Vols' Doneiko Slaughter shows versatility in adjustment to corner

Doneiko Slaughter had less than a week prepare.

After playing much of the season at safety, injuries had thinned out the Tennessee secondary to the point that the coaching staff needed to make a sudden change just days away from the Vols matchup against Kentucky last October.

Slaughter was used to being moved around. He played the Star position in his first two seasons with the program before switching to safety in 2021. But even with limited time to prepare, he was among the headliners in one of Tennessee's most impressive performances last season, intercepting Will Levis and providing the hit that set up another in a 44-6 thumping of the Wildcats at Neyland Stadium.

As Tennessee inches closer to the completion of spring practices, Slaughter is feeling more comfortable at the position as he transitions to corner fulltime.

"Yeah, (corner) grew on me like you'd expect it to," Slaughter said last week. "I'm falling in love with the corner position. I feel like the boundary corner is more physical now than it used to be."

That performance against Kentucky flashed how versatile Slaugther could be, but the transition wasn't entirely smooth. He struggled in coverage over the next three games and missed the last game of the regular season at Vanderbilt with an injury. He returned in the Orange Bowl versus Clemson where he recorded three pass breakups and five tackles.

For Tennessee defensive backs coach Willie Martinez, that kind of versatility is needed in a secondary that has largely struggled with depth and injuries over the last two seasons.

"(Slaughter) is doing a really good job," Martinez said. "He's all-in. We love versatility in our defensive backs. That is what we want. When we went down with some injuries in the middle of the week of the Kentucky game, he did not bat an eye. We told him, 'Doneiko, go over and play corner.' He had not played corner at all besides a couple of snaps in the spring. We all saw how he played in that game and moving forward. He's a playmaker and is someone that has proved it.

"He's had a good spring and he is locked in on playing corner right now. He's a really good player and playmaker. You see it in him. He just has to be more consistent."

Splitting time between two positions last season, Slaughter totaled 31 tackles, six pass breakups and an interception.

Though Tennessee has added some depth through its 2023 signing class and the transfer portal, Slaughter's ability to play multiple positions gives the Vols options.

"I view (versatility) as a positive since it helps you learn the defense better," Slaughter said. "You stay consistent on knowing what other guys are doing on the field, so you know where to help. Staying versatile will help your game at all times. There's no negative to that."

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