KNOXVILLE – Cameron Sutton may wear a different jersey number next season, but the cornerback still will be in Tennessee orange.
Two days after linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin did the same, Sutton announced Thursday afternoon he would return for his senior season with the Volunteers instead of entering the NFL draft.
“I have always dreamed about one day playing in the NFL,” Sutton wrote in a post on his Twitter account. “I have always set goals in my life and have taken pride in achieving each and every one of them. Over the last couple of weeks, I have had the opportunity to discuss different options for the upcoming year with my family.
“During this process, I have decided that there are some team, academic, and personal goals that I would like to achieve before I take that next step. I would like to thank the University of Tennessee, my coaches, professors, teammates and the fans for always supporting me.
“I have had three of the best years of my life while being a student athlete at the University of Tennessee, and would like to continue that for one more year.”
After wearing No. 7 this season to honor injured teammate Rashaan Gaulden, Sutton will resume wearing the No. 23 he wore his first two seasons.
Sutton was 19th in ESPN analyst Mel Kiper’s mock draft in September, but his stock dropped some this season. One of three Tennessee underclassmen to seek feedback from the NFL Draft Advisory Board, Sutton received a third-round grade.
In November Sutton told the Times Free Press he wanted to complete his degree in pre-pharmacy and graduate next December, and another season at Tennessee will give him the chance to improve his NFL status. His return is a big boost for the Vols, who keep a team leader, a defender they can trust to lock down one side of the field and a dangerous punt returner.
In addition to making 28 tackles, intercepting one pass and breaking up six, Sutton returned two punts for touchdowns and led the nation in punt-return average this season.
Reeves-Maybin and Sutton return as cornerpieces for Tennessee’s defense, and the Vols are hopeful running back Alvin Kamara will become the third player to eschew jumping to the NFL.
A week ago it appeared the best-case scenario for Tennessee was keeping two of those three players, but now it’s likely the Vols go 3-for-3 with Kamara expected to return.
Wide receiver Marquez North may be going pro, however. The rising senior has hired an agent and will enter the draft, according to multiple reports. North has not publicly announced his decision.
Vols add Wells
Tennessee’s full-time coaching staff may be complete, but the Vols still have moves to make and slots on their support staff to fill with quality control coaches and graduate assistants after four left to become full-time assistants on Mark Elder’s new staff at Eastern Kentucky
Walt Wells will fill one offensive quality control position.
The former Austin Peay player spent the 2015 season as Eastern Kentucky’s offensive line coach after a one-year stint as New Mexico State’s offensive line coach, and he was South Florida’s offensive coordinator in 2013 after spending a decade at Western Kentucky, where he was the offensive coordinator in 2009.
Neyland news
Tennessee announced Thursday it had partnered with a company called Populous to conduct a renovation plan and feasibility study for Neyland Stadium.
The study will focus on potential upgrades to the south and east sides of the stadium, such as expanding concourses and bathrooms and improving concessions areas, and prioritize adding hospitality areas and improving in-stadium technology.
“The time is right,” Tennessee athletic director Dave Hart said in the university’s release, “to turn our focus to the long-term investment in Neyland Stadium.
Neyland’s most recent renovations began after the 2005 season, concluded prior to the 2010 season and cost $140 million.
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com