Defender named Tennessee's 'x-factor' by ESPN college football analyst

The Tennessee Volunteers have one of the biggest defensive stars in the SEC. However, it's not James Pearce Jr. who could have the biggest impact on the program in 2024.

ESPN laid out the biggest x-factors for every top-25 college football team heading into the season. For the Volunteers, they laid out what makes defensive tackle Bryson Eason such a key part of the team's defense.

"The Volunteers figure to have one of the better defensive lines in the SEC in 2024," ESPN's Mark Schlabach wrote. "One player that teammates and coaches have raved about since spring practice is senior Eason...Defensive line coach Rodney Garner has helped transform Eason into an interior lineman...Now 6-foot-3 and 303 pounds, Garner says Eason is just scratching the surface of the player he can be. He could be more than a complementary player to the Vols' more established pass-rushers."

Eason's numbers aren't the most eye-opening for an SEC player. He has just 50 total tackles and three sacks over his four seasons. However, he's been in a transition period moving to the defensive line. Back in high school, Eason was actually a 4-star recruit at inside linebacker, despite being listed as a 270-pound high schooler.

The good news for Eason is that his production should see a sizable uptick in 2024, at least according to Schlabach. The Volunteers will need that kind of performance in order to contend for an SEC championship, or at least an appearance in the College Football Playoff under head coach Josh Heupel.