Analyzing The Tennessee Freshmen
During Saturday's spring game, all eyes were on the household names—Guys like Joe Milton III, Doneiko Slaughter, and others. Certain guys definitely had more eyes on them and more buzz than others. But what about the unheralded guys? What about the guys whose names we do not yet know? For the Vols, depth is key. Depth is something that the team possesses. With a few young guys making an immediate impact on Saturday, it's fair to wonder how frequently we will see some of them this coming fall.
Quarterback Nico Iamaleava delivered an impressive showing. Although some of his drives ended in punts and even a fumble by wide receiver Trey Weary, he was able to get the ball down the field sometimes as well. He led the orange team on a nine-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a long touchdown run by Cam Seldon. He also led team white's offense down the field for a 39-yard field goal which sealed the game in the fourth quarter.
The freshmen had a few standouts in Neyland this past weekend. Off the bat, albeit as a redshirt freshman and not a true frosh, Kaleb Webb had a day out wide, with 4 of Josh Heupel's top 5 wide receivers not dressing out. Webb caught three passes for 50 yards, including a touchdown from Joe Milton immediately after a long 39-yard grab down the sideline.
Running back Cam Seldon had 13 total touches, with ten carries for 45 yards and a Touchdown, a breakaway scamper to the end zone through a wide-open hole in the middle. The converted Wideout looks to make an immediate impact in his first year at Rocky Top and is well on his way. A few other first-year guys had outstanding days on Saturday.
Tight end and Georgia native Ethan Davis had a nice game his first time in White and Orange. Davis had three grabs, the same as Webb, for 53 yards. Davis's most impressive play would have to be a grab he made down the near sideline on an absolute missile from fellow Freshman Nico Iamaleava. Despite suffering a collarbone injury, Davis is expected to be back in a month or two. Ethan comes from Collins Hill High School, the same school that Colorado's Travis Hunter hails from, so Davis is used to being in a high-octane offense.
One final guy we got a look at was Dayton Sneed, another wide receiver. Sneed had the opening touchdown of the game, climbing the ladder in the corner of the end zone to haul in a pass from Gaston Moore.
All in all, the Vols have oodles of talent and a plethora of depth pieces. The new guys add another level of excitement for this fall. If someone goes down, there are guys available who can make plays, and the Vols may not skip a beat. As the pieces continue to come together, Heupel and his team continue to put in work.
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