KNOXVILLE, Tenn. —The Tennessee football team had nine senior Vols named to the 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist earlier this week.
The Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist includes athletes from nearly every level of college football. Players from across the nation will look to fill 110 roster spots that form the North and South squads for the nation’s premier all-star game.
Tennessee’s nine honorees are: linebacker Daniel Bituli, defensive back Baylen Buchnan, wide receiver Marquez Callaway, defensive tackle Emmit Gooden, wide receiver Jauan Jennings, long snapper Riley Lovingood, outside linebacker Darrell Taylor, defensive back Nigel Warrior and tight end Dominick Wood-Anderson.
Bituli enters his final season as Tennessee’s active career leader in tackles with 178 stops over 33 career games. He has led Tennessee in tackles the last two seasons, becoming only the 11th Vol in history to accomplish that feat.
Buchanan started all 12 games in his junior season, seeing action at cornerback, safety and nickel back. He recorded 49 of his 73 total tackles last season along with four pass breakups. Buchanan is currently out indefinitely due to injury.
Callaway has recorded 62 receptions for 1,011 yards in his career to go along with seven touchdown catches and two punt return scores. His career return average (13.4) is the highest among any active player in the FBS. The senior recorded a career-best 81-yard punt return against Charlotte for a score in 2018.
Gooden played in all 12 games, starting one, in his first season on Rocky Top. He recorded 33 tackles, including the third-highest TFL total on team (7.0) and one sack. Gooden will sit out the 2019 season after suffering a season-ending knee injury during fall camp practice.
Jennings is the Vols’ active leader in receptions (87), receiving yards (1,184) and touchdown receptions (10). The senior has 21 starts and has appeared in 37 games. The Murfreesboro, Tenn., product has two career 100-yard receiving games and has thrown two touchdown passes.
Lovingood, from Hendersonville, Tenn., has appeared in 26 games for the Vols. Throughout his time, he has recorded a pair of stops and was named to the watch list for the inaugural Patrick Mannelly Award given to the nation’s top long snapper.
Taylor is a disruptive defender who has 11 sacks, 16.5 TFLs, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries over the course of his 30-game career. He had the most sacks in 2018 (8.0) of any returning player in the SEC.
Warrior has been a staple in the Vols staring lineup. He enters his senior season with 169 tackles over 36 career games, including 24 consecutive starts.
Wood-Anderson appeared in 11 games last season, starting 10. He closed out his debut season for the Vols with 17 catches for 140 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
-UT Athletics
