Volquest.com's spring superlatives

No spring camp would be complete without diving into the world of spring superlatives, separate of those bestowed on a number of individuals this past Saturday inside Neyland Stadium's carnival atmosphere.

The Vols had a number of players emerge, some expected and others not so much, while still others must work the next three-plus months to position themselves to be contributors for a team facing SEC East-or-bust expectations in the 2016 season.

Below, the VolQuest.com staff weighs in with our spring honors:

OFFENSIVE MVP: I thought Josh Dobbs did some good things this spring. They have to have him to make this offense go. Jalen Hurd you can say the same thing about. But for me, my spring MVP is Alvin Kamara. He didn't take a bunch of contact. But with a growing role and with his leadership skills, I think Kamara took his game up a notch this spring. Offensively, you have to have a “problem guy” to attack defenses and Kamara is the Vols problem guy.

DEFENSIVE MVP: Several options here from Darrin Kirkland, Jr. to Todd Kelly, Jr. the second half of spring. But I'm going with the quiet leader who sets the tone every day with his work ethic and that's Cam Sutton. The first week of spring ball, Sutton was complaining about his reps being limited. He loves to work and it's rubs off on his teammates. For a guy who could have milked the spring and relaxed. He did the complete opposite.

SPRING SURPRISE: For me it's Preston Williams. I knew he was really talented, but given all the went through last year you couldn't really tell where his want to level was. This spring his desire and talent were on full display from day one. Williams went from the back of the line to the front to try and grab every rep possible. He's not a complete polished product by any means. But he went from being a talent this spring to working on his craft and not just trying to rely on his talent. For me he made the biggest transition of anyone.

PLAYER WHO MADE A NAME: Quart'e Sapp will be the popular name among the Volquest staff and rightfully so. He showed out big time this spring. But for me, it's the early enrollee Marquill Osborne. The transition from high school to college was as smooth as you will see of any mid-term enrollee. Osborne's physical play for a high school senior was impressive and while he likely won't be a starter in the secondary, he will be a fixture on special teams and will be a guy who helps the Vols this fall.

PLAYER WHO MUST MAKE UP GROUND: You gotta go with someone in one of the two deepest positions on the team which is the offensive line and the secondary. With that in mind I am going to go in the secondary where I think the competition is the most intense and I'm going to go with Evan Berry. It's not Berry's fault as he was hurt this spring, but missing 15 workouts this spring was tough for Berry. Rashaan Gaulden showed his talents all spring long. More secondary competition is coming with guys like Nigel Warrior. Berry must get healthy and must hit the ground running when fall camp opens as competition at the safety will be the deepest of any position on the team.

OFFENSIVE MVP: The obvious choice is Josh Dobbs, and he's undoubtedly the guy for me that Tennessee could least afford to do without. But for this spring camp, I'm taking athletic and versatile center Coleman Thomas, who logged an iron-man nearly 900 snaps a year ago and then worked heavy volume all spring --- despite twisting his knee in one session. As others around him up front sought to earn a spot or grow into their roles, Thomas remained a steady force. His growth in the mental understanding of the game is big moving forward; his athleticism is next-level.

DEFENSIVE MVP: I have to take Cam Sutton here, with Darrin Kirkland Jr. a close runner-up. But Sutton is the veteran engine on that side of the ball with Jalen Reeves-Maybin sidelined, and Sutton likewise has been an exemplary model for players in all facets of the game. Watch him on special teams. He's so polished, so unselfish. He's very close friends with Eric Berry and the Berry family, and it's easy to see his E.B.-like approach every day.

SPRING SURPRISE: I'll go Brett Kendrick. I said before camp started that I expected Kahlil McKenzie to emerge as a dominant force, and McKenzie honestly probably exceeded some of those beliefs with how easily he at times tossed aside even veteran linemen. Kendrick, with Chance Hall among the myriad players sidelined with shoulder injuries, was a steady, stable force throughout camp at the right tackle spot. More importantly, Kendrick played with newfound confidence that makes him a tremendous asset for Tennessee going into 2016.

PLAYER WHO MADE A NAME: Quart'e Sapp. Plus, Quart'e Sapp. And then, of course, Quart'e Sapp. No, seriously. Preston Williams had shown freakish skills last fall but just battled too many external factors. He showed tremendous poise this spring. But Sapp, especially after the shoulder injury to Reeves-Maybin, emerged as an athletic playmaker on defense. How much time he sees as an every-down defender remains to be seen, but Sapp will help the Vols in 2016 --- on special teams and on defense.

