3. TE A.J. Branisel
Why: Branisel suffered a torn ACL late in 2013 and, though he tweeted that he was medically cleared for this season, he hasn’t seen the field yet. With Tennessee’s depth at tight end this season, there was no hurry to bring the sophomore, who made a couple big catches as a true freshman, back into the mix too quickly.
Future outlook: The Vols are suddenly well-stocked at tight end after barely being able to put one on the field at times in 2013. Ethan Wolf’s had some breakout moments this year and Daniel Helm, Alex Ellis and Brendan Downs have all had their moments as well. All except Downs have eligibility remaining after this season. It’s hard to say where a fully-recovered Branisel will fit into that mix, but the Vols will continue to have plenty of options at this position next season.
