6. TE A.J. Branisel
Why: Branisel was coming off a torn ACL suffered late in the 2013 season. Though he tweeted that he was medically cleared early in the season, the Vols had several other tight ends step up, giving UT the luxury of giving Branisel the extra year to get back to 100%.
Future Outlook: Branisel played some out of necessity as a true freshman in 2013, but he made a couple big catches in his limited experience. He’ll be looking at more of a loaded depth chart in his return in 2015 with Ethan Wolf, Alex Ellis, Creamer and commitment Kyle Oliver all in the conversation. It’s tough to say where he’ll fit in among that bunch. The good news is that he got time to fully rehab his injury and to get some extra time in the weight room after not being able to redshirt his first year in Knoxville. That could pay dividends later in his career.
