Top 15 Most Talented Rosters for '17

[wesleydmartin]

Even if I were a defender it would be incredibly hard to imagine Tennessee winning the East nxt season just knowing the facts we know.

Inexperienced QBs hardly ever if at all have that kind of success.
Inexperienced play caller and I actually like Scott
Jennings is a wildcard now
The Defense is still a mess even though I like the addition of the new coach
Jones is still Jones

see every back up that plays UT, smh...they all have success against us...maybe not the long haul but we cant ever seem to beat them. back ups, freshman....ungh

 

[Dudleys87]

see every back up that plays UT, smh...they all have success against us...maybe not the long haul but we cant ever seem to beat them. back ups, freshman....ungh

You got me there but look at the guy you were just building up. His freshman season wasn't anything close to what it was suppose to be

 

[Dudleys87]

Adam McClintock came up with the most talented roster for '17. Vols in at #8. We lost offensive fire power in Dobbs, Malone and Kamara, and defensively Sutton, Foreman, and JRM. Our class filled positions of need and added much needed depth. Do you think our roster is where it should be? Better or worse?

You can't seriously think all those guys are ready to contribute right away. That's what Tennessee needs and it's painfully obvious.

 

[wesleydmartin]

You got me there but look at the guy you were just building up. His freshman season wasn't anything close to what it was suppose to be

yea i meant it more of the QB that weren't the actual starters at the beginning of the season for said team, i should have put a biut more descption in there lol
my B.

was Eason the starter for first game against UNC? i cant recall

but yea i am kind of sold on him, rose tinted glasses and all....

 

[RPAV]

How much of the classes that raised the average are left? Of the 18 4/5* players in the 14 class, 11 are no longer with the program for various reasons. Only 4 of the remaining 7 have made significant contributions to this point.

Retention for the '15 class is much better. Only 2 of the 17 4/5* players are gone. However of the remaining 15 only 6 have established themselves as regular starters.

At this point, those two classes would have to be classified as overrated.

Last year class over rated they have been there one year even 4 stars need time to adjust to college game. This Spring we should see many of our recruits shinning.

 

[RPAV]

I am one who thinks we have a better season next year. I don't really consider JRM and Sutton as critical losses because we really had already lost both after the 2015 season. The only full game JRM played in 2016 was against Va Tech, as he was ejected the first half against 1st game, App St., and was injured for the season in the 3rd game, Ohio game. We lost Sutton also in the Ohio game and even when he came back by the UK game it was obvious he was not back to where he was. And we lost Kirkland for half the season and he also didn't really look 100% the remainder of the regular season. But I expect him to be back 100% for 2017.

Barnett is obviously a big loss but we have some very talented guys at DE. We also will actually have some DTs available next season. How much depth we have there will of course depend on Sutton's availability.

I also think we will be better at DB as we will have a better DB coach teaching them how to actual cover a receiver downfield. And we do have some talent in the secondary.

OL will be more mature, stronger, and more developed. I like our RBs, starting with Kelly. I like our WRs, despite the loss of Malone. Obviously there will be some growing pains with the inexperienced QBs, but both are very talented, high IQ, young men.

We have a punter than can quickly flip the field.

We've got an NFL S&C coach who knows his stuff.

And I think the 2016 injuries were a weird anomaly that we won't see again for some time.

I think Team 121 will be better than some of you want to believe.

JMO.

Agree good post. The only disadvantage we have each year and that is Bama on schedule. Wish nick would finally retire.

 

[24/7vol]

I am one who thinks we have a better season next year. I don't really consider JRM and Sutton as critical losses because we really had already lost both after the 2015 season. The only full game JRM played in 2016 was against Va Tech, as he was ejected the first half against 1st game, App St., and was injured for the season in the 3rd game, Ohio game. We lost Sutton also in the Ohio game and even when he came back by the UK game it was obvious he was not back to where he was. And we lost Kirkland for half the season and he also didn't really look 100% the remainder of the regular season. But I expect him to be back 100% for 2017.

Barnett is obviously a big loss but we have some very talented guys at DE. We also will actually have some DTs available next season. How much depth we have there will of course depend on Sutton's availability.

I also think we will be better at DB as we will have a better DB coach teaching them how to actual cover a receiver downfield. And we do have some talent in the secondary.

