A total of 15 Volunteers from the College Football Playoff team are slated to participate on the field, including defensive back Will Brooks, offensive lineman John Campbell Jr., offensive lineman Dayne Davis, offensive lineman Andrej Karic, offensive lineman Cooper Mays, wide receiver Bru McCoy, defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott, edge rusher James Pearce Jr., linebacker Eli Purcell, long snapper Matthew Salansky, running back Dylan Sampson, defensive lineman Elijah Simmons, offensive lineman Javontez Spraggins, defensive lineman Omari Thomas and wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr.
Linebacker Keenan Pili continues to work his way back from his season-ending knee injury last fall and has been meeting with teams. All six of Tennessee’s NFL Combine participants — McCoy, Norman-Lott, Pearce, Sampson, Simmons, Thornton Jr. — will be on hand Tuesday.
Pro Day comes one day after the Vols conducted their second practice of the spring, a two-hour helmets and shorts workout on Monday. Defensive coordinator Tim Banks, a 2024 Broyles Award finalist, is seeking to reload a unit that allowed only 16.1 points per game last fall. Much of that success derived from a ferocious and deep defensive front that returns several contributors led by Joshua Josephs, Jaxson Moi, Bryson Eason, Dominic Bailey and Tyre West.
“I think it’s a work in progress but in a good way,” Banks said. “Those guys were really productive for us and some guys who have played some football. I think these young guys will be fine. (Daevin Hobbs) has played a lot of football over the last couple of years. We’re super excited about his growth and development. Jaxson Moi, (Bryson Eason), those guys have played some football. They’ve worked during winter conditioning on leadership, working on their leadership skills.”
Banks enters his fifth season with the program and signed a new contract earlier this year.
“Being here, Tennessee is obviously a special place,” he said. “It’s a special place for me and my wife. You know that my faith is everything to me, and so I feel extremely blessed to be here. I knew things would work out the way they needed to work out, so I am excited to work with this new group.”
Tennessee will put on shoulder pads for the first time this spring Wednesday before going full pads Friday…
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