Kaleb Webb, Ethan Davis make highlight plays in Orange and White Game

Kaleb Webb had a step on Gabe Jeudy-Lally.

The redshirt freshman wideout trotted down the sideline at Neyland Stadium and looked back as Joe Milton III released a ball more than 45 yards behind him.

The pass fell perfectly into Webb's arms, then he held on to the ball after crashing to the turf from a Wesley Walker hit for a first down and the first big play for the Milton-led offense in the Orange and White Game on Saturday.

Three plays later, Milton connected with Webb again for a 4-yard touchdown pass to put the White team up 14-7.

At 6-foot-3, 196 pounds, Webb saw limited action in his first season with the Vols in 2022 but with receivers Bru McCoy, Ramel Keyton, Squirrel White and Dont'e Thornton out, he made the most of his playing time in Tennessee's annual glorified scrimmage to conclude spring practices.

"Kaleb has been working hard from before spring and during spring," Milton said. "Just giving him the opportunity to go show off his last name and put points on the board for Tennessee. Just another great day. That kid works hard."

Tennessee's receiving corps has been banged up in spring practice with McCoy missing all four weeks following an arm procedure stemming from an injury early last season.

Keyton, Thornton and White were all in red non-contact jerseys at one point or another as well, though head coach Josh Heupel said those three could have played Saturday.

Spring games offer the opportunity for players like Webb and Dayton Sneed–who was on the receiving end of a 6-yard touchdown pass from Gaston Moore in the first quarter–to showcase their growth in a game-like setting.

"That group as a whole has been really good in what they have done throughout the course of spring ball," Heupel said. "We have been banged up throughout the course of it. We anticipate it being an electric group when we get to the fall. We are long, competitive, have speed and a pretty good understanding of what we are doing right now offensively."

Freshman tight end Ethan Davis has the opportunity to see the field in the fall.

A four-star signee in Tennessee's 2023 recruiting class, the 6-foo-5, 228 pound Davis showed off his skillset in the first half.

In a drive led by fellow freshman and highly touted early enrollee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, the two hooked up just before halftime when Iamaleava rolled right and dropped the ball into Davis' hands along the sideline.

"(Davis' performance was) similar from what we've seen from him," Heupel said. "You guys haven't had the opportunity to see him other than in some of our individual work at the beginning of practice. He's been really good. He understands space. He understand how to get himself open.

"He plays long and physical to the catch. He's done a really nice job throughout spring ball."

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