Tennessee’s fall camp is winding down, and with the first Saturday of September bringing Furman to Knoxville, the Vols are getting close to the point where the depth chart starts turning into reality. That’s where two roster predictions stand out.
The first one centers on a safety group that is loaded enough to create real competition for snaps. Tennessee is so deep there that Dejuan Lane could end up on the bench, a move I recently projected in a depth chart prediction.
Even with that kind of veteran presence, there is still a lane for younger players to carve out a role, and Joel Wyatt looks like the name that has to be part of the conversation. The former Oakland High School standout has a frame that jumps off the page at 6-4 and 210 pounds, and that kind of size would be impressive at wide receiver, much less at safety.
His length gives him something the other safeties do not, and that alone creates a path for him to see the field as a freshman. For now, it feels reasonable to expect him working with the two behind two veteran starters ahead of him.
The other prediction comes from linebacker, where Tennessee has added plenty of pieces and still has a group with real starting-level talent. Arion Carter tested the transfer portal before deciding it was best to come back, and the Vols also brought in Amare Campbell, TJ White, and Brayden Rouse. Even with all of that, there are at least five linebackers who look ready to start, and Jeremiah Telander remains part of that mix after starting last season.
Telander has already established himself as a leader on this defense, and he was one of the players representing Tennessee at SEC Media Days this offseason. He brings more than just voice and presence, too.
His willingness to keep learning and improving has helped him become one of the players with the biggest chance for growth on the field. Some believe he could end up as the No. 5 linebacker on the depth chart, but that situation could shift fast.
Tennessee trusts him, and that trust should show up in key moments. The expectation here is that Telander becomes a major rotational piece while also working his way into occasional starts.
In Other News...
Former Vols Give Tennessee Fans Plenty To Watch Thursday Night
The NFL preseason keeps rolling Thursday night with six games on the schedule, and Tennessee fans have a familiar slate of names to keep an eye on. Former Vols are scattered across multiple rosters, giving the orange-and-white crowd a reason to flip around the games and check on old standouts trying to carve out their spots.
Hendon Hooker and Joshua Dobbs remain among the most recognizable former Tennessee quarterbacks in the mix, while rookies Tyre West and Jermod McCoy add a newer layer to the watch list. Injury concerns could also shape who actually gets on the field, including Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays, leaving a little uncertainty around how much Vols representation fans will get by the end of the night. [Read more 🡒]
Former Vols Get A Big NFL Chance And Titans Fans Will Care
The NFL preseason is giving several former Tennessee Volunteers a fresh chance to make an impression, and a few of those opportunities will land squarely on the radar of Titans fans. Josh Dobbs is in camp with the Detroit Lions, while Kamal Hadden and McCallan Castles are with the Green Bay Packers, adding to a familiar list of Vols spread across the league as teams start sorting out the back end of their rosters.
For Tennessee followers, the most interesting group is the one wearing Titans colors, where former Vols such as Alontae Taylor and Hendon Hooker are expected to see the field in the preseason. It is the kind of August stretch that can matter for players trying to carve out roles and for fans tracking how much orange-and-white talent is showing up on Sunday rosters, even if the real decisions are still to come. [Read more 🡒]