Less than a week before Tennessee football’s opener against Ball State, USC transfer wide receiver Bru McCoy was granted immediate eligibility. It was a huge celebration for Vol fans.
However, this move raises more questions than it answers. With McCoy eligible to play in 2022, who will occupy the No. 2 wideout spot?
We know Cedric Tillman is the Vols’ go-to receiver. Based on what the coaches have said all offseason, Jalin Hyatt has the slot receiver spot locked up as well.
As a result, the complement to Tillman has always been the question. Given all the talk behind McCoy, you might assume he has that job locked up, but not so fast.
Ramel Keyton practiced with the first team early in fall camp. It’s hard to think the coaches moved him from there given the fact that they didn’t know about McCoy’s status.
Walker Merrill, meanwhile, can play in the slot or on the outside. His style is similar to that of JaVonta Payton, who was Tillman’s complement on the outside last year.
Chas Nimrod and Kaleb Webb are both freshman wideouts as well. All four of these guys took part in spring practice.
Had McCoy not been granted immediate eligibility, the real question likely would have been if Keyton or Merrill earned the job. However, McCoy throws a wrench in all of that.
To be fair, McCoy would seem like the favorite based on on-field production. Keyton hasn’t caught a touchdown pass in three years, and Merrill had just five catches last year.
Meanwhile, in the only year he played, McCoy had 21 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns. That was during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, and he wasn’t even a starter. There’s a reason he was a five-star in 2019.
On the other hand, 2020 is the only season he has played, so how rusty is he? It’s hard to believe he’ll be ready to go immediately.
What’s clear is that Hendon Hooker now has an insane arsenal of weapons at receiver. Tillman is the star, and Hyatt is a rising star, but there is so much other talent on the roster.
If new receivers coach Kelsey Pope has to choose between Keyton, Merrill and now McCoy to fill that other void, he’s got a good problem. Given the fact that offensive coordinator Alex Golesh discussed going eight-deep at receiver earlier in the week, they all could be valuable.
Simply put, we just don’t know what will happen. Left tackle, cornerback, linebacker and defensive tackle were all positions of question entering fall camp. Receiver was also, but Hyatt appeared to lock up the slot, and Keyton and Merrill seemed to have an impact on the outside.
Now, with McCoy able to play, we have no idea what will happen on the other side at wideout. There are two similar-style players competing for the role in him and Keyton while Merrill also makes his case for it.
This move by the NCAA should give McCoy the next two seasons of eligibility. He’s listed as a redshirt junior. The Southern California kid stands at 6’3″ 220 pounds, so he’s certainly got the size to be a mismatch. How soon he becomes one remains to be seen.
