Here’s a look at where the Vol linebackers stand as spring practice kicks off. With Johnson and Maggitt returning, a unit that once looked like a weakness is now a strength.

The Players

A.J. Johnson

Curt Maggitt

Neiko Creamer

Justin King

Kenny Bynum

Jakob Johnson

Jalen Reeves-Maybin

The Situation

The Vols are thin at linebacker this spring and have to replace graduated starters Dontavis Sapp and Brent Brewer. They combined for 93 tackles last season.

A.J. Johnson’s return will go a long way towards shoring up the linebacker position. He’s coming off yet another 100+ tackle season and has the middle linebacker position locked.

Curt Maggitt, who sat out last year as he recovered from a knee injury, has emerged as the vocal leader of this defense and will start at one of the outside linebacker spots.

Redshirt sophomore Kenny Bynum and freshman Jakob Johnson look to compete for the No. 2 MLB spot.

At outside linebacker, newcomer Neiko Creamer, a versatile athlete, will provide depth and compete for playing time. Justin King is one of the better pure athletes on the team. He’ll be looking for playing time at OLB this spring. Both of them will have to beat out Jalen Reeves-Maybin who tallied 14 tackles last season while playing primarily on special teams.

Football Time’s Take

What once looked like a skeleton crew, the Vol linebacking corps returns two all-SEC starters in Johnson and Maggitt.

At times during practice last fall, Maggitt looked like one of the fastest players on the team. He’ll have to stay healthy this spring, but if he’ll be ready to make a huge impact on the field this fall. His return to form gives the Vols more speed an athleticism at linebacker and should go a long way towards masking an inexperienced front-four.

A.J. Johnson struggled in pass coverage early last season but showed improvement in that area as the year progressed. Look for his development to continue this spring as he looks to have a monster senior campaign which could vault him into an early round NFL draft pick. The coaching staff will be looking for him to make more plays close to (or behind) the line of scrimmage. That starts with early recognition and eye disciple, two areas where Johnson improved last season but could still use some growth.

After Johnson and Maggitt, things are up for grabs. Kenny Bynum and Jakob Johnson (who has been impressive in offseason workouts) will be competing for a spot in the two-deep at middle linebacker. Johnson was an under the radar signee in 2014 and has already turned some heads in spring practice. Bynum is entering his redshirt sophomore year and will need to be more consistent in practice to earn a spot on the two deep.

At outside backer, newcomer Neiko Creamer and veteran Justin King will be competing with Jalen-Reeves Maybin for a spot opposite Maggitt in 4-3 looks. Creamer is one of the more mysterious signees in the 2014 class. A receiver in high school, many thought he’d play tight end in college—and he still could—but he’ll get a shot at outside linebacker first. King has long been an impressive athlete, but he has yet to carve out his niche. Maybin was a standout on special teams as a true freshman and will be given significant reps this spring. His speed and athleticism makes him the favorite to emerge as the leader for the job.