At one time, Darrin Kirkland Jr. appeared to be in place to become the next great linebacker at Tennessee. The former four-star recruit played in every game during the 2015 season, which included 10 starts at middle linebacker as a true freshman.
That created some lofty expectations for Kirkland, who would be one of the key pieces of the 2016 defense. As you know, that 2016 team entered the season as a top ten team. That team never lived up to the hype. Part of the reason why was injuries and Kirkland was one of the first casualties to suffer.