSJr.)

LG- Andrej Karic (So.), Ollie Lane (RSSr.), Maurice Clipper, Jr. (RSFr.)

LT- Gerald Mincey (RSJr.), Jeremiah Crawford (Sr.), Brian Grant (RSFr.)



SDE- Tyler Baron (Sr.), Tyre West (So.), Dominic Bailey (RSJr.), Daevin Hobbs (Fr.), Nathan Robinson (Fr.)

DT- Bryson Eason (Sr.), Da’Jon Terry (RSSr.), Kurot Garland (RSSr.), Tyree Weathersby (Fr.), Trevor Duncan, (Fr.)

DT- Omari Thomas (Sr.), Omar Norman-Lott (RSSr.), Elijah Simmons (RSSr.), Amari McNeil (RSSo.), Jayson Jenkins (RSFr.)

LEO- Joshua Josephs (So.), James Pearce (So.), Roman Harrison (Sr.), Caleb Herring (Fr.), Chandavian Bradley (Fr.)

MIKE- Keenan Pili (Sr.), Elijah Herring (So.), Jeremiah Telendar (Fr.), Kwauze Garland (RSSr.)

WLB- Aaron Beasley (Sr.), Arion Carter (Fr.), Kaleb Perry (RSFr.), Jalen Smith (Fr.)

LCB- Gabe Jeudy-Lally (RSSr.), Jordan Matthews (Fr.), Christian Charles (Jr.), Kamal Hadden (RSSr.)

RCB- Warren Burrell (Sr.), Rickey Gibson (Fr.), De’Shawn Rucker (Jr.), Dee Williams (Sr.)

NB- Tamarion McDonald (Sr.), Brandon Turnage (RSJr.), Christian Harrison (RSFr.), Christian Conyer (Fr.)

S- Doneiko Slaughter (Sr.), Jaylen McCollough (Sr.), Andre Turrentine (RSSo.), Cameron Miller (RSFr.)

S- Wesley Walker (RSJr.), Jourdan Thomas (So.), John Slaughter (Fr.), Jack Luttrell (Fr.)



K- Charles Campbell (Sr.)

P- Jackson Ross (So.)



KR- Squirrel White (So.)

PR- Dee Williams (Sr.)

LS- Matthew Salansky (RSSr.)*



86 on scholarship

*Non-scholarship player
Did you play football at UT?
 
#9
#9
Extreme wishful thinking to think Hadden won’t make the 3 deep, imo

Charles isn’t really any better than him and I’m not going to pencil in a true freshman Matthews over him without first seeing how he looks in spring ball.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smokey19rt
#10
#10
Do you think Andej Karic will move to Guard ? My thoughts were he will compete for 2 Tackle spots with Campbell, Crawford and Mincey while Addison will play the LG with Lampley.
 
  • Like
Reactions: keenobserver
#11
#11
@GregAmsler Honestly that looks like a pretty talented and deep roster.

Interesting that you think Mincey and Crawford won't both start. I kind of figured that Crawford would move to RT.

I don't think they got John Campbell to sit on the bench. I agree that if they hadn't landed Campbell, Crawford would have been the starting RT.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smokey19rt
#13
#13
Extreme wishful thinking to think Hadden won’t make the 3 deep, imo

Charles isn’t really any better than him and I’m not going to pencil in a true freshman Matthews over him without first seeing how he looks in spring ball.

Charles was playing his first year at CB. I think his upside is much higher, while Hadden is closer to his upside. I think Charles passes him. And Hadden may leave. Just a hunch.
 
  • Like
Reactions: murfvol1
#16
#16
Do you think Andej Karic will move to Guard ? My thoughts were he will compete for 2 Tackle spots with Campbell, Crawford and Mincey while Addison will play the LG with Lampley.

I don't think he'll move to Guard, I think he is a Guard who can play RT, and he's the frontrunner to take Carvin's spot. They wanted to get Campbell because they wanted a true Tackle.
 
#20
#20
Just get McCullough off the field! Anybody at safety would be better!

Well, not necessarily. We probably cannot see clearly as fans where the inadequacies were in the secondary. The one thing we can know is that the Vols ended up playing natural safeties at Corner. There's a different conversation to be had about the DC and how he handled his issues. But you really can't deny that UT filled its CB depth chart for most of the years with guys who should have been playing S or Star. That fact hurt the guys who were tasked with playing safety.
 
#24
#24
there are almost 180 players in the portal for at least the 2nd time. Many a third and fourth time. NCAA is granting waivers on that sitting a year right and left.

IMO, players are not having to sit..

What about that woman's basketball player from UK? I thought they were clamping down on this?
 
#25
#25
@GregAmsler Honestly that looks like a pretty talented and deep roster.

Interesting that you think Mincey and Crawford won't both start. I kind of figured that Crawford would move to RT.
Mincey gets dinged frequently. Best to have Crawford spell him during games and available to spot start. Neither are better than Campbell as RT, imo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NighthawkVol

VN Store



Back
Top