Some uncertainty here.
The biggest question on Tennessee’s roster for the 2024 season is by far the secondary, which saw a complete makeover this offseason. The Volunteers had every starter, and several pieces of depth, either hit the transfer portal or see their eligibility expire.
Tim Banks will now turn to a couple of younger players on the roster to fill those voids, as well as a few pickups out of the transfer portal. It’s a total new era in the secondary, which is both a little concerning but also exciting.
“Expecting those guys to play at a championship level,” Josh Heupel said of his secondary at SEC Media Days. “I love the group as far as their length, athleticism, play-making ability, their willingness to be physical, take on destruct blocks, tackle in open space, their care factor, their knowledge and understanding of what we’re doing, how they approach their practice every single day. I’m really excited about it.”
Cornerback seems set for now
Tennessee had to hit the portal hard here and they did just that, landing one of the top players at the position. Jermod McCoy enters the picture after a big time true freshman season with Oregon State, which included five starts. The 6-0, 193 pound defensive back picked off two passes and deflected seven more. He also notched 31 tackles.
McCoy is expected to start opposite of the emerging Rickey Gibson. A veteran pick-up, Jalen McMurray, will likely be the next man in line in the rotation. Jordan Matthews will also be in this picture, along with more youth at the bottom of the depth chart.
Safety is a little more murky
Andre Turrentine, who got some playing time down the stretch last season, is an obvious choice to get his turn here. From there it seems logical that Tennessee will turn to MTSU veteran transfer Jakobe Thomas. The 6-2, 200 pound safety has two years remaining. Thomas made ten starts last year as a redshirt sophomore last year, totalling 71 tackles and five pass break-ups.
Could anyone else make a push for playing time here? Senior Will Brooks will more than likely be a key depth piece once again this season after being forced into action last year. Sophomore John Slaughter could also make some noise. It also remains to be seen where Christian Charles will land.
Which brings us to…
Where does Boo Carter fit?
The talented athlete was a four-star prospect and one of Tennessee’s biggest pulls of the 2024 cycle. He’s landed on the defensive side of the ball to start his career, and he could end up manning a couple of different positions. Carter could be a fit at the STAR spot, perhaps starting out behind Jourdan Thomas. Thomas made a few starts at the position last fall and is thought of as the leader there this year.
From the buzz you hear around the program, it’s going to be tough to keep Carter off of the field. The natural playmaker has hit the ground running and could end up being a bit of a chess piece going forward. Freshmen haven’t seen a ton of playing time under this staff, but that could change here with Carter.
2024 Projected Tennessee Secondary Depth Chart
CB: Jermod McCoy, Jordan Matthews
CB: Rickey Gibson, Jalen McMurray
STAR: Jordan Thomas, Boo Carter, Will Brooks
S: Andre Turrentine, Will Brooks, Boo Carter
S: Jakobe Thomas, John Slaughter