It's spring football time in Tennessee!

The Vols start spring practice this week, meaning the next few weeks we'll be getting a taste of fall as Tennessee hits the field for 15 spring practices.

UT will have somewhat high expectations in 2022. No one is predicting the Vols to win the SEC East, but improvement will be expected after Josh Heupel's squad surpassed expectations in 2021 by winning seven regular-season games.

Tennessee still has a long way to go to compete with the likes of Alabama and Georgia. But the Vols are a team clearly on the rise.

For the program to take the next step under Heupel this season, there are a few players on the Vols' roster that need to have a HUGE spring.

Tyler Baron — DL/LB

You could really add Byron Young in this slot, too. The Vols need to have an above-average pass-rushing attack in 2022. And that starts with Tyler Baron and Young. These two players combined for 9.5 sacks last season. If the Vols are going to win 10 games this season, they'll need that number to increase to around 18 sacks combined. Baron and Young have the talent to be premier SEC pass rushers. Tennessee fans should hope to hear their names a lot this spring as players that are "standing out".

Jalin Hyatt — WR

Velus Jones Jr and Javonta Payton, two of the Vols' top wide receivers from last season, are gone. Cedric Tillman returns as Tennessee's No. 1 wide receiver, but the Vols need a strong No. 2 wide receiver to step up in 2022. That player should be Jalin Hyatt, a former four-star recruit from South Carolina with elite game-changing speed. If Hyatt can step up in 2022, he could be a dangerous deep threat for the Vols that could cause opposing defensive coordinators to have nightmares.

Desmond Williams — CB

It's no secret that Tennessee is thin in the secondary — especially at cornerback. The Vols are also dealing with some injuries at the position (several players, including Kamal Hadden, Brandon Turnage, Warren Burrell, and De’Shawn Rucker are expected to be out or limited this spring). Desmond Williams is a junior college transfer that was rated as the No. 3 JuCo cornerback in the country by 247Sports. Williams has a huge opportunity to make an immediate impact for the Vols this spring. Not only is Tennessee hoping he can make an impact, but they're also likely expecting it. Williams' emergence is essential to the Vols' success in 2022.

Gerald Mincey — OL

Let's not forget about the offensive line. The Vols lost Cade Mays to the NFL, which means Tennessee needs to replace their right tackle. Gerald Mincey was a backup tackle for the Florida Gators last season. He'll compete with Dayne Davis and Jeremiah Crawford to replace Mays. Davis filled in for Mays quite a bit last season, but he struggled at times. Mincey is the unknown. If he can step up and prove to be a reliable option, it would improve the Vols' starting offensive line while also allowing the team to build some depth behind him.

Joe Milton — QB

I'm sure you're confused. The Vols' starting quarterback position is locked down by Hendon Hooker.

But the backup position is extremely important, too. What are the chances that Hooker plays every single snap in 2022? I'd say not high. Even if he stays mostly healthy, there are still a few situations where we'll likely see the backup be forced into action. And if the Vols are hoping to win 10 games in 2022, they'll need their backup to play at a high level in whatever situation he's thrust into. Remember last year when Milton was forced into the Ole Miss game for the final few plays? And remember how he ran out of bounds? That was the difference between a seven-win regular season and an eight-win regular season.

Milton is still a high upside player who has a rocket arm. I don't think he's ever going to be a starting option for Tennessee — he's too inconsistent. But he needs to at least be a reliable option to fill in if Hooker has to miss a few snaps (or even a game). If Milton can progress under Heupel this spring, it would give Tennessee a lot of security. Otherwise, it'll mean that true freshman Tayven Jackson will be asked to be the primary backup option.

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