Tennessee landed the nation’s No. 7 class in coach Butch Jones’ first full recruiting cycle (2014), signing a giant group of 32 players.

But how much did those new arrivals contribute to the Vols’ turnaround season and the first bowl win in seven years?

Player Position Starts Games Played
Josh Malone WR 6 13
Jalen Hurd RB 9 13
Todd Kelly Jr. S 3 13
Dillon Bates LB 0 4
Dewayne Hendrix DE 0 7
Derrell Scott RB 0 2
Von Pearson* WR 8 11
Cortez McDowell S 0 13
Daniel Helm TE 2 12
Derek Barnett DE 10 13
D’Andre Payne CB 0 8
Chris Weatherd* LB 1 13
Evan Berry S 0 13
Ethan Wolf TE 11 12
Michael Sawyers DT 0 4
RaShaan Gaulden S 0 11
Vic Wharton WR 2 9
Jashon Robertson G 13 13
Dimarya Mixon DT 0 12
Coleman Thomas C 5 11
Jakob Johnson LB 2 12
Elliott Berry LB 0 9
Emmanuel Moseley CB 2 13
Owen Williams* DT 0 12
Aaron Medley K 0 13

*Junior college transfer

The numbers are astounding.

  • Overall, 25 of the 32 enrollees played.
  • A remarkable 18 first-year Vols played in at least 11 games.
  • The 2014 class played in a combined 266 games.
  • Thirteen players from the ’14 class started a combined 74 games.
  • Just two players from Alabama’s No. 1 overall class started more than two games, while eight players from Tennessee’s No. 7 overall class did so.

Derek Barnett is the clear MVP of the class to date. It’s extremely rare for a true freshman defensive lineman to earn All-SEC honors, even on the second team. He compiled 20.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, both school records for a true freshman.

Barnett should be one of the best defensive players in the conference in 2015, but he’s not alone as a star from the ’14 Vols class:

  • RB Jalen Hurd compiled 1,120 yards of total offense. We recently ranked him as the seventh-best returning running back in the SEC.
  • Junior college transfer Von Pearson led the team in touchdown catches and finished second behind Pig Howard with 38 receptions.
  • Touted true freshman Josh Malone chipped in 23 catches of his own.
  • Jashon Robertson, a three-star true freshman, started practice as a defensive linemen, then moved to right guard Aug. 4 and became an immediate starter. The surprise 6-foot-3, 304-pound standout should only get better and has a bright future.
  • TE Ethan Wolf caught 23 passes and looks poised to grow into one of the SEC’s best pass-catching tight ends.
  • K Aaron Medley managed a solid first season and has a great chance to keep the job until he graduates.

JUCO offensive tackle signee Dontavius Blair didn’t play. The 11th-ranked member of the class according to the 247Sports Composite, the 6-foot-8, 300-pound Blair was a four-star player with college experience. Given Tennessee’s lack of experience on the offensive line, the fact that he couldn’t crack the rotation and redshirted was the biggest disappointment of the class in 2014.

Four-star LB Gavin Bryant also redshirted and will compete for playing time this spring as a potential impact player.

Many members of the 2014 class served as depth and made plays on special teams. Overall, Jones promised a lot of early playing time, then delivered.

With another outstanding class in 2015, competition at every position is starting to get more difficult. But if the Vols continue to trend up, it’s this 2014 class that will be remembered as the start of something great.