PLAYER WHO MUST MAKE UP GROUND: This is a tough category, maybe toughest of all, and it has more variables than any other grouping we're picking. I'm going to go with Jack Jones along the offensive front, while emphasizing that's not really any fault of Jones'. Coaches should have played him more a year ago, to be honest. Let's remember: Alabama defenders praised Tennessee's offensive line last season as the most physical group it faced, and Jones started and played every snap. He deserved more time all year long than did Mack Crowder. Now this spring, Jones was shuttled around a variety of positions even as Butch Jones said right guard was his natural spot. Then near camp's end, Jones got dinged up with a leg injury and missed key time. Tennessee's depth is greatest along the offensive front and in the secondary. Jones may get the redshirt year in 2016 that he perhaps could've gotten a year ago. Then again, the Vols have started eight different linemen each of the past two seasons, so Jones must stay ready. His work ethic is top-notch.

OFFENSIVE MVP: I’ll go with a chalk pick here and take the Vols’ starting quarterback. Yes, Josh Dobbs could stand to be a little more accurate, we can all agree on that. But as a senior quarterback he’s exactly what you want for a team that’s set up to win now. Dobbs skill set suits this offense and he’s a leader on the field and off of it, he has no problem taking ownership of the offense and all that comes with that. His grasp of the offense and what Tennessee wants to do is probably as advanced as you’re ever likely to see from a college quarterback. The Vols have huge expectations in 2016 and some excessive hype. That’s the kind of thing that might be a distraction to some teams. Dobbs is the kind of leader who isn’t likely to let that happen and it certainly won’t be something that derails him.

DEFENSIVE MVP: Kahlil McKenzie is a tempting choice here after he spent much of the spring dominating the line of scrimmage and virtually none of the spring getting pushed backward. No doubt, the sophomore is taking the next step in his development towards being a consistent force. I’m going with Darrin Kirkland Jr. with my pick though. He finished his freshman season on a high note and clearly has carried the momentum from that into the offseason. He was already ahead of the curve for a freshman last season in terms of football IQ. He looks like he’s even taken that to another level even this spring even while learning a new system under Bob Shoop. With Jalen Reeves-Maybin out for much of spring Kirkland had an opportunity to step into a bigger leadership role, which he handled seamlessly.

SPRING SURPRISE: Preston Williams is getting some kind of shout-out from me so I’ll stick him here even though I wouldn’t term his spring a complete surprise. There was enormous opportunity at the receiver position this spring and Williams seized it. He showed a level of competitiveness and a work ethic that simply wasn’t there last fall. That maturity has had a huge impact on his development according to both teammates and coaches. You get the strong impression that Williams may not have been the easiest guy to deal with during his freshman year but that hasn’t seemed to be the case this spring to put it mildly. Both Butch Jones and Mike Debord have praised Williams’ attention to detail this spring, something you weren’t likely to hear about him previously. Tennessee desperately needs a deep threat to emerge on the perimeter and as of now, Williams looks like he’s going to be the at guy.

MADE A NAME FOR HIMSELF: This one goes to Quart'e Sapp for me and I didn’t have to spend any time thinking about it. Reeves-Maybin’s absence for the last few weeks of spring opened the door for Sapp to get some serious reps and he took advantage. Every time we saw any kind of scrimmage work this spring Sapp showed up early and often. He has a real nose for the football and the athleticism to chase plays down from sideline-to-sideline. That part of his game isn’t really a surprise, what was somewhat eye-opening was his ability to mix-it-up in the middle and play with a physical edge. He definitely needs to add some weight to really reach his full potential and he served notice this spring that his potential is significant. Marquill Osborne gets a nod here from me as well. The early enrollee made some noise when he got the chance and looks like a future playmaker.

MUST MAKE UP GROUND: This is absolutely no fault of his own, but after missing spring while recovering from offseason surgery Josh Malone needs to hit the ground running this fall. Tennessee’s offense looks potentially loaded but the Vols need some playmakers to step up at wideout. Preston Williams served notice that he’s ready to do his part but he’ll need company. Malone led the Vols with 405 yards receiving on 31 catches last fall and he should have a chance to significantly improve on those numbers this fall.

OFFENSIVE MVP: For me that award has to go to Preston Williams after completely changing how he practiced and the way he approached the game this spring. The talent has always been there for Williams, but it was fair to question the, 'want to,' leading up to this spring.

