Why An Anonymous Quote About Tennessee's WR Room Misses The Mark

The Tennessee Volunteers came under scrutiny recently when an anonymous college coach questioned their wide receiver depth when speaking with Athlon Sports.

In a recent article released by Athlon Sports, an anonymous college coach went on record with a criticism of Tennessee's wide receiver room. "They need to develop more depth at wide receiver to stay creative," they said. While Tennessee is replacing two NFL Draft picks from its 2022 roster, the quote misses the mark when examining their wide receiver depth.

Tennessee returns Bru McCoy, Ramel Keyton, and Squirrel White in 2023, three primary contributors that each had big games a year ago. Each made big plays in critical moments for Tennessee and was asked to do difficult things. McCoy and White were in their first seasons with Tennessee, spending the previous offseason learning how to acclimate into the system. Meanwhile, Keyton saw his first season of meaningful action after spending four years in the shadows. That group is uber-talented, and it reflects in their production.

• Bru McCoy: 52 catches, 667 yards, 4 touchdowns
• Ramel Keyton: 31 catches, 562 yards, 5 touchdowns
• Squirrel White: 30 catches, 481 yards, 2 touchdowns

Tennessee WR Squirrel White

Those three targets make up Tennessee's top group, but their depth may be stronger than their top-end talent. The Vols added Oregon transfer wide receiver Dont'e Thornton to the mix this offseason, a big-bodied target known for his freakish traits. Thornton carries a 6-5 frame gracefully with an elite track background. He ran an 11.02-second 100-meter dash in high school and reportedly clocks a 4.63 in the 40-yard dash. The Ducks didn't offer the 2021 signee as many opportunities as he would have liked, but Tennessee should have no problem scheming up plays for one of the biggest mismatches on its roster.

That's four receivers deep, already more than most programs in college football. However, their depth doesn't stop there. 2022 signee Kaleb Webb looked like he was ready for action if needed during the Orange and White spring game. Webb made a litany of impressive downfield grabs, flashing excellent body control and long speed. To have that as your No. 5 wide receiver is a luxury most teams don't have. The Vols also signed Nathan Leacock in the 2023 cycle, a late-riser that cracked the top-100 prospects by early national signing day. Leacock is 6-3 and 200 pounds and runs a 10.88-second 100-meter dash, making him another monster athlete that will have to compete to see snaps this year.

Yes, Tennessee lost Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman this off-season. Yes, those two had much to do with Tennessee's resurgence and are two of the better wideouts to come through the program in the past few years. No, their departures don't mean Tennessee is short-handed at receiver heading into 2023.

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