The Depth Chart: How No. 15 Tennessee will line up against No. 6 Georgia

A closer look at No. 15 Tennessee’s unofficial depth chart for the SEC opener against No. 6 Georgia on Saturday (3:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ABC) at Neyland Stadium:

Quarterback

Starter	Joey Aguilar
Backup	Jake Merklinger
Backup	George MacIntyre

Joey Aguilar through two games has completed 39 of 59 passes for 535 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions. He has rushed six times for 34 yards. He was 16-for-28 for 247 yards and three touchdowns against Syracuse and 23-for-31 for 288 yards and two touchdowns against ETSU, playing in the first half only against the Bucs.

Redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger completed 9 of 14 passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns against ETSU while freshman George MacIntyre was 6-for-7 for 52 yards.

Marklinger appeared in two games last season, completing 6 of 9 passes for 48 yards and running seven times for 22 yards. MacIntyre was a four-star prospect who was a headliner in Tennessee’s 2025 class, ranked as the No. 15 quarterback in the class and the No. 3 in-state prospect, out of Brentwood Academy.

Running Back

DeSean Bishop OR

Peyton Lewis OR

Star Thomas OR

Daune Morris OR

Justin Baker

Star Thomas is Tennessee’s leading rusher in yards, carries and touchdowns, with 24 attempts for 161 yards and three touchdowns through two games. DeSean Bishop has 14 carries for 150 yards and a touchdown and Peyton Lewis has 16 rushes for 57 yards and two touchdowns.

Wide Receivers

Starter	Chris Brazzell II
Backup	Radarious Jackson
Backup	Trey Weary
Starter	Mike Matthews
Backup	Travis Smith Jr.
Backup	Trey Weary
Starter	Braylon Staley
Backup	Amari Jefferson
Backup	Joakim Dodson

Chris Brazzell II leads Tennessee receivers in catches, yards and touchdowns, with 14 receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns. Braylon Staley has nine catches for 134 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown against Syracuse, and Mike Matthews has eight catches for 140 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown against ETSU.

Brazzell caught 29 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns last season, ahead of Matthews at seven catches for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Staley had three catches for 21 yards in four games during a redshirt season.

Tight Ends

Starter	Miles Kitselman
Backup	Ethan Davis
Backup	Jack Van Dorselaer
Backup	DaSaahn Brame OR
Backup	Cole Harrison

Miles Kitselman has five catches for 46 yards and a touchdown and is the only Tennessee tight end with more than two receptions through two games. Freshman Dasaahn Brame has two catches for 16 yards, freshman Jack Van Dorselaer has one catch for seven yards and redshirt freshman Ethan Davis has one catch for one yard.

Kitselman was one of Tennessee’s biggest surprises last season, catching 22 passes for 301 yards and four touchdowns after transferring from Alabama. Davis had 13 catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns last season. Van Dorselaer and Brame, two freshmen who were former four-star prospects, give the tight end room added depth.

Offensive Line

Left Tackle	Lance Heard
Backup	Bennett Warren
Left Guard	Wendell Moe
Backup	Shamurad Umarov
Center	Sam Pendleton OR
Backup	William Satterwhite
Right Guard	Jesse Perry OR
Backup	Sam Pendleton
Backup	Max Anderson
Right Tackle	David Sanders
Backup	Brian Grant

Tennessee’s offensive line paved the way for 505 yards rushing and seven rushing touchdowns through two games. The Vols have not allowed a sack while throwing for 707 yards and seven touchdowns.

Five-star freshman David Sanders Jr. has missed the first two games due to injury. Jesse Perry shifted to right tackle to replace Sanders while Wendell Moe Jr. replaced Perry at right guard and Shamurad Umarov stepped in at left guard.

Sanders headlined Tennessee’s recruiting class as a top-10 prospect and the No. 2 offensive tackle in the Rivals Industry Ranking. Pendleton transferred from Notre Dame and Moe, and Arizona transfer, has impressed at guard.

Defensive Tackle

Starter	Bryson Eason
Backup	Daevin Hobbs OR
Backup	Nathan Robinson OR
Backup	Isaiah Campbell
Starter	Jaxson Moi
Backup	Jamal Wallace OR
Backup	Ethan Utley

Defensive End

Starter	Dominic Bailey
Backup	Tyree Weathersby OR
Backup	Tyre West OR
Backup	Mariyon Dye

LEO

Starter	Joshua Josephs
Backup	Caleb Herring OR
Backup	Jordan Ross

Weakside Linebacker

Starter	Arion Carter
Backup	Ben Bolton OR
Backup	Jordan Burns

Middle Linebacker

Starter	Jeremiah Telander
Backup	Edwin Spillman

Cornerback

Starter	Jermod McCoy
Backup	Colton Hood OR
Backup	William Wright
Starter	Rickey Gibson II
Backup	Ty Redmond OR
Backup	Tre Poteat

Safety

Starter	Edrees Farooq OR
Backup	Kaleb Beasley
Backup	Dylan Lewis
Starter	Andre Turrentine
Backup	Sydney Walton OR
Backup	Timothy Merritt

Star

Starter	Jalen McMurray
Backup	Boo Carter
Backup	Marcus Goree Jr.

Arion Carter leads Tennessee with 13 tackles through two games. He has two tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble. Joshua Josephs has eight tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks, a pass broken up and a forced fumble.

Jalen McMurray is the team’s second-leading tackler with 10. He has one tackle for loss and one sack, with one pass broken up. Edwin Spillman has eight tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss

Jermod McCoy suffered a torn ACL while working out on his own in January. He returned to the practice field in a limited role during fall camp. Rickey Gibson III, Tennessee’s starter at corner opposite of McCoy, is also out for an extended period of time due to an arm injury.

Special Teams

Jackson Ross has punted five times for 211 yards, averaging 42.2 yards per punt with a long of 56. Three punts have been fair caught, four have been downed inside the 20 and one has traveled 50 yards or more. Max Gilbert has 4-for-4 on field goals so far, connecting on a career long of 53 yards against ETSU in Week 2.

Boo Carter returned four punts for 94 yards against ETSU in Week 2, averaging 23.5 yards per return with a long of 40. Daune Morris has returned three punts for 24 yards, with a long of 11, and Braylon Staley has returned one punt for two yards and Peyton Lewis returned one kickoff for 24 yards. Peyton Lewis has returned two kickoffs for a total of 42 yards, with a long of 24.