Depth Chart Fall ‘25 - anyone want to guess?

#30
#30
Nice job, NighthawkVOL. Thanks for posting.

While the roster/ depth is young, the overall level of talent is the highest we've had in many years. Another positive is that the roster cancers/ attitude killers are gone. While I'm not expecting a playoff calibre season, I think we will see a good season. Plus some pleasant surprises from the roster as they develop.
 
#31
#31
I feel great about the roster outside of WR depth. I'm thinking Boo is actually going to be playing a decent amount at WR.

Defensive line, particularly the interior doesn't have the best depth, but I suspect we'll see plenty of cross matching there. I expect Tyre West in particular to play plenty of snaps inside, and possibly Bailey as well. Jordan Ross has enough size to play SDE as well, so i think we'll see both Josephs and Ross on the field a good amount together.

I'd like to see someone step up at the STAR position behind Boo. I personally think Beasley wins the other safety position. Maybe Farooq can be the utility guy and play both safety and star. Jourdan Thomas will also factor into that if he is healthy.
It will be McMurray
 
#32
#32
I don’t think there will be a ton of surprises. I also think a couple of positions will be fluid to see who performs better in game. So I’ll just highlight and take a guess for the positions that are unsettled:

QB - Aguilar, Merklinger, McIntyre

We haven’t heard much about Aguilar since he’s arrived in Knoxville. He’s behind the 8 ball as far as prep goes so he should be living in the football complex until fall camp. We just don’t know. Merk has been here longer and knows the offense better. Fall camp will determine who starts against Syracuse, but I wouldn’t be surprised if both played in that game. It’s not an ideal situation but it is our current reality. I’ll put Aguilar as 1a and Merk as 1b because this is very reminiscent of the Milton/Hooker battle leading into the 2021 season.

RB - Bishop, Lewis, Thomas

This will be a committee with Bishop starting on 8/30. It doesn’t really matter who starts as all three will play with Bishop and Lewis getting the bulk of the work and Thomas coming in situationally.

WRX - Brazzell, Smith Jr, Jackson
WRY - Matthews, Smith Jr, Jackson
Slot - Staley/Jefferson

I think both Matthews and Brazzell are locked in as starters on the outside. Staley has been there longer and Jefferson has some durability issues but they’ll battle in fall camp and I think Staley will win that battle. Smith Jr and Jackson will battle for 2nd string outside but could also make an appearance at Slot.

RT - David Sanders, Jesse Perry

Again, I think this is a fluid situation where both will get snaps in game situations to see who handles it better. Sanders is an absolute talent and could be great, but it’s very hard for an 18 year old to go against some of the best pass rushers in the country all season long and remain healthy without the benefit of a full year of college S&C. Perry knows the offense better and has a couple of years in the S&C program to help with durability. This will be a crucial battle as whoever the QB is, is going to need help keeping a clean pocket.

C - Satterwhite is the clear frontrunner and I anticipate he will be the starter with Anderson as backup.

CB2 - McMurray

Gibson will fill in for McCoy if he isn’t ready to go on 8/30. In this case McMurray will likely start on the other side.

S - Kaleb Beasley, Edrees Farooq

Turrentine is locked in at one safety spot while the other is unsettled. Beasley had a good spring and was regularly called out by coaches for solid performances. This battle will go on through fall camp but my guess is Beasley is the starter as of now and will win the start on 8/30.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ChiTownVol
#33
#33
If we go 7-5 then yea I was will beyond mad and so will everyone else.

But after losing so many players via grad, portal, NFL, etc, how is this roster going to be good?

The only way we can be really good is of we add 6-8 more top players in key spots imo.. Hopefully these depth charts are leaving out some very Good players too.
It’s not like we have been recruiting scrubs this whole time. There is a lot of talent and potential on this roster. This could potentially be the most explosive WR group we have seen under Heupel. How do you know what players are good and who isn’t? Oh that’s right you don’t.

When Hooker started did upu have him being anywhere near as good as he was? No you didn’t. After Tillman and Hyatt did nothing under Pruitt did you see them balling out under Heupel? No you didn’t. Did you see Darnell Wright turning into a top 10 draft pick? No you didn’t. The point is we have no idea who is gonna develop into stud players. But to look at this roster and say we aren’t very good based on just what we lost is foolish.

If we can’t reload every year and develop then we don’t have a quality SEC coaching staff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FBtime
#34
#34
I see top end talent that’s pretty good. But not awesome depth anywhere but DL and RB.

Safety is thin. OL (particularly tackle) is thin. We are going to need good luck with injuries.

Was hoping Jourdan Thomas was back. Must’ve been a gruesome injury.
 
#35
#35
I think people are sleeping on Thomas at RB. He has good production all across his career.

Aguilar to Matthews and Davis is going to
create YUGE production
 
  • Like
Reactions: NighthawkVol
#39
#39
I see top end talent that’s pretty good. But not awesome depth anywhere but DL and RB.

Safety is thin. OL (particularly tackle) is thin. We are going to need good luck with injuries.

Was hoping Jourdan Thomas was back. Must’ve been a gruesome injury.
Thomas should be back at some point this season. Hasn’t even been a year since his injury and yea it was probably pretty bad. Hopefully he can contribute this year.
 
#40
#40
I am concerned about the OL but there is talent there. They just need to stay healthy.

