Sophomore Surge: Three Vols Take The Next Step

One of the most integral pieces of team development is getting those true freshman contributors to take the next step. Three Tennessee Volunteers project to improve in 2023.

Last season for Tennessee was a massive success. Everyone knows this. However, some of the biggest impact players from that team have departed. Key offensive contributors Hendon Hooker, Jalin Hyatt, and Darnell Wright are all leaving UT for the NFL Draft.

This means that unheralded guys are going to need to step up. Some of these guys have already seen action at Rocky Top and expect an elevated role. Let's look at three rising Sophomores who look to build on promising Freshmen campaigns in 2022.

Squirrel White, WR

Coming in at a wiry 5'10" 165-pound frame that fits with his name and blazing speed, White came on strong at the tail end of the 2022 season. In his final four games, White recorded 20 catches for 286 yards. 

In the Orange Bowl against Clemson, White went nuclear, recording nine catches for 108 yards and a touchdown. If Joe Milton wins the starting job, there will be an already existing connection between him and White.

Joshua Josephs, DL

Vols defensive lineman Joshua Josephs hails from North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, Georgia. Everyone knows how competitive and rich in talent Georgia High School Football is. Josephs is a talented product of the Peach State. 

At 6'3" and 238 pounds, Josephs appeared in 11 of 13 games for the Volunteers as a Freshman. He recorded TFLs in 3 separate games, including in Death Valley against LSU, where he recorded a sack. If Josephs can pack on a little more weight, a good Spring may earn him an elevated role in the fall. 

Dylan Sampson, RB

Anytime your football team possesses a running back who measures at a sprint speed of 23 miles per hour, you want to utilize them. Tennessee has just that. Sampson, a 5'11", 190-pound back from Baton Rouge, possesses an elite ability to run the football. Sampson appeared in nine games as a freshman. 

Sampson hit pay dirt four times in his first four career games and capped off his first season in Knoxville with an SEC Freshman of the Week honor after a 12-carry, 131-yard outing against the Vanderbilt Commodores. In year two, Sampson looks to earn more carries and, as a result, more touchdowns for a Tennessee squad with CFP Aspirations.

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