Wide Receiver
Josh Smith: 18
Jauan Jennings: 15
Jeff George: 2
Total: 35
Outside of Josh Smith and Jauan Jennings, the Vols return little in the way of bonafide experience at wide receiver in 2017.
Smith, a redshirt senior, has been banged up for most of his Tennessee career and had to have surgery earlier this year as well. That surgery resulted in him missing all of spring practice. Even with all his injuries in his career, Smith is still the most experienced player in the wide receiver group and brings in 18 starts scattered among his four previous years of playing time as a Vol.
Jennings made nine starts last season in the midst of a breakout sophomore campaign. As a No. 2 receiver for the Vols last season, Jennings hauled in 40 catches for 580 yards and seven scores. He figures to be the definite No. 1 target in the passing game this season.
But aside from those two, the Vols will be relying on mostly sophomores and freshmen at receiver.
Jeff George was credited with two starts last season, but he only caught one pass for 20 yards all of last year. Players like Tyler Byrd, Brandon Johnson, and Marquez Callaway, all freshmen last year, had more production than George.
Jennings’ 40 catches for 580 yards last season are more than all the rest of the returning receivers on the roster had last year combined. Smith, George, Byrd, Johnson, and Callaway combined to catch 36 passes for 432 yards in 2016.
The Vols are young at receiver this year. But they have potential there as well.
