30 college football players with big shoes to fill in 2017
By Brad Weiss
John Kelly
Running Back, Tennessee
Alvin Kamara is one of the top running back prospects in the 2017 NFL Draft class, but he struggled mightily in 2016 for the Tennessee Volunteers. Kamara actually finished third on the team in rushing, which was a disappointment based on the expectations coming into the year. The man who finished second in rushing is back for more in 2017, and the Volunteers should give him the ball early, and often.
John Kelly is a good looking running back, who actually rushed for 630 yards last season. He made one start at running back, rushing for 94 yards against South Carolina with Kamara out with an injury. Against Ole Miss, Kelly ran for over 100 yards as the No. 2 running back, scoring a touchdown on 18 carries. With a full workload, he could certainly be a 1,000-yard rusher in 2017.
Tennessee is going to be an interesting team next season, as they will have to replace quarterback Joshua Dobbs as well. That will put even more pressure on Kelly to perform, which he should have no problem doing. He runs hard, and showed what he can do in the Volunteers 38-24 victory over Nebraska in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, rushing for 70 yards and a touchdown on only 15 carries.
The Volunteers won nine games last season, which will be a hard mark to match without Dobbs under center. Kelly tweaked an ankle during spring camp, but he has already taken a leadership role on the team, giving good advice to the younger players on the roster. He is a leader, and should be in for a big season for the Volunteers.