While Tennessee has an obvious quarterback question that has dominated much of the offseason conversation, the Vols return two of their top playmakers from last year’s offense in running back DeSean Bishop and wide receiver Braylon Staley. Tennessee will need continued production from several of its offensive players with a freshman quarterback at the helm, but these two in particular will get much of the attention from opposing coordinators.
Bishop is Tennessee’s third straight 1,000-yard rusher after both Jaylen Wright and Dylan Sampson did so in the prior two years. Unlike Wright and Sampson, though, Bishop has a chance to follow up on his 1,000-yard season. He returns to Tennessee as the Vols’ top running back and biggest threat in the ground game. He was a reliable starter last season, and there’s no reason to think that he won’t continue to elevate in that role this season.
Tulane transfer running back Javin Gordon will give Bishop some spells throughout games as a solid runner himself. But there’s no doubt that Bishop will once again be a workhorse for Tennessee’s offense as the lead running back.
CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford lists Bishop as the 19th-best offensive skill player in the country.
“A compact, explosive runner with sharp-cut ability, Tennessee’s DeSean Bishop excels in space, but that’s not his only strength,” Crawford writes. “Tennessee has leaned on perimeter speed in recent years, but Bishop adds interior balance, forcing defenses to respect the run between the tackles. His value goes beyond raw production — he helps sustain drives, sets up play-action and keeps the offense ahead of schedule.”
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Just a few spots below Bishop in Crawford’s WR/RB/TE rankings is Tennessee receiver Braylon Staley, who comes in at No. 24 on the list.
Staley had the luxury of playing with an all-hands-on-deck receiver like Chris Brazzell last season, but don’t let that take away from the success that the redshirt-freshman had in 2025. Staley carved out a tremendous role as a key receiver in Tennessee’s pass-heavy offense, with the ability to beat defensive backs using his speed and route-running skills.
With the 6-foot-5 Brazzell now gone, though, teams will look at Staley and counterpart Mike Matthews as the main threats for the Vols’ offense. But with a year of success under his belt, the 2025 SEC Freshman of the Year award winner should be able to continue evolving and harnessing his skillset to provide his freshman quarterback with opportunities down and around the field.
“There are growing expectations in Knoxville that Braylon Staley will have an All-American-like season at Tennessee after showcasing his skills last fall,” Crawford writes. “He’s one of several emerging young playmakers for the Vols, who are loaded at the position. A quick, instinctive receiver with natural separation skills, Staley is expected to carve out a meaningful role in an offense that thrives on tempo and perimeter exploitation.”
Bishop finished the season with 1,076 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns on 182 carries. Staley, meanwhile, racked up 837 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns on 68 catches. With Tennessee likely going with a freshman quarterback this season, both of these players will be heavily relied upon to keep the Vols’ offensive momentum going.
There are questions on both sides of the ball for Tennessee this season, but Bishop and Staley are not among them.
