Deandre Johnson, OLB
One of the biggest takeaways from the Vols’ game against West Virginia was their inability to pressure quarterback Will Grier. Tennessee’s defensive line was below average in that regard but was far from the biggest area of concern in terms of pass rushing. The Vols’ two starting outside linebackers, Jonathan Kongbo and Darrell Taylor, failed to make much of an impact at all and were contained by West Virginia’s offensive line all night.
Expect to see Pruitt and his defensive staff to mix things up with their pass rushing personnel, and the first person in line behind Kongbo and Taylor is Deandre Johnson. He’s looked good in practices, albeit a bit inconsistent, and he certainly can’t be any less ineffective than what Kongbo and Taylor were in the opener.
Johnson should get a fair chance to show what he can do off the edge over the next two weeks. If he does enough to impress his coaches, he could steal away a starting spot by the time Tennessee hosts Florida.
