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All top 10 lists are subjective, of course. My top 10 of anything could be different from yours. And when it comes to a top 10 list of Tennessee players for the coming season, well that could change weekly if I were to do this story every Sunday.
For example, had I written this a week ago, Vols guard Marcus Jackson could have been on the lower end of this list. Now he won’t be as Jackson is expected to miss the season. And you won’t see any freshmen on here because no matter how touted they are, you just never know what an 18- or 19-year-old is going to do in his first year of college football.
10. OL Jashon Robertson: The young line was a weakness at times in 2014, but Robertson started all 13 games at right guard and was named to the SEC’s All-Freshman team. He was the only member of the line to start all 13 games at the same position. Robertson was only the fourth true freshman in school history to start an opener on the offensive line.
9. WR Pig Howard: Howard led the team in catches (54) and in receiving yards (618) in 2014. He’s also a bit like Percy Harvin lite in that Howard rushed 15 times for 96 yards and two scores. Expect more than one receiving TD this season.
8. SS Brian Randolph: The senior played in every game last year, starting 11, and had 88 tackles, third on the Vols, with two interceptions, five passes defended and a fumble recovery. He is on a few preseason third-team All-SEC lists for 2015.
7. RB Alvin Kamara: I’m totally judging this guy on potential as the former five-start recruit originally signed with Alabama but transferred out after his freshman season — he had some off-field problems — and starred at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College last year. He was the No. 2 overall JUCO prospect for 2015.
6. LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin: He was a breakout star as sophomore a year ago, starting every game and finishing tied for first on the team with 101 tackles to go with 11.0 tackles for loss (third on team). He was everywhere in the TaxSlayer Bowl with 13 tackles against Iowa.
5. RB Jalen Hurd: This is “thunder” to Kamara’s “lightning.” And because of the presence of Kamara, maybe Hurd doesn’t match his 2014 freshman numbers, where he led the team with 190 carries and 899 yards to go with five touchdowns. Hurd torched Iowa in the bowl game with 116 yards and two scores. He’ll catch some passes as well with 35 receptions in 2014 for 221 yards and two scores.
4. DE/OLB Curt Maggitt: Right now, Maggitt is projected as third-round pick in the 2016 NFL draft. He is a member of the preseason All-SEC first team at linebacker, although he will put his hand on the ground at defensive end as well. Maggitt had a team-best 11.0 sacks (third in SEC) and 15.0 tackles for loss (second on team) last year.
3. CB Cameron Sutton: The junior has the highest-rated draft projection of any eligible Tennessee player for 2016 as a second-rounder. Sutton had 37 tackles last season, including 4.0 for loss, with a team-best 16 passes defended. He also had three interceptions. Sutton will be on the opposing team’s No. 1 guy every game. Sutton, a good punt returner as well, was named to the preseason All-SEC second team.
2. DE Derek Barnett: The sophomore made 20.5 tackles for loss in 2015, equally adept at corralling ball-carriers and delivering a bull rush. With Maggitt lining up on the other side and several other capable pass rushers, offenses will have to decide whether to double-team Barnett or to hope he goes through a sophomore slump.
1. QB Joshua Dobbs: I’d say Dobbs is the second-best returning quarterback in the conference behind Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott, although Dobbs projects as the better NFL prospect. The Vols simply became a better team when Dobbs finally got his shot in the team’s eighth game last year. His 301-yard passing, 166-yard rushing, five-total-touchdown effort against South Carolina was the stuff of legend and one of the great games by a Tennessee quarterback ever. Dobbs also was named MVP of the TaxSlayer Bowl with more than 200 yards of total offense and three total touchdowns.
Matt Severance is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football, Florida, Tennessee and South Carolina.
