Tennessee football preseason practice has arrived, so it’s time to start hyping and overanalyzing every player at every position on the 2026 roster.
On this podcast episode of "The Volunteer State," beat writer Adam Sparks and columnist John Adams discuss not-so-obvious players who could impact the Vols' season. And there's one big caveat: No quarterbacks.
This list includes players who aren’t on preseason watch lists for all-conference honors. They’re underrated for whatever reason. They’re not the top transfer or a five-star freshman. And some are viewed as second-fiddle players in terms of interest at their position.
Sparks presented five under-the-radar players that intrigue him, and Adams reacted. To hear the full discussion, listen to the hour-long
podcast. Here are those five intriguing players and why they were selected.
Tight end Ethan Davis
There was a time when Ethan Davis was seen as a young rising star at tight end. But he was overshadowed by transfers like McCallan Castles, Holden Staes and Miles Kitselman. In 2026, Davis has arrived at a now-or-never point in his career.
This is Davis' fourth year on campus (he’s a redshirt junior). He’s flashed talent but never fully broken out. He struggled as a blocker early in his career and with injuries after that. Davis could be an All-SEC tight end, but he’s had only 390 yards and four TDs in his career.
Sparks is eager to see if Davis finally puts it all together. He and Adams discussed the options at tight end.
Wide receiver Radarious Jackson
Radarious Jackson is a sophomore competing for the third wide receiver spot alongside Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews. That spot could go to five-star freshman TK Keys or sophomore Travis Smith. Redshirt freshman Joakim Dodson could also get into the mix.
Jackson showed grit last season, returning from a midseason collarbone injury to make four catches in the final three games against Florida, Vanderbilt and Illinois in the Music City Bowl.
Sparks wants to see if Jackson can be the latest UT wide receiver to thrive in his second season in the offense. Jalin Hyatt, Squirrel White, Dont’e Thornton, Chris Brazzell, Matthews and Staley did that in Year 2.
Adams admitted he's more interested in Keys, the blue-chip freshman. He and Sparks discussed the wide receiver competition.
Running back Javin Gordon
Tulane transfer Javin Gordon rushed for 516 yards and five TDs for a College Football Playoff team last season. He's competing with sophomores Daune Morris and Justin Baker for the backup running back spot behind 1,000-yard rusher DeSean Bishop.
Gordon flashed some of his ability with a 62-yard TD run in Tennessee's Orange and White spring game.
Sparks wants to see if Gordon's decisive one-cut style makes him the best fit for coach Josh Heupel's rushing offense. Adams said he's more intrigued by Morris' versatile, big-play ability.
Defensive end Tyree Weathersby
Like Davis, Tyree Weathersby started his career with a lot of promise, but injuries stalled his progress.
Weathersby played well in spurts last season, but he was behind Dominic Bailey and Tyre West on the depth chart at defensive end. He's now the projected starter in 2026.
Sparks likes that Weathersby had the highest grade in tackling of any UT defender last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Adams is more interested in Tulane transfer Jordan Norman at edge rusher.
Weatherby and Norman could impact one another's playing time despite being at different positions. That depends on the imagination of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles' in his scheme, Sparks explained.
Nickelback Qua Moss
Kansas State transfer Qua Moss is a veteran who goes into preseason as the projected starter at Star position, what UT calls its nickelback. He’s a prototypical climber in the portal era. He went from junior college to FCS program West Georgia to Kansas State and finally to Tennessee.
Moss is an under-the-radar guy in this secondary because UT added eight defensive backs from the portal. TJ Metcalf (Michigan) and Kayin Lee (Auburn) drew a lot of attention. DeJuan Lane (Penn State) played under UT's defensive coaches last season with the Nittany Lions. But Moss was a big portal priority for the Vols.
Adams said Sparks convinced him of Moss' importance. To hear their full discussion, including their player breakdowns, listen to the podcast.
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 at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: 5 Tennessee football players besides QBs that intrigue us in preseason
