2017 Positional Previews: OL

Basically, everyone is back. Tennessee returns seven linemen who started a game last year, highlighted by senior Jashon Robertson. Robertson is the most veteran linemen with 34 career starts. The Vols have the most experienced Power 5 OL in the country, per Phil Steele.

Tennessee had eight linemen who lettered in 2016 and all eight are back for 2017. Those eight are Drew Richmond, Jashon Robertson, Coleman Thomas, Jack Jones, Venzell Boulware, Chance Hall, Brett Kendrick, and Marcus Tatum. Tennessee did redshirt three players last season in Ryan Johnson, Nathan Niehaus, and Devante Brooks.

The only lineman not returning is Dylan Weisman, who graduated.

Trey Smith arrived in January and has completely lived up to the hype. The Top-50 recruit excelled this spring as an early enrolled and Smith is now a very realistic option to start this fall at guard.

Smith is not the only newcomer on the offensive line, as the Vols also welcome Riley Locklear and K'Rojhn Calbert — two likely redshirt candidates in 2017.

Numbers and experience highlight this unit and why many are banking on them carrying a young quarterback and a pretty young receiving core. With 111 combined starts, it's hard to imagine this group having not seen everything in the trenches. There shouldn't be a blitz or a defensive front that's an unknown.

The strength of numbers and experience also gives new offensive line coach Walt Wells a ton of options and flexibility in terms of moving guys around and trying to determine who his best five are going to be.

Finally, the biggest strength for the offensive line should be it's competitiveness. If you want to be on of the best five you better bring your best every day on the practice field because it's been years since the offensive line has been in this kind of competitive situation.

A year ago, the offensive line should have been a strength for the team, but giving up 25 sacks with a mobile quarterback the offensive front didn't play up to their expectations. Also, the offense rushed for about 300 yards less in 2016 compared to 2015.

So the question in 2016 is can they live up to their billing? Walt Wells has challenged the unit to be more physical and to play more angry in 2016.

The overriding question with the unit is who will win the starting five positions. The key to that question lies at the center position.

Will it be veteran Coleman Thomas at center? Or will it be senior Jashon Robertson, who has spent his career at guard. The center position is the battle that will also dictate who plays right and left guard.