9. Theo Jackson, Safety
The Vols have a ton of talent at safety this season. Todd Kelly Jr., Micah Abernathy, and Nigel Warrior all headline the position heading into the 2017 season. But one freshman is making waves this fall despite not being one of the higher-rated prospects in the Vols’ 2017 class.
Theo Jackson was just the No. 533 overall player in the country in the 2017 class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. But so far this fall, the freshman out of middle Tennessee has outperformed those rankings during practice.
Jackson was one of the first freshmen to have his black stripe removed this fall for the Vols, and his drawn rave reviews from defensive coordinator Bob Shoop and defensive backs coach Charlton Warren as well. Jackson’s fellow teammates have had nothing but positives to say about him as well.
In 2017, Jackson’s contributions may come chiefly on special teams. But his future is a bright one right now, and he’s already flashing that potential very early in his Tennessee career.