But, he erased all doubts in that department as day after day he showed up and was really the only wideout to remain healthy throughout spring ball. And, not only did he show up, he showed out. Williams consistently created separation and even when throws weren't on target he was a few steps ahead of the defender. Williams' upside is now being realized and he could have a fantastic season this fall.

DEFENSIVE MVP: I think there were different MVPs for the defense at different points in the camp. Todd Kelly Jr. and Quart'e Sapp closed spring very strong and were in contention for the award, but for me it has to go to Rashaan Gaulden. After missing his second season on campus because of a foot injury, the rangy safety made the most of his opportunities at safety.

It's hard not to imagine him being a starting safety when the Vols kick off this season because of all the attributes he brings to the table. He was able to showcase his speed and ability to cover ground as well as his bone-jarring hits. He and Todd Kelly Jr. seemed to be very comfortable together in the defensive backfield and it seems like a pairing that will work well. Gaulden needs to gain weight in the offseason as he's still smaller and susceptible to nicks and cuts.

SPRING SURPRISE: For me this goes to Quart'e Sapp. He's still learning and growing (he needs to gain weight as well), but completely healthy and able to go full speed, you could see why the coaches have been high on him. He quickly covers a lot of ground and can make plays sideline to sideline and was all over the field in the Orange & White Game.

With Jalen Reeves-Maybin out until some point during fall camp, the Vols will need more linebackers to step up and Sapp seems to be one to watch heading into the fall.

PLAYER WHO MADE A NAME: I really like what John Kelly was able to do this spring. With limited reps for Alvin Kamara and Jalen Hurd, Kelly was the workload tailback for all of spring and he responded. Durable, rough and surprisingly fast, Kelly showed that he can play in the SEC when called upon.

That may not be much during the fall as Hurd and Kamara lead the charge, but the Vols will have a nice option if they have to turn to him for more than just mop-up carries. And while it's rare just one back can carry the load in the SEC, Kelly is a nice piece of the puzzle once Hurd and Kamara have moved on.

PLAYER WHO MUST MAKE UP GROUND: I'll go with a group of players that's not even on campus yet and say it's the wideouts that are coming to campus this fall. For some reason, receivers have been the group hit hardest by injuries under Butch Jones during his tenure and that ran true during the spring with just three scholarship wideouts finishing spring drill healthy.

If Zach Azzanni really wants to play 8-10 receivers in a game, then he's going to need several to step up this fall and step up quickly. The evidence shows that Tennessee's wideouts will lose a few players on and off throughout the season so several freshmen are going to have to step up at some point.

OFFENSIVE MVP: I'll go with John Kelly here. It was an offensive unit that was resting some of its biggest stars while others missed spring ball due to off-season surgeries. Kelly showed he has what it takes to really help this team in the fall and frankly showed me that he can be the guy a year from now. He's more than solid and really gives his unit a workmanlike approach.

DEFENSIVE MVP: I'll go Cam Sutton here. No Jalen Reeves-Maybin for most of spring and all #23 did was look very good every time out. He showed leadership which is what you expect from a senior, but he really made a lot of plays considering he was given minimal reps as they try to bring along other young corners. I felt like last fall was a let down for Sutton, but if he can duplicate his spring performance in the fall, then watch out.

SURPRISE: In this spot, I'll go Marquill Osborne. We all knew he was good, but never did I imagine him playing a big role this spring. He got his opportunities and man did he run with them. He entered the college game with the look of a sophomore or junior and now his game is showing maturity as well. He competed hard every practice and that's all you an ask for from a kid that should be getting ready for prom. He can help this team this fall.

MADE A NAME FOR HIMSELF: I thought Vincent Perry was a name that you heard consistently all spring and he could be a great asset in the slot this fall. Sure, he got injured late in spring practice, but all signs point to him being good to go come August. He was making a name last year, before injury set him back. If he gets up off the mat one more time then look for Perry to really show some wiggle across the middle of the field and in open space.

PLAYER WHO NEEDS TO MAKE UP GROUND: I'll go Evan Berry in this spot and that's no fault of his own. Todd Kelly Jr. had a great spring. As did Rashaan Gaulden in his new role at safety. Throw in a solid performance from Micah Abernathy and you have to wonder if Berry can get a starting spot on the back end this fall. He has his role on special teams and that isn't going to change. He's going to help this defense, but as a starter? I'm not sure, because Tennessee appears more stable at safety than they were a few months back. Throw in guys like Nigel Warrior and Berry will have to be really good in August to be a major player in the secondary.