Are Tennessee football wide receivers this good or overhyped? Plus more questions answered.

Tennessee football fans had so many questions after spring practice, it took two overflowing mailbags to hold them.

In the first installment, fans critiqued quarterback Nico Iamaleava and pondered transfer portal options.

In this second mailbag, questions about wide receiver hype, Elijah Herring’s transfer and DeSean Bishop’s role were among the favorite topics.

Questions were submitted by UT fans via our free Vols text message group. Here’s what they asked in the second installment of the post-spring mailbag.

Are these wide receivers that good or overhyped in spring?

That depends on whose hype you’re listening to.

Freshman receivers often make good first impressions and then fade when the season starts. Coach Josh Heupel hinted at that reality after the spring game.

“This is the deepest wide receiver pool that we’ve had,” Heupel said. “Now, there’s a lot of young guys within our system that still have a lot of growth they’ve got to make before we get to the opener, but really before we get to training camp too.”

Translation: Don’t be surprised if freshman receivers play against Chattanooga and Kent State early in the season. But based on those performances, they could stay in the mix or step back to make room for more experienced receivers in the rotation when the SEC slate opens.

Would Josh Heupel consider rotating receivers more?

Not during drives because tempo is the top priority. But there are enough good options to alternate receivers, which UT did occasionally after Bru McCoy’s injury last season.

McCoy, Squirrel White, Dont’e Thornton, Kaleb Webb, Tulane transfer Chris Brazzell and five-star freshman Mike Matthews should be in the mix. Four-star freshman Braylon Staley and Chas Nimrod also could get in it.

Injuries usually shorten the list, and time will weed out others.

But winning by wide margins is the best way to give playing time to more receivers. That’s what UT did in 2022. But last season, wins over Austin Peay and UTSA were too close to do that.

I’d expect the receiver rotation to expand slightly compared to past seasons. But that may mean going from three receivers to four.

Is Elijah Herring transferring because he lost his starting position?

Herring hasn’t commented publicly about the specific reasons for his decision to enter the transfer portal. But there are multiple factors pointing to decreased playing time for him at middle linebacker.

Keenan Pili returns from the injury that sidelined him for 12 games last season and put Herring into the starting lineup. So Pili would’ve been ahead of Herring at middle linebacker in the 2024 season.

Jeremiah Telander had a good spring, so he had a chance to jump ahead of Herring.

Freshman Edwin Spillman made a good first impression. However, I think it is premature to assume he’d be ahead of Herring. Let’s not forget that Herring led the team with 80 tackles against SEC competition.

Finally, new linebackers coach William Inge prioritizes speed at that position. Herring was a good downhill attacking linebacker against the run in the tackle box. But he was a half-step slow covering the rest of the field.

So Herring may have slipped further down the depth chart. We’ll never know, but it appears he saw factors working against him.

Are the receivers that good or defensive backs that bad?

The receivers showed big-play ability. Matthews’ adjustment on his TD catch in the spring game was impressive.

But don’t judge the units solely from their best and worst plays.

Cornerback Jalen McMurray, a Temple transfer, was beat by Brazzell on a 71-yard TD. But early in the game, McMurray smothered Brazzell on a similar route to prevent a TD.

Freshman Boo Carter played well, especially in run support. That could be notable because Carter plays the Star position, where starter Jourdan Thomas was burned on a TD pass.

But other defensive backs were solid. Defenders weren’t allowed to hit quarterbacks, so the secondary wasn’t complemented by a full-fledged pass rush.

Which wide receivers stood out in spring?

This spring, Thornton showed the skillset that initially drew UT’s attention when he transferred from Oregon a year ago. The question is whether he’s a situational deep threat or a well-rounded receiver.

Brazzell made a good first impression. His production at Tulane suggests he’ll make an impact at UT.

Matthews has legit five-star talent. It’s hard for a freshman to crack this rotation, but time will tell.

