The Vols’ Top 11 Players entering the 2025 season
Tennessee football lacks star power. They hardly registers a mention on most preseason rankings, all-team lists, or other watch lists.
It partly feels like rage bait.
Such as the SEC media listing just three Tennessee Volunteers across the preseason first, second, and third all-team lists.
So, does Tennessee actually lack star power and if they have stars who are they?
The Sports Paige complied our own list: Tennessee’s 11 best players RIGHT NOW.
This list has one rule; they needed to have had significant playing time at Tennessee a year ago.
1. Jermod McCoy
DEFENSIVE BACK/CORNER BACK
He is the best player on Tennessee’s roster right now. He can lock down any receiver. He deflects and intercepts the football it’s intended for him.
He’s the highest rated cornerback according to EA Sports with a 94 grade and is the 6th-highest ranked defensive player regardless of his position. Additionally, according to PFF his 89.6 coverage grade ranked 3rd in the SEC and 9th in the FBS among cornerbacks.
Last season, he started at 13 games. He led the team with four interceptions and nine pass break ups. His two loudest INTs came while covering Alabama’s star wide receiver Ryan Williams in the end zone and then in the regular season finale against Vanderbilt.
His 13 passes defended ranked 4th in the SEC and tied for the most by a Vol since Theo Jackson in 2021
Whether he maintains his 2024 production all rests on how his rehab is going as he works his way back from a knee injury sustained in January 2025.
Regardless, I doubt his mindset’s waiver from December.
“I think there’s always something to prove. So, I’m definitely going out there and show more that I can do,” said McCoy during Tennessee’s first round playoff press conference.
2. Arion Carter
LINEBACKER
Carter is Tennessee’ neutralizer on defense. He led the team in total tackles. This season should be even better.
Arion Cater had a breakout season in 2024 which some may have not seen coming. He missed the final five games of the 2023 season due to injury and spent much of the off season rehabbing.
One might’ve thought limited time on the practice field would’ve prevented a meaningful sophomore campaign. Instead, he used that time to become a student of the game.
That dedication paid off. He totaled a team high 68 tackles, including 29 solo, to go along with 6.5 tackles for loss, one interception and six pass breakups.
If there was a bright spot in the College Football Playoff game against Ohio State, it was Carter. He collected three tackles and one PBU in CFP First Round game at national champion Ohio State.
3. Joshua Josephs
EDGE RUSHER
According to PFF, he’s the only returning edge in the country with 85+ grades in run defense (91.4) and pass rush (86.4).
Despite sharing snaps with James Pearce Jr. a a season ago, Josephs was a key contributor for Tennessee in 2024. He ranked fifth on the team overall in tackles with 39 and was second on the squad in tackles for loss with nine. On top of that, he added 1.5 sacks, three pass breakups, eight QB hurries, a team-high three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Josephs has proven he can do it all, yet he remains unsatisfied by his production in 2024.
That’s a scary thought.
He added that each year feels like it’s supposed to be his year and 2025 is another chance to prove it.
4. Boo Carter
STAR
He led the SEC in punt return average at 16.5 and was sixth on the team in tackles with 38, including 28 solo as a true freshman.
If we quite the noise of whether he’s with the team on Tuesday as fall camp begins or not, Boo Carter is nearly invaluable to Tennessee.
“I just got the passion for the game. I mean I like defense. The contact, I like to hit,” said Cater following Tennessee’s win over Mississippi State.
His production is also vital as the STAR position lacks serious experience and depth.
5. DeSean Bishop
RUNNING BACK
A then-walk-on, led the team and finished third in the SEC in average yards per carry at 6.15. That mark ranked Bishop sixth among FBS freshmen with over 70 carries.
Following the 2024 season, he registered 455 yards on 74 carries with three touchdowns.
While there’s renewed competition for the starting job in the RB room, his relied production a season ago should give him the advantage. Regardless, his strength and shiftiness will be relied on in 2025.
“I just know there’s an opportunity that I got. I just feel like I’m embracing that. I feel like I’ve worked to earn that spot. But you know, don’t get complacent. Just being focused and living in the moment and taking it one day at a time, I know I’ll reap the benefits of it when the season comes around,” Bishop said during spring training.
6. Chris Brazzell II
WIDE RECEIVER
Brazzell is the ideal make and model to success in this offense. In his first season as a Volunteer, he finished third on the team with 29 receptions for 333 yards, and a pair of scores.
He is a big receiver with good speed and the ability to run a variety of routes, including those typically run by smaller slot receivers.
His best game, argulably, came against the Alabama Crimson Tide. He hauled in two receptions for 27 yards, including the game-winning diving touchdown grab on a 16-yard pass in the corner of the end zone with 5:52 remaining in the fourth quarter against No. 7 Alabama.
7. Andre Turrentine
SAFETY
A season ago heading into fall camp it was the anticipation of patience paying off. It did.
“I feel like this game is something that calls you when you’re ready for it,” said Turrentine last fall camp.
He started 13 games at safety, recorded 37 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one interception and three pass breakups. His standout performance came against the Vanderbilt Commodores where he recorded three tackles.
8. Bryson Eason – DT
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Eason is entering his third year at Tennessee and his sixth of collegiate football.
He finished the year with 25 total tackles and ranked third on the squad in tackles for loss with seven.
9. Miles Kitselman
TIGHT END
If there’s one position that needs veteran presence, it’d be the tight end room where recently much of Tennessee’s offense has gone through. Kitselman’s best collegiate campaign came in 2024 and he’s determined to outdo himself in sixth year of eligibility.
He started all 13 games and led the unit with 301 receiving yards, four receiving touchdowns and one rushing score. His five total scores were third-most among SEC tight ends.
10. Dominic Bailey
DEFENSIVE END
Tennessee is historically powered by its defense and an otherwise underrated position lies with Bailey at defensive end. The returning starter looks to be a disrupter once more.
Played in all 13 games with 10 starts at defensive end as a redshirt senior. He had a career-best season with 25 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. He had the most productive game of his career, setting or tying career highs in tackles (4), TFLs (1.5), sacks (1.0) and QB hurries (2) in win over No. 7 Alabama (10/19).
If there was a bright spot in this game, it came with Bailey where he saw action on a season-high 49 snaps and finished with two tackles at Arkansas (10/5).
11. Edwin Spillman
LINEBACKER
There will be plenty of competition for the starting role at this position. Coming off a redshirted season, he hardly fits the one rule I set for this list. However, his production was eye-popping and his ceiling is high.
Entering the 2025 season, he emphasized how the game has slowed down. Maximizing an otherwise sidelined year he focused on understanding schemes and allowed that to be his experience.
His mentality is to attack every day.
“I feel like the best places where I’ve reached most improvement is my pass rushing and my blitzing technique. I feel like that right there is going to be something special in the fall,” Spillman said during spring practice.