Aguilar is a big question mark. However, if he can sling it then that helps our OL by taking pressure off of them. Same with RB. We have to be able to execute downfield passes better than last year.

Defense I am not concerned about. I think we will continue to see good results there against most teams. I do think we will get burned a few times against top arms, but that is the nature of the game in college.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ChiTownVol
#41
#41
AP said Jourdan Thomas will not play this year.

I’m far less concerned about WR depth than I am Safety depth. 3 guys for 2 positions is thin. Especially when two of them are 2nd year guys with very little experience. I hope Goree steps up, along with Beasley and Farooq.
3 freshmen at center is scary. Our D line should be pretty good again, need someone to break out at edge though. The talent is there
 
#47
#47
QB- Joey Aguilar (Sr.), Jake Merklinger (RSFr.), George MacIntyre (Fr.)
RB- DeSean Bishop (RSSo.), Peyton Lewis (So.), Star Thomas (Sr.), Daune Morris (Fr.), Justin Baker (Fr.)
X- Mike Matthews (So.), Travis Smith (Fr.)
Y- Braylon Staley (RSFr.), Amari Jefferson (RSFr.), Joakim Dodson (Fr.)
Z- Chris Brazzell (RSJr.), Radarius Jackson (Fr.)
TE- Miles Kitselman (RSSr.), Ethan Davis (RSSo.), Cole Harrison (RSFr.), Jack VanDorselaer (Fr.), Da’Saahn Brame (Fr.)
RT- David Sanders, Jr. (Fr.), Jesse Perry (RSFr.)
RG- Sam Pendleton (RSSo.), Gage Ginther (RSFr.), Brian Grant (RSJr.), Antoni Ogumoro (Fr.)
C- William Satterwhite (RSFr.), Max Anderson (RSFr.), Nic Moore (Fr.)
LG- Wendell Moe, Jr. (RSJr.), Shamurad Umarov (RSSo.)
LT- Lance Heard (Jr.), Bennett Warren (RSFr.), Jeremias Heard (RSFr.)

SDE- Tyre West (Sr.), Dominic Bailey (RSSr.), Tyree Weathersby (RSSo.), Mariyon Dye (Fr.), Kellen Lindstrom (RSFr.), Carson Gentle (RSFr.)
DT- Daevin Hobbs (Jr.), Jaxson Moi (Sr.), Ethan Utley (Fr.), Isaiah Campbell (Fr.), Charles House (Fr.)
DT- Bryson Eason (RSSr.), Jamal Wallace (RSJr.), Josh Schell (RSJr.), Nathan Robinson (RSSo.)
LEO- Joshua Josephs (Sr.), Jordan Ross (So.), Caleb Herring (Jr.), Christian Gass (Fr.), Emmanuel Okoye (RSSo.), Jayden Loftin (Fr.)
MIKE- Jeremiah Telander (Jr.), Edwin Spillman (RSFr.), Brenden Anes (Fr.)
WLB- Arion Carter (Jr.), Jordan Burns (RSFr.), Jaedon Harmon (Fr.), Jadon Perlotte (Fr.)
LCB- Jermod McCoy (Jr.), Colton Hood (RSSo.), Tyler Redmond (Fr.)
RCB- Rickey Gibson (Jr.), Jalen McMurray (RSSr.), Tre Poteat (Fr.), Timothy Merritt (Fr.)
NB- Boo Carter (So.), Dylan Lewis (Fr.)
S- Edrees Farooq (So.), Kaleb Beasley (So.), Sidney Walton (Fr.)
S- Andre Turrentine (RSSr.), Marcus Goree (RSFr.)

K- Max Gilbert (RSSo.)*, Josh Turbyville (RSJr.)*, Grady Dangerfield (Fr.)*
P- Jackson Ross (RSJr.)

Injured: Jourdan Thomas (RSJr.)

*non-scholarship
78 on scholarship
Good beat, thanks for throwing it together.

I would switch rad j and t smith. I see vandoselear or brame jumping Harrison. Jaxson moi I think will be listed the starter but could see equal playing time with Hobbs. And I think of all the names at DT Campbell will get the most playing time after moi/eason/hobbs. I don’t think Ross gets more time than herring but that’s an interesting take.

Would suck for thomas to not be back this year from injury but I do feel like I read he might not play. He probably would be starting this year had he not had the injury.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: orangebloodgmc
#48
#48
Between the QB situation and a young, inexperienced OL and a thin DB, we're probably looking at a rebuilding year. 7-5. 8-4 if things go well. But then again CJH is the QB whisperer. If he can repeat that Hooker magic...
We'll be better at QB than we were last season. We'll probably be better on the OL too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FBtime
#50
#50
Good beat, thanks for throwing it together.

I would switch rad j and t smith. I see vandoselear or brand jumping Harrison. Jaxson moi I think will be listed the starter but could see equal playing time with Hobbs. And I think of all the names at DT Campbell will get the most playing time after moi/eason/hobbs. I don’t think Ross gets more time than herring but that’s an interesting take.

Would suck for thomas to not be back this year from injury but I do feel like I read he might not play. He probably would be starting this year had he not had the injury.
Volquest has reported that Utley is the most impressive freshman DT so far. Garner loves him. That’s why I have Utley ahead of Campbell.

Reportedly, the coaches are really impressed with Cole Harrison at TE.
 

VN Store



Back
Top