But aside from those obvious answers, Webb and Staley quietly had a good spring.

Webb is 6-foot-3 and now over 200 pounds, showing the strength and length that made Cedric Tillman a weapon in this offense. Staley has a burst similar to White at slot receiver, but there’s more to the position than running and catching.

What positions concern you the most?

Left guard, linebacker, safety and running back, but for reasons that can’t be fully addressed during spring.

There are lot of options at left guard. But until a player fills that spot, it’s a question mark. Andrej Karic missed spring due to injury. Jackson Lampley practiced at right guard because Javontez Spraggins is out, so he didn’t get a fair look.

At linebacker, Herring entered the portal and Arion Carter missed spring after offseason surgery. And Keenan Pili missed 12 games last season due to injury. They must be healthy for that unit to thrive.

The secondary was overhauled this offseason. So natural growing pains should be expected. And that unit is only as good as its last line of defense, which is safety.

What’s your take on DeSean Bishop?

Running back DeSean Bishop was a phenomenal high school player at Karns, rushing for 8,347 yards and scoring 102 TDs in his career. But he hasn’t played yet in college, so it’s hard to make a definite judgment.

At best, Bishop’s skillset may be similar to Jabari Small. He doesn’t have elite speed or size, but he’s got good vision and a hard-nosed running style. There’s a chance he could be an overachiever.

At worst, Bishop is a reserve who would play more at a mid-major school. That’s the level from which he got the majority of interest in recruiting.

If UT doesn’t add a running back in the portal, Bishop should play enough to make a fair assessment.

Is there finally enough depth at OL, DL and LB?

Defensive line: Yes, UT should have one of the deepest units in the SEC.

Linebacker: If Pili and Carter are healthy, there’s a chance for depth there. But only two linebackers are on the field in UT’s base defense, so it’s easier to mange that position.

Offensive line: There’s a notable drop-off from first team to second team. Young linemen have not developed well enough in recent years, which has created that gap.

That makes players like Dayne Davis, a sixth-year senior and former walk-on, more indispensable than he should be. Sure, he can play all five offensive line positions. But there should be better options among underclassmen.

Is Gaston Moore definitely the backup QB, or is that still a competition?

Gaston Moore is the backup. If Nico Iamaleava couldn’t finish a game, Moore would step in.

Now, if Iamaleava were out for a long stretch of games, freshman Jake Merklinger would be considered because of his upside and running ability.

But for now, Moore is definitely QB2. He’s the best short-term option in a pinch.

Who was a pleasant surprise in spring?

To name one, tight end Miles Kitselman.

The Alabama transfer came to UT with the reputation of a blocking tight end, but he’s run routes and caught the ball well.

It’s created an interesting competition because Ethan Davis is a talented but inexperienced receiving tight end and Notre Dame transfer Holden Staes is experienced.

Kitselman is the best blocker of the group, so he’ll likely play. So the question is whether the tight end rotation expands from two players to three or if one tight end falls behind the other two.

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Which freshmen have the best chance to play in 2024?

Plenty will play small roles on special teams. Linemen usually redshirt, so I wouldn’t count them.

Carter could play Star position or punt returner. Matthews could be a factor at wide receiver. Peyton Lewis may get a shot at running back if UT doesn’t add a transfer running back or Seldon’s injury keeps him out of the lineup.

Is the offensive line good, bad or somewhere in between?

It won’t be bad. Cooper Mays is an All-SEC center. Spraggins, the right guard, and right tackle John Campbell are returning starters.

Whether it’s pretty good or very good depends on finding a starting left guard and the development of LSU transfer Lance Heard at left tackle.

The good news is that the tempo and style of Heupel’s offense doesn’t require a dominant offensive line to be productive.

For example, UT had issues at backup center and left guard last season. But it still led the SEC in rushing and ranked fourth in fewest sacks allowed.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football receivers this good or overhyped? Mailbag questions