“What is the depth chart looking like going into spring practice? New starters?” – @BigOrangeButch
Daniel: I’ll do a full piece on this in February, but I’ll take a very early crack at it here (* means they might be out or limited in the spring due to injury)
QB: 1. Joshua Dobbs 2. Quinten Dormady
RB: 1A. Jalen Hurd 1B. Alvin Kamara 2. John Kelly
WR: 1. Josh Malone* 2. Preston Williams
WR: 1. Josh Smith 2. Jeff George
WR: 1. Jauan Jennings 2. Vincent Perry
TE: 1. Ethan Wolf 2. Jason Croom
LT: 1. Chance Hall 2. Drew Richmond LG: 1. Jashon Robertson 2. Charles Mosley C: 1. Coleman Thomas 2. Ray Raulerson RG: 1. Dylan Wiesman 2. Jack Jones RT: 1. Brett Kendrick 2. Dontavius Blair
DE: 1. Derek Barnett* 2.Kyle Phillips*
DE: 1. Corey Vereen 2. LaTroy Lewis
DT: 1. Kendal Vickers* 2. Shy Tuttle*
DT: 1. Danny O’Brien 2. Kahlil McKenzie
OLB: 1. Jalen Reeves-Maybin 2. Cortez McDowell
ILB: 1. Darrin Kirkland Jr. 2. Colton Jumper
CB: 1. Cam Sutton 2. Emmanuel Moseley
CB: 1. Justin Martin 2. Micah Abernathy
NB: 1. Rashaan Gaulden 2. Malik Foreman
S: 1. Evan Berry 2. Stephen Griffin
S: 1. Todd Kelly Jr. 2. ?? (They’ll probably cross-train some CBs and safeties)
“Which of our recruits and potential recruits have the best chance of playing in 2016. Most valuable in 2016?” – @Troy_2109
Daniel: I think all the receivers are going to have a chance to be in the rotation – especially Jeff George and Marquez Callaway. Alexis Johnson should be in the rotation at defensive tackle. The tight ends need to be ready to roll because there isn’t a ton of depth there. If they get Nigel Warrior, he could compete to play immediately and might be my early pick for most valuable, but that’s still a big if right now.
Nathanael: I think Jeff George has a chance to make the most impact early. He’s a JUCO receiver and the Vols could use a big-bodied guy like him to expand the field and help out the receiving corps. They still have guys who can make plays, but any time you have a 6-foot-5 guy with good hands, you need to use him. I also think JUCO corner D.J. Henderson could contribute immediately. Both are early enrollees as well.
“Who are some big time ballers you guys think will sign with UT on signing day who aren’t yet committed to Tennessee?” – @RockyTopBricks
“Final predictions for this recruiting class?” – Jake Tidwell
Daniel: Nigel Warrior and Derrick Brown are the top I’m really keeping an eye on for the Vols. They seem to have a realistic shot with both. Jonathan Kongbo III, Jeffrey Simmons and Mecole Hardman are a few other names I think they’re in it for, but I don’t feel as great for UT. I think, when it’s all said and done, the Vols end up around No. 15 in the rankings.
Nathanael: I honestly think the Vols get Nigel Warrior and offensive tackle Landon Dickerson. I’m a little more pessimistic on Brown, but they certainly have a shot. Keep an eye on Nigel Knot too. I think he’s a dark horse in all this.
“Per Shoop’s comments about his style is he a “blitz first ask questions later” type guy or is he a creative pressure guy?” – Caleb Castleman
Daniel: I think he leans to the side of pressure, but he loves to talk about what an analytics guy he is too, so he’s going to play the odds.
Nathanael: He doesn’t seem like the type of guy to blitz recklessly just to say he blitzes and sell that to people. Shoop seems like a very intelligent man, and he understands that bringing pressure is the most effective way to disrupt the passing game. I personally like more aggressive defenses, and that’s why I love what Shoop does. He wants to “punch the offense in the mouth” to dictate what they do, not have the offense dictate what the defense does.
“If you could only eat one type of food (Chinese, Italian, Southern, etc.), what would you choose?” – Carter Lawrence
Daniel: I love Mexican and Italian, especially for lunch and dinner entrees, but I’m going Southern because of the versatility for all three meals and desserts. Eggs, bacon, grits and biscuits with sausage gravy for breakfast, Southern meat and three for lunch and shrimp and grits for dinner. Pecan pie all the time. It’d be a good, albeit short, dining life.
Nathanael: I, too, would have to pick Southern. Probably because I’ve grown up in the south my entire life, but Southern food is the absolute best. Especially breakfast. A close second would be Italian because it’s also extremely versatile and has a lot of options. And carb-heavy, which I know I enjoy.
