DeSean Bishop's rise from walk-on to national standout for Tennessee

DeSean Bishop has gone from walk-on to a player described as one of the best in the nation, and a new Sports Illustrated look at his Tennessee career traces that unlikely climb. The piece frames Bishop as a driving force for Tennessee, a role far removed from the uncertain starting point that comes with walking on.

That progression is the heart of the story. Walk-ons begin without the standing that comes with a scholarship, so reaching a point where a player is central to what his team does, and is discussed in national terms, marks a substantial change in both status and expectations.

For Tennessee, Bishop's emergence gives the program a proven contributor whose development was earned inside the roster rather than arrived at with advance billing. His rise also makes him a figure to keep watching as the attention around his play continues to grow.