The college football season is right around the corner and with it is The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman’s annual list of the top 101 freaks in college football.
A pair of Tennessee football players landed on Feldman’s list: LEO James Pearce Jr. and slot receiver Squirrel White.
Pearce landed at No. 17 on the list after a breakout sophomore season where he totaled 27 tackles, 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception. A 6-foot-5, 243-pound edge rusher, Pearce has elite speed off the edge is one of the most athletic players in the entire SEC.
That athleticism on top of his on field production is why NFL Mock Drafts project Pearce to be a top five pick in next spring’s NFL Draft.
“The SEC’s top returning pass rusher wasn’t listed as one of the 10 fastest Vols in the EA Sports College Football 25 video game, but we would put him there after his dazzling display in the Citrus Bowl,” Feldman wrote. “Pearce clocked 23 mph on a pick six against Iowa, turning in one of the fastest GPS measurements of any FBS play all season.
One of his coaches told me that the 6-5, 245 pound junior is a legitimate 4.4 40 threat. According to PFF, Pearce was the SEC’s highest graded defensive end last year at 90.9. He tied for the SEC lead in sacks (10) and was second in tackles for loss (14.5); he’s the SEC’s returning statistical leader in both of those. He had 16 quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles.”
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Squirrel White landed at No. 57 on the list due to his elite speed. An undersized 5-foot-10, 167-pound slot receiver, White can absolutely fly. His big play ability keeps defenses honest and in his sophomore season White proved he can be productive as a target in the intermediate passing game.
Despite a lackluster season from Tennessee’s passing attack, White caught 67 passes for 803 yards and two touchdowns. With the Vols breaking Nico Iamaleava as their starting quarterback this season, White could be in for a bigger junior season.
“The 5-10, 165-pound junior, No. 64 on our list in 2023, is one of the fastest players in the game,” Feldman wrote. “White has been clocked at 23.4 mph and has a 40.6-inch vertical jump. He has run a 1.50-second 10-yard split. Last year, White had 67 catches for 803 yards and averaged 12.0 yards per catch; for his career he has nine catches of 40-plus yards, six catches of 50-plus yards and three receptions of 60-plus yards.”
Thirteen of the 16 SEC teams had at least one player on the list but no school had more players than Tennessee. South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Vanderbilt all had two players on the list. Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M had one player.
