Kelsey Pope says Nathan Leacock has been 'awesome' for Tennessee

Tennessee Volunteers’ wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope will have to replace two of the team’s top receiving threats and leaders in, Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman. Both Hyatt and Tillman are off to the NFL, which means someone else will have to step up for Tennessee in 2023. One of the likely candidates to have a big year next season is Nathan Leacock. And so far, in the Vols spring practices, Leacock has been ‘awesome’ according to Pope.

“He’s been awesome, also. He’s been the guy that kind of stands out physically. He’s absolutely gifted, like extremely gifted physically,” said Pope. “Nate’s biggest thing and what he’s starting to do and areas he’s starting to grow in, it’s more of the mental, detailed technique piece. So as a wideout, I can’t be an all-athlete and get open in this league.

“There is a method to the madness. You gotta be a technician. You gotta be detail oriented in your work, and that allows you to create separation against some of the guys you’ll face in this league. So, he is a physical specimen. He’s done a great job last couple of practices of starting to hone in on the detail. You see it play out on days like today.”

Leacock is one of the top recruits for the Volunteers in their 2023 recruiting class. And as an added bonus, the six-foot-three North Carolina star elected to wrap up high school a bit early so he could join his new Tennesse teammates for spring practice. According to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, Leacock was the No. 75 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle. He played high school hoops at Millbrook High in Raleigh, NC, where he was a highly-rated four-star prospect.

Pope shares leadership standing out for Tennessee receivers

Finding leaders at the position is also on the menu for Pope. And as he continued to address the media, Pope also identified a few players who separated themselves through the first couple weeks of practice. He specifically singled out Ramel Keyton and Bru McCoy as well as redshirt junior Jack Jancek.

“A bunch of guys stick out,” Pope said. “Bru McCoy. Jack Jancek is one that is a phenomenal leader. You can mark my words: he’ll be an awesome coach one day. Elite coach.

“Our guys, I tell them all the time (that) leadership a lot of times calls you. Even when you aren’t ready or you feel like you aren’t ready. If the group needs you to step up and do something, we’ve gotta be willing and selfless enough to go do that for the greater good of everybody. It’s been a bunch of guys step up and lead. Those are just a few.”

McCoy is Tennessee’s leading returning receiver with 52 catches for 667 yards and four touchdowns. The former five-star recruit transferred from USC last season and had the best year of his career after taking over as the No. 2 option due to an injury to Tillman. Although McCoy has been out this spring after undergoing surgery on his elbow, he is still expected to take a step forward as a leader during his second season in Knoxville.