3. Quavaris Crouch, LB
There’s talent, and there’s athleticism. Then there’s Quavaris Crouch.
The 6-foot-1, 245-pound true freshman is built like a bulldozer, but he moves like a lion. Crouch enrolled early in the spring, and that’s paying off for him in a big way now. He practiced mostly with the inside linebackers in the spring, but this fall has seen him move over to the outside linebacker group for the start of fall camp.
Crouch brings elite athleticism and a great worth ethic to Tennessee’s linebacker room. He has versatility and could see time at multiple positions in the linebacking corps as early as his freshman year. Tennessee has a big need for pass rushers aside from Darrell Taylor, and if Crouch can bring anything in that department, he’ll see playing time.
But Crouch is more than just a player coaches can unleash on third down; he has the wherewithal to fill other roles, and he could make a big impact on special teams as well. There’s even a chance he could have a few plays drawn up for him on offense in a goal line package considering he was a standout running back in high school.
Even if he doesn’t have a Freshman All-SEC type of season, Crouch’s impact will be felt on defense. Tennessee doesn’t have a lot of experienced depth behind their starters at linebacker, and nobody really possesses the blend of muscle and speed that Crouch does. And he’s just a true freshman.
