Bleacher Report's Top DEs Heading Into Spring Practice

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Vol_is_Lyfe18

Vol_is_Lyfe18

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College Football's Top DEs Entering 2015 Spring Practice | Bleacher Report

From the article:

When talking about freshmen defensive ends, Garrett is probably going to be the first name that pops into everyone's head. He's earned that name recognition, to be sure. There's an argument to be made, though, that Derek Barnett of Tennessee was every bit as good as Garrett last season.

As a first-year player, Barnett was a monster with 72 tackles, 20.5 of which went for a loss (best on the team), and 10 sacks. Those TFL and sack numbers were the most by a freshman in school history.

As Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports wrote in December, Barnett was actually more valuable overall to the Vols defense than Garrett was to A&M's.

Like Garrett, Barnett is still figuring out the position. That means in two years he'll be an unstoppable tank. Not that he's all that far off now.

And FWIW, they have Barnett placed one spot ahead of Myles Garrett.
 
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#2
#2
Calhoun should be 4 and Barnett should be 3 and Oakman 2. Calhoun was underwhelming this year. I'm not gonna get my expectations too high for Barnett this year because more attention will be drawn to him. I think he ends with 60 tackles and 14 TFL with 8 sacks. Still a good year but nothing like this years stuff. Hope I'm wrong And he puts up 80 tackles 24 TFL and 15 sacks :)
 
#3
#3
JohnMcA60 said:
Calhoun should be 4 and Barnett should be 3 and Oakman 2. Calhoun was underwhelming this year. I'm not gonna get my expectations too high for Barnett this year because more attention will be drawn to him. I think he ends with 60 tackles and 14 TFL with 8 sacks. Still a good year but nothing like this years stuff. Hope I'm wrong And he puts up 80 tackles 24 TFL and 15 sacks :)
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Honestly, with all the talent and potential this DL has, someone is going to put up big numbers. Could be Maggitt, Barnett, McKenzie, could be any of them. Needless to say, I'm excited to see this season's defense.
 
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#6
#6
Barnett is a beast. He may get more attention, but they can't double team everybody.
 
#8
#8
livefaith said:
In before Garret's #s are all against weak competition.
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Pretty sure that was actually the case. Barnett had more tackles and TFLs with only 1 fewer sack, all of which were vs SEC teams iirc. He had a better year than Garrett
 
#10
#10
livefaith said:
In before Garret's #s are all against weak competition.
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Forget the sack numbers, he was TERRIBLE against the run last year. Did you see the LSU game when Lael Collins was driving him 10 yards back on every run play?

Barnett is a much better OVERALL defensive end than Garrett.
 
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#12
#12
I'm hoping DB plays fewer snaps this season as a result of the new quality depth on DL. His numbers could go down a bit even with improvement in his play?
 
#14
#14
Curt M was playing better than Barnett at the end of the year. Which is scary. He should be on the list...

Olines were holding him nonstop and he was still getting sacks and QB rushes.
 
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#16
#16
HeyHeyUT said:
Curt M was playing better than Barnett at the end of the year. Which is scary. He should be on the list...

Olines were holding him nonstop and he was still getting sacks and QB rushes.
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Last year Barnett was the welcome surprise. This Year, Chris Weatherd will be the nightmare that nobody saw coming. He may actually be the best pass rusher on the team!

Barnett, Maggitt, Weatherd with big dogs Danny O and O. Williams being pushed by young studs K-Mac, Picou and Shy. With Phillips and Butcher licking their chops!

"UT ...We got the Meat!!!"
 
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#17
#17
HeyHeyUT said:
Curt M was playing better than Barnett at the end of the year. Which is scary. He should be on the list...

Olines were holding him nonstop and he was still getting sacks and QB rushes.
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Disagree on this one... Barnett was just plain disruptive. Never saw curt having near the impact as Barnett... Couple of plays from curt yes but Barnett was just nasty!
 
#18
#18
GOVOLS44 said:
Disagree on this one... Barnett was just plain disruptive. Never saw curt having near the impact as Barnett... Couple of plays from curt yes but Barnett was just nasty!
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Curt's speed pushed a lot of those plays to Barnette, and vice versa. I don't see how you watched a game and didn't see that. Our end play last season was exceptional on both sides, not just Barnette (and that's to take nothing away from him btw). Curt was in the backfield as much as anybody.
 
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#19
#19
HuntlandVolinColo said:
Last year Barnett was the welcome surprise. This Year, Chris Weatherd will be the nightmare that nobody saw coming. He may actually be the best pass rusher on the team!

Barnett, Maggitt, Weatherd with big dogs Danny O and O. Williams being pushed by young studs K-Mac, Picou and Shy. With Phillips and Butcher licking their chops!

"UT ...We got the Meat!!!"
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I totally agree my friend.

What you just posted should put the FEAR of playing Tennessee back into the hearts of any team that has to line up against our D.

I'm really going to love knowing we're close to being the team to FEAR once again like it used to be.

Fear in their hearts and minds before the game starts and then knocking them on their butts right from the beginning of the game is a serious advantage that most people never think about.

Time to get known as Slobberknocker U !

#BrickbyBrick...VFL...GBO!!!
 
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#20
#20
With the guys we have and the ones coming in... Anyone playing Tenn should be afraid... Very Afraid. Offenses fill the seats..... But BIG BAD AZZ DEFENCES Wins National Championships. I loved to watch our defences dominate the other teams in the past. Now I feel we will Dominate the Games Again. I want season to start today.. can not wait till Sept.
 
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#22
#22
HeyHeyUT said:
Curt M was playing better than Barnett at the end of the year. Which is scary. He should be on the list...

Olines were holding him nonstop and he was still getting sacks and QB rushes.
Click to expand...

Yeah this is certainly one of my thoughts as well. Other lists like this will probably include Maggitt though.
 
#23
#23
I didn't see any players from Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama or Mizzou on that list! Considering all the problems UT had a tackle last season that's really good news.
 
#24
#24
I do like all the new D line men coming in,but I don't put a whole lot of stock into them being great players there first year in the SEC ,it usually tales a couple of years on the D line,for them to improve to SEC caliber of play,hopefully one or two of em will step up there first year,but who knows

I'm sure a few may be red shirted,hopefully the Vols can do that
 
#25
#25
Titan&Volfan4life said:
I totally agree my friend.

What you just posted should put the FEAR of playing Tennessee back into the hearts of any team that has to line up against our D.

I'm really going to love knowing we're close to being the team to FEAR once again like it used to be.

Fear in their hearts and minds before the game starts and then knocking them on their butts right from the beginning of the game is a serious advantage that most people never think about.

Time to get known as Slobberknocker U !

#BrickbyBrick...VFL...GBO!!!
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I understand from some coaches in Atlanta, that Butcher will be very good. They say his attitude is outstanding and that he will out work any player on the team. He is extremely quick and strong. As the old cliche goes, his motor never stops. I doubt any team in the Nation will have better Des than our VOLs. Come on September.
 
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