Tennessee Vols assistant says true freshman is ready to go if needed
The Tennessee Vols' three-headed monster at running back — Jaylen Wright, Jabari Small, and Dylan Sampson — has been so good this season that's it been difficult for true freshman running back Cam Seldon to find any playing time. Seldon, a former four-star recruit from Virginia, arrived at Tennessee with a reputation as a player […]
The Tennessee Vols' three-headed monster at running back — Jaylen Wright, Jabari Small, and Dylan Sampson — has been so good this season that's it been difficult for true freshman running back Cam Seldon to find any playing time.
Seldon, a former four-star recruit from Virginia, arrived at Tennessee with a reputation as a player who can be used in a variety of ways. The talented athlete, who also played basketball and ran track in high school, can play wide receiver or running back. And he has the size/speed combination (6-foot-2/222 lbs) to be a menace on the field.
For now, Seldon, who has just three carries for five yards this season, is operating as Tennessee's fourth running back. But Vols running backs coach Jerry Mack said this week that Seldon is ready to step up if someone in UT's running back rotation goes down.
"I really think if Cam had to be thrust into that position to go out there and play and give us quality reps, he could," said Mack on Tuesday while meeting with reporters. "Once again, he's a guy that stays in the film room. He's an early bird. Cam is a guy — we practice in the morning — he's basically the first one in the building all the time. I don't know how much the guy really sleeps, but he does a really good job of being on time. He's never missed anything."
As with all young running backs, pass protection is an area where Seldon needs to continue to develop according to Mack
"Just from a development and growth standpoint, like all young guys, the protection piece is going to be critical for him to continue to develop and grow," noted Mack. "He's not there by any stretch of the imagination. Obviously, he has the rest of the season to go. And then also during spring ball he has to continue to grow in that aspect. Learning how to run between the tackles, being a violent runner in between the tackles and being able to feel the bodies when they cross his face, feel when he can go ahead and take the space that he has."
"Those kinds of things right there, he's still learning and still growing in that," added Mack. "But I do think as he continues to get more reps in practice, he's in the rotation right now, he's like the fourth back so to speak. If one of those guys gets a hangnail, Cam Seldon is the next guy up."
Seldon was described during the recruiting process by 247Sports' Brian Dohn as a player that as early round NFL Draft potential. He might not be on the field just yet for the Vols, but Cam Seldon is still a player that has superstar potential in the SEC.
Pat Forde is still taking shots at Tennessee because of Vols fans rushing the field after beating Alabama in 2022
Tennessee keeps living rent free in Pat’s head
