Tennessee football 2017: Projected Vols depth chart

The projected depth chart for the Tennessee football program in 2017.

The Tennessee football program will head into the 2017 season looking to improve on a 9-4 record in the 2016 campaign. This saw them make the Music City Bowl and defeat Nebraska, 38-24.

Tennessee started 2016 at 5-0, having defeated Virginia Tech, Florida and Georgia. However, back-to-back games against Texas A&M and Alabama cost the Volunteers their perfect season. This was cemented with a 24-21 loss to South Carolina.

The Vols rebounded with three consecutive wins, before falling to Vanderbilt in the season finale. That led to the Music City Bowl win over the Cornhuskers.

After the season, Tennessee lost a handful of players to the 2017 NFL Draft and graduation. This happens with every school in college football, as they have to regroup for the next year and look to keep things going steady.

The most significant loss for Tennessee was quarterback Joshua Dobbs. He was the full-time starter for the past two years, passing for over 5,000 yards and throwing 42 touchdowns. Dobbs’ ability to run with the ball, helped, too, as he had 831 yards in his senior year.

Given Dobbs’ lead of the offense in 2016, it will be interesting to see who leads the way at quarterback. Which player should be projected as the starter?

Running back Alvin Kamara is also gone from the team. He left for the NFL Draft, going in Round 3 to the New Orleans Saints. Kamara had two productive seasons in Knoxville, showcasing himself as a multi-purpose running back. Who will take over his spot?

There were other subtractions on the Tennessee football team, all of which will impact the depth chart for the fall. How could it look?