The Tennessee Volunteers have one of the best defensive players in the SEC.
However, it is not James Pearce Jr. who may have the most significant impact on the program in 2024.
ESPN identified the biggest x-factors for each top-25 college football club entering the season. For the Volunteers, they explained why defensive tackle Bryson Eason is such an important element of the defense.
“The Volunteers figure to have one of the better defensive lines in the SEC in 2024,” ESPN’s Mark Schlabach said. “One player who teammates and coaches have praised since spring practice is senior Eason…Rodney Garner, the defensive line coach, has helped Eason develop into an interior lineman.Garner believes Eason, who is now 6-foot-3 and weighs 303 pounds, is only scraping the surface of his potential as a player. He could be more than just a supplement to the Vols’ more proven pass rushers.”
Eason’s numbers aren’t the most impressive for an SEC player. He has only 50 total tackles and three sacks in four seasons. However, he is currently in a transition stage, having moved to the defensive line. Despite his listed weight of 270 pounds, Eason was a 4-star recruit at inside linebacker in high school.
The good news for Eason is that his production should increase significantly by 2024, according to Schlabach. Under head coach Josh Heupel, the Volunteers will need that kind of performance to compete for an SEC championship or at the very least a spot in the College Football Playoff.