Constructing the Vols’ Super Team

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Joey Kent

Peyton Manning’s No. 1 target in college gets to be his No. 1 target again for the Vols’ super team. Kent is still Tennessee’s top pass catcher in school history. He holds school records for most receptions, yards, and touchdowns in a career with 183 catches for 2,814 yards and 25 touchdowns. Kent was the Vols’ first 1,000-yard receiver in school history and is the only Vol receiver with two 1,000-yard seasons in a career.

Peerless Price

Price was one of the standouts from the Vols’ 1998 undefeated season and for good reason. Price was one of the best deep threats in Tennessee history, and he’s one of only six Vols to catch 10 or more touchdowns in a season. Price is in the top-4 in school history in catches, yards, and touchdowns in a career. Price managed to finish so highly in Tennessee’s record books despite never recording a 1,000-yard season (he accumulated 920 yards in 1998). His 199 yard performance in Tennessee’s National Championship game against Florida State was a record at the time, and it still places 3rd all-time in the BCS era.

Marcus Nash

Nash was another one of Manning’s favorite targets, and it showed in 1997 when he exploded for 1,170 yards and 13 touchdowns. Those 13 scores in a single season are still a Tennessee record, and Nash is second only to Joey Kent in catches and yards in a Tennessee career. Nash also holds a Tennessee mark for the most receptions in a season with 76. He’s also one of only 12 Vols to have 190 or more receiving yards in a single game.

Willie Gault

You won’t find Willie Gault inside the Vols’ top-10 all-time leading receivers, but that doesn’t mean he’s not as talented as those who make that list. Gault was one of the most dynamic athletes to ever play for the Vols, setting records as a punt and kick returner during his time with Tennessee. Gault was no slouch as a receiver, nearly setting a record with 217 receiving yards in a game against Vanderbilt in 1981. But he’s best known as a returner where he scored four kickoff return touchdowns and returned one punt back for a score in his career. Gault had sole possession of the most kickoff return touchdowns in a career as a Vol until Evan Berry tied his 4 career scores in 2016. He still holds the record for most kick return yards in a career for Tennessee, however.

Jason Witten

Despite being criminally under-utilized in college, Jason Witten is undoubtedly the most talented tight end in Vol history. Witten finished his career with 797 yards and seven touchdowns on 68 receptions from 2000-02, but his time at Tennessee only scratched the surface of his talent. Since then, Witten has gone on to have a Hall of Fame career in the NFL and has proven to be the best tight end to ever play at Tennessee.