Offseason position analysis: Secondary
- Wyeth Wilson
- Jun 7, 2015
- 2 min read
It’s been awhile since Tennessee had a secondary that had several future NFL players on it.
That will be the case this season, as the Vols have one of their most talented defensive backfields in recent memory.
Starting safeties Brian Randolph and LaDarrell McNeil, along with backups Todd Kelly Jr. and Evan Berry, and corner Cameron Sutton all have NFL talent, and will be on the field for the Vols this season.
Four-star junior college transfer Justin Martin is also a player that could have that potential, but that won’t be known for sure until he plays in games at Tennessee.
Talent is a major reason why the Vols’ secondary is arguably the best position group on the team, but another important quality that the secondary has is depth.
“We feel good about Brian and about LaDarrell as the starters, but I think Evan Berry and Todd Kelly have had great springs,” Tennessee defensive backs coach Willie Martinez said. “They’ve earned reps.
“We feel really comfortable with all four of those guys.”
If McNeil or Randolph is injured or suspended at some point during the season, the safety position will still be in good hands.
Kelly Jr. was a Freshman All-SEC player in 2014, and received lots of playing time against big-time opponents. Berry did not play as much as Kelly Jr., but the talent is definitely there.
Even if McNeil and Randolph both are available for all of the 2015 season, Kelly Jr. and Berry will likely play quite a bit.
At cornerback, the depth isn’t quite as good as it is at the safety position, but the Vols still should feel good about where they are with the backups.
The two starters are most likely Sutton and sophomore Emmanuel Moseley, with Malik Foreman, Rashaan Gaulden, and incoming prospects Micah Abernathy and Martin as the players that will receive significant time.
At cornerback, obviously more than just two players will play, so the players listed above aren’t really considered backups.
Still, the talent that the Vols have available beyond just Sutton and Moseley is apparent.
The wild card, as mentioned earlier, is Martin.
Martin was rated the number 11 junior college prospect in the country (247) for 2015, and has a very good shot at immediate playing time if he comes in and plays as expected.
Overall, the secondary as a whole could very well be the best position group on the Tennessee team. Look for the Vols’ pass defense to take another step forward this season.
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