Tennessee lost vital production from the 2021 season with the departures of Velus Jones and JaVonta Payton. They brought in transfer receiver Bru McCoy, who could provide a spark if he becomes eligible by the start of the season, as well as a trio of talented young receivers. One forgotten name on Tennessee's roster is Ramel Keyton, who Vols QB Hendon Hooker believes can be a "huge factor" in the offense this fall.
"He can be a huge factor for us," Hooker said of Keyton's potential this fall. "Like the rest of the receiving corps, like I said in Atlanta, every time I am in the facility, they are in the facility. They might as well write their name on the jugs machine, honestly. Ramel personally has really worked extremely hard this summer. Every time we have had a throwing session or what not, he is one of the first ones here and sometimes beats me and Joe in here. Just to see him really put that work in and it paying off on the field is really amazing."
Keyton has seen ups and downs during his time on Rocky Top, but throughout, he has shown flashes of what he can do as a receiver. He is not a burner, but his smooth route running abilities allow him to work behind defenders and create opportunities. One building point for Keyton is confidence in himself to hold onto the football, and Hooker also believes that is growing day-by-day for the veteran pass-catcher.
"For sure," Hooker said of Keyton's confidence continuing to grow. "The more he is in there, the support you get from coaches and teammates, we are pushing Ramel to come out of his shell because he is kind of a reserved guy and communicate at the high level. The work he is putting into all of that is amazing. I love to see that and see guys grow and reach their max potential."
Keyton has played in 29 games, including four starts on Rocky Top during the course of his career. He will have another chance to seize an opportunity this fall, but time will only tell if he can.
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