As far as hidden gems, I’m intrigued to see what Roman Harrison and Elijah Simmons can do in their second year in the program. There was definitely a lot of buzz surrounding Harrison when he arrived on campus, but Quavaris Crouch made a much bigger immediate impact at outside linebacker. Simmons played only in the goal line package last year, but he’s an interesting guy coming into this season, despite the Vols bringing back everyone on the defensive line. Does his role grow?
Cedric Tillman has also been a little overlooked in the discussion about replacing Jauan Jennings and Marquez Callaway. He hasn’t shown much on the field yet, but he’s an interesting guy coming into his third year. Like Peterson, it feels like a now-or-never situation for him, considering how the Vols recruited behind him.