4. This class will have time to develop
The frenetic pace that Butch Jones has rebuilt the roster at has left little time for focus on long-term development. The concept of taking a year to focus on the weight room, learning the playbook and getting adjusted to college life simply hasn’t been a reality for many of UT’s newcomers over the past two years. And don’t get me wrong – a lot of these newcomers will play early for the Vols – this won’t be a class of 20 redshirts. But there probably will be more redshirts than normal and fewer guys pressed into immediate, significant action. The Vols had the luxury to take some players such as Devante Brooks, Marcus Tatum and Nathan Niehaus – players who might not be ready to contribute Day 1, but all have big upside when they get healthy/stronger.
