Tennessee Football: 3 way-too-early breakout candidates for 2022
By Kathryn Rose
3. Brandon Turnage, CB/Star
With Alontae Taylor and Theo Jackson gone, the Vols will need some major players to make themselves seen. A lot of untapped potential is in Tennessee’s secondary, just waiting on a come-up.
But, one name to know is Brandon Turnage.
Turnage is an odd choice, at first. He only had one start and was a very small-time contributor in Tennessee’s defensive backfield. There’s more than meets the stat sheet, though, as Turnage’s one start was a supernova debut. He was SEC player of the week in that game and made 14 tackles in a 45-20 drubbing of South Carolina.
The star position is a strange one, with elements of needing to be a corner, a safety, and a linebacker at that spot. Turnage was able to come in at that role and play at a high level that demands consideration. He could also end up starting at cornerback since one of the two corner slots will be open for competition.
Wherever he is, his potential to make something of himself is on solid ground. Turnage was said to have “all-conference” potential coming out of high school, and 2022 is the year he could act upon it.