OL will be more mature, stronger, and more developed. I like our RBs, starting with Kelly. I like our WRs, despite the loss of Malone. Obviously there will be some growing pains with the inexperienced QBs, but both are very talented, high IQ, young men.

We have a punter than can quickly flip the field.

We've got an NFL S&C coach who knows his stuff.

And I think the 2016 injuries were a weird anomaly that we won't see again for some time.

I think Team 121 will be better than some of you want to believe.

JMO.

I think the defense will be much better and the offense will be as good if our QB's are as good as I think.

 

[VonVol]

So you cry about recruiting when we don't get a top 10 class.

But then when someone says we have a top 10 roster because we've averaged a top 10 recruiting class over the last 4 years, you say that doesn't matter.

Surely someone wouldn't contradict themselves on VN. I know nobody would say last year was our only chance for a championship and then later say we will be better this year. That would just be lunacy.

 

[VonVol]

I am one who thinks we have a better season next year. I don't really consider JRM and Sutton as critical losses because we really had already lost both after the 2015 season. The only full game JRM played in 2016 was against Va Tech, as he was ejected the first half against 1st game, App St., and was injured for the season in the 3rd game, Ohio game. We lost Sutton also in the Ohio game and even when he came back by the UK game it was obvious he was not back to where he was. And we lost Kirkland for half the season and he also didn't really look 100% the remainder of the regular season. But I expect him to be back 100% for 2017.

Barnett is obviously a big loss but we have some very talented guys at DE. We also will actually have some DTs available next season. How much depth we have there will of course depend on Sutton's availability.

I also think we will be better at DB as we will have a better DB coach teaching them how to actual cover a receiver downfield. And we do have some talent in the secondary.

OL will be more mature, stronger, and more developed. I like our RBs, starting with Kelly. I like our WRs, despite the loss of Malone. Obviously there will be some growing pains with the inexperienced QBs, but both are very talented, high IQ, young men.

We have a punter than can quickly flip the field.

We've got an NFL S&C coach who knows his stuff.

And I think the 2016 injuries were a weird anomaly that we won't see again for some time.

I think Team 121 will be better than some of you want to believe.

JMO.

I love the optimism. Really hope you are right.

 

[MWAVolfan]

Adam McClintock came up with the most talented roster for '17. Vols in at #8. We lost offensive fire power in Dobbs, Malone and Kamara, and defensively Sutton, Foreman, and JRM. Our class filled positions of need and added much needed depth. Do you think our roster is where it should be? Better or worse?

I think it's worth a revisit after we finish 3rd in the east next year.

 

[LWSVOL]

I agree, and I haven't seen anyone do that yet.
Usually on here, when people remove Tennessee's attrition, they don't do the same for the other teams. So that's not accurate either.

Like all subjects, it flips back and forth on whose argument it suits.

People who say we don't have talent, will say - we shouldn't have lost games with all the talent we have.
And people who say we do have talent, will also say - of course we lost those games because we didn't have depth and talent.

Vicious little cycle we have here on our board.

on this site one can get the attrition rates for all power 5 schools. can even see the specific players and their high school rating who have left for each. If one wants to review real data as a factor.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B4PWr1nGk0GQMi1DMWd5TkN3OEE

 

[VolDaddy61]

I think our key to success will be how Coach Shoops and Coach Scott motivates the guys and maximizes their developmental growth.

Agree 100%. Development of talent is key.

 

[MiramarVol]

What's his criteria and methodology?

I don't know. He posts different analysis on Twitter and I thought this topic was interesting. Youd have to message him or invite him to Volnation.

 

[Iam4utalways]

Dilemma for Jones' defenders here. Agree with that evaluation... and UT should compete for or win the East this fall. If not then it serves as proof that he underachieved the talent on the team. Disagree with the evaluation... and you've admitted that in 5 years Jones has neither won the East and competed for the SEC nor has he built a roster capable of doing it.

It's no dilemma. We lost to the pond scum of the SEC last year.

Top 8 in talent is about right. There is no reason not to compete for the east, the SEC and the NC.

At the NSD breakfast LS, BS nor CBJ backed down from championship expectations. They sold me on the success of this signing class.

3 quality RB, needs filled by quality student athletes with all the right stats except the stars.

I guess we will all see if CBJ's master plan is working.

Release the Beast!

