3. Daniel Bituli, Linebacker
After bursting onto the scene with a 23 tackle performance in the Vols’ season opener against Georgia Tech, Bituli looked like he would be a dominating force at linebacker for Tennessee as a sophomore last year. But inexplicably, his playing time after that first game fluctuated with every game. Sometimes he would play the majority of the game while other times redshirt senior Colton Jumper would take his place on the field. Even with all that, Bituli managed to make a huge impact when he actually played, starting eight games and playing in all 12. He led the team with 90 tackles and added three tackles for loss, three passes defended, and a 97-yard interception return for a touchdown against Alabama.
If he’s allowed to play extensively in 2018, there’s a good chance he declares early for the NFL and is drafted in the first four rounds of next year’s draft.
