Tennessee football’s fall camp in preparation for the 2025 season gets underway on Wednesday.

Ahead of the Vols taking the practice field, I’m making a note of which players I’m most curious about at this point. UT has plenty of storylines that are going to be ironed out, and we could get a sense of what the result will be during this stretch of practice.

Here are some players I’m excited to see in action.

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The Quarterbacks

It’s a cop out answer, but the quarterback battle that is set to ensue during Tennessee’s fall camp is going to be extremely interesting. The favorite to win is transfer Joey Aguilar, but there are still plenty of questions about what he’ll be able to do given the short window he has to get integrated into the offense. He also showed he can be turnover-prone last season at App State, although it feels unlikely that would continue under Josh Heupel.

Jake Merklinger will also have a say in things. The redshirt freshman winning the job could provide stability for the future with plenty of eligibility remaining. He doesn’t have experience under his belt to fall back on, though, while serving as the third-string quarterback last year.

George MacIntyre will also get some reps during camp with the first team, but it’d be pretty surprising if he won the job. Even if he doesn’t, seeing how he handles this opportunity could tell us a lot about whether he could be an option in the future.

Mike Matthews

Tennessee is extremely thin at the wide receiver position. With a lot of production leaving, former five-star Mike Matthews is being thrust into the spotlight. He’ll be surrounded on the outside with Chris Brazzell II and in the slot by Braylon Staley. True freshmen Travis Smith Jr. and Radarious Jackson, along with Boo Carter, who will play both ways, are going to get time on the field.

Matthews is the most intriguing to me, though. In a year where his five-star counterparts flourished as true freshmen, Matthews struggled to find his footing at times. After flirting with the transfer portal this offseason, he decided to give it another go in Knoxville.

Now, I’m looking to see if he’s going to look the part of a WR1 or if UT could be in some trouble around whoever plays quarterback.

David Sanders Jr. and Lance Heard

The tackle situation for the offense is another interesting spot. The Vols return just one starter from last year’s front in left tackle Lance Heard. The former five-star wasn’t great in his first year in Knoxville after transferring from LSU, but he was battling injury the entire year. With a fresh slate and a clean sheet of health, it’ll be worth keeping tabs on how he looks as the projected starting left tackle.

On the other side of the line will be another five-star recruit. David Sanders Jr., one of the top-ranked players in the entire 2025 class, signed after a heated recruiting battle with Ohio State. Sanders is likely going to get the starting nod as a true freshman, creating obvious intrigue about what he’ll be able to produce so early in his career.

Both tackle spots have questions, but undeniable talent that could prove to be extremely productive.

Jordan Ross

Tennessee is going to need to replace the threat of James Pearce Jr. He got the most attention of anyone on the Vols’ impressive defensive line, and was a game wrecker at times despite that.

The obvious option to shine in his place is Joshua Josephs. He’s entering his senior season with expectations to play his way into an NFL draft pick. Behind him, Caleb Herring is being talked about as someone who could be a big contributor.

I’ll be watching second-year edge rusher Jordan Ross, though. The former five-star showed flashes as a freshman and is now going to be in the mix. I’m curious to see what he’s done since the spring window to get ready for the season.

Colton Hood

With Jermod McCoy still working his way back from an ACL injury suffered in the off-season, there may be a gap at cornerback to start the year. There’s a chance McCoy will be ready to go for Syracuse, but it’s still seeming like it’ll be a tight window even if he is.

The player who could step into his role while he recovers and continue to get some snaps when he’s back is Colton Hood. This will be the first time we get to see him, as he joined the team out of Colorado in the spring window. He also spent time at Auburn.

I’m going to be looking out for Hood to see if he’s someone who could be ready to hit the ground running when the season starts. If not, UT may have to look to Jalen McMurray.