 

[VolFootballIsLife]

This is what I'm looking towards. We will succeed or fail based upon existing talent. This recruiting class isn't where we want it to be but win next year and the next class will rebound.

Still concerned about LB and Secondary growth. I believe we are pretty solid everywhere else.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

And again, how many of the top players from the classes that skewed UT's average up to that ('14 & '15) are still contributing members of the team?

If we're retroactively going to grade classes then why whine about this year's class?

There's a hypocrisy going on around here. Whine that recruiting isn't going well then when someone points back to 2014 and 2015 and says we recruited pretty well then, whine about the fact players haven't panned.

Can't have it both ways. Either we wait to judge classes when they actually hit the field or we judge them on NSD when that number gets put next to our name.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

Roster talent cannot be assessed based on class ratings. you have development, experience and attrition which all has an impact on the talent base of a roster.

I agree. Which is why I didn't care about what our ranking was on NSD. I'll wait until we at least get through the 2017 before declaring this years recruiting class a failure.

There were just a lot of people here the last 2 days going crazy because the number next to our name wasn't in the top 10. I was high on the 2015 class when we got out of NSD. Obviously that hasn't turned out to be the case now after watching them perform on the field the last 2 years. That's why I'm taking a wait and see approach on this year's recruiting class.

 

[Coachmike17]

And there's a bunch of us that think 121 will be considerably worse given everything Tennessee lost

Yep and there's a lot of people that thought the basketball team was going to stink it up this year also. But guess what. Somebody forgot to tell the team that. Have faith. Let em ball out and let's see what they can do.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Dilemma for Jones' defenders here. Agree with that evaluation... and UT should compete for or win the East this fall. If not then it serves as proof that he underachieved the talent on the team. Disagree with the evaluation... and you've admitted that in 5 years Jones has neither won the East and competed for the SEC nor has he built a roster capable of doing it.

According to the list, Tennessee should lose to the three SEC teams listed to have better talent. I doubt you and the other negavols will find it unpleasant it we win one or two of those games. On the other hand I doubt that you would ever agree that recruiting has been good enough for Tennessee to have that much good talent returning. I know that you ill do your dead-level best to bash the team with false and fictitious data.

 

[Coachmike17]

You got me there but look at the guy you were just building up. His freshman season wasn't anything close to what it was suppose to be

Harder to game plan for backups because you don't know their strengths and weaknesses. Remember in I think 2014 Driskell was starting qb for Florida. Coach Thigpen tells a story about how they knew as long as Driscoll was at qb UT would win because we knew his weaknesses. He told the defense whatever you do, do not knock him out of the game. What happened. He gets knocked out of game, in comes I think Treon Harris and the rest is history.

 

[Caleb59seal]

There is some talent at that position but none of it has shown the signs of filling the holes left by Barnett and Vereen. That won't be filled this year, even if you expect it to be by someone currently on the roster.

I don't think it's fair to try and say someone should fill Barnett's shoes.... Those are very big shoes to fill.... We can do it from increased numbers around that postion but not one individual person....

 

[OneVolNation]

Who is Adam?

#8 overall is definitely competitive.

As a side-note, in Turkish, Adam is the word for "man."

(I'm not trying to be a smart-aleck here; I just learned it the other day and found it interesting.)

Back to the topic, I think we have more talent than most gave us credit for because they didn't look past the number of stars to see the player behind them.

 

[ImportedVoL]

Oh look...on paper...Tennessee is Top 10...again...

Oh look...a sarcastic comment by a nega...again...

 

[Crazy Ivan]

And there's a bunch of us that think 121 will be considerably worse given everything Tennessee lost

Well, that was obvious from the dozens of post in this thread before mine, which is why I offered a counterpoint.

 

[MiramarVol]

This is were the staff will earn their money. The new hires such as Rock is very key. Since Rock will be spending the most time with the players during the off-season, he and CBJ have to see eye-2-eye on player development. He'll be the one pushing them to maximize their potential and to stick to the nutrition plans that will be established for them. Team leaders will have to emerge in order to get the team moving on one accord with the same goal in mind. Nothing short of winning the EAST and the SEC Championship. Every player even Freshmen, Red/Blue Shirt, will have to train as if they will be a starter. That's the mindset they need.

The talent is there. The classes from '14-'17 have been ranked #7, #4, #14, #17. That's a Top 10 avg. We have the coaches that can develop these guys and it starts with Rock.