Vols in the NFL Draft

[Kristy*]

Vols in the NFL Draft: The Last Quiet April, For Real This Time - Rocky Top Talk

"If no one takes a chance on Maggitt, North, or a Vol Pro Day workout warrior like Brian Randolph or Owen Williams, adding another zero to that list would leave us with this breakdown:
6.8 players taken per year from 1994 (the first year the draft went to seven rounds) to 2003
4.0 players taken per year from 2004-2010
1.7 players taken per year from 2011-2016

Again, this says a lot about why the Vols went 40-47 from 2008-2014. But we would have already stopped connecting those dots if Tennessee's three underclassmen hadn't returned to school. Which means next year, the Vols could have a huge weekend at the NFL Draft.

Along with Kamara, JRM, and Sutton, it'll be interesting to see where Josh Dobbs falls in NFL Draft conversations. CBS Sports lists him as the third best pro QB prospect among rising seniors, though I'm sure there will be some underclassmen above him in the conversation. And while there are no guarantees, I don't think anyone is expecting Derek Barnett or Jalen Hurd to be back for more with the Vols in 2017.

That's six names you can easily put on the board for next year's draft before we even start talking about guys like Corey Vereen, Dylan Wiesman, or a surprise big year for another junior like Ethan Wolf. Six Vols taken in next year's draft would be the best year since 2010, seven the best since 2003."

 

[VOL 4 Life 83]

I can think of 10 guys off the top of my head that have a shot at being drafted (if some decide to leave) in the 2017 draft.

Dobbs
Hurd
Sutton
Barnett
Kamara
JRM
Todd Kelly Jr.
Ethan Wolf
Croom (with a good year)
Josh Smith
Vereen

And I didn't even mention any OL. Next year we will definitely have a lot of guys that will be drafted, with quite a few that can put themselves into position with a strong year.

 

[Kristy*]

I can think of 10 guys off the top of my head that have a shot at being drafted (if some decide to leave) in the 2017 draft.

Dobbs
Hurd
Sutton
Barnett
Kamara
JRM
Todd Kelly Jr.
Ethan Wolf
Croom (with a good year)
Josh Smith
Vereen

And I didn't even mention any OL. Next year we will definitely have a lot of guys that will be drafted, with quite a few that can put themselves into position with a strong year.

Agree. Except that I would see Smith coming back unless he's lights out this year.

The great thing is there won't be a big-drop off in '18 either. The talent is finally back across the board.

 

[Biopsyman]

I can think of 10 guys off the top of my head that have a shot at being drafted (if some decide to leave) in the 2017 draft.

Dobbs
Hurd
Sutton
Barnett
Kamara
JRM
Todd Kelly Jr.
Ethan Wolf
Croom (with a good year)
Josh Smith
Vereen

And I didn't even mention any OL. Next year we will definitely have a lot of guys that will be drafted, with quite a few that can put themselves into position with a strong year.

Croom- FA
Vereer- OLB/DE late 6-7
Smith- return for final year
Kelly-return for final year

 

[VOL 4 Life 83]

Croom- FA
Vereer- OLB/DE late 6-7
Smith- return for final year
Kelly-return for final year

Croom I said IF he has a good/great year as a TE. Vereen drafted, and I believe I said if they decided to leave. You can't tell me that TKJr wouldn't be drafted if he decided to leave after this year. Dude is a stud.

 

[Rudy123]

Just think of the quality players that left the program or that Kiffin & Dooley ran off. They would have been drafted as Vols.

The talent was there but they players left the program early.

Da Rick would have been a first rounder if he had put his mind on it and not been disrespectful to the coaching staff. Also, had he stayed away from smoking that stuff.
Douglas, the freshman all American offensive lineman would have been drafted had Dooley not ran him off.
Of course, A.J. Johnson was surely going to be drafted also before he got legal issues.

 

[Rudy123]

Bryce Brown & Jantzen jackson would have been drafted, had they not left the program.

Now that the program is steady again, we can get some really good recruiting classes and then develope the players and prep them for the draft.

 

[leftygray]

Bryce Brown & Jantzen jackson would have been drafted, had they not left the program.

If you would have told me in 2010 that out of Bryce Brown, Janzen Jackson, Da'Rick Rogers, Tyler Bray, Nu'keese Richardson, Ted Meline, and Matt Milton- we would have 0 guys drafted, I would've thought you were crazy.

 

[Biopsyman]

Croom I said IF he has a good/great year as a TE. Vereen drafted, and I believe I said if they decided to leave. You can't tell me that TKJr wouldn't be drafted if he decided to leave after this year. Dude is a stud.

Croom can't stay healthy and playing a new position for his final year.. Long shot
Kelly- That would be really bad advice for him for a rising Jr. and first full year starter..

 

[VOL 4 Life 83]

Croom can't stay healthy and playing a new position for his final year.. Long shot
Kelly- That would be really bad advice for him for a rising Jr. and first full year starter..

I'm not speaking of "what-ifs" and whether it would be a good or bad decision. I am simply stating that he would get drafted if he plays up to the potential everyone says he has as an elite safety. Would he benefit with two years as a full-time starter, well yes that's obvious, but he would certainly be on the draft board with a solid junior year.

 

[Biopsyman]

I'm not speaking of "what-ifs" and whether it would be a good or bad decision. I am simply stating that he would get drafted if he plays up to the potential everyone says he has as an elite safety. Would he benefit with two years as a full-time starter, well yes that's obvious, but he would certainly be on the draft board with a solid junior year.

actually you are.. A lot of what if''s

 

[Biopsyman]

Bryce Brown & Jantzen jackson would have been drafted, had they not left the program.

If you would have told me in 2010 that out of Bryce Brown, Janzen Jackson, Da'Rick Rogers, Tyler Bray, Nu'keese Richardson, Ted Meline, and Matt Milton- we would have 0 guys drafted, I would've thought you were crazy.

Nukeese was a zero

 

[VOL 4 Life 83]

actually you are.. A lot of what if''s

Are you seriously coming in here nit-picking posts? Geez. TKJr is an outstanding athlete and would be on most draft boards after this year. YOU my friend are the one who mentioned it would be a bad idea if he left. I simply stated he could be drafted after this year. Get over yourself.

 

[KBVol]

Are you seriously coming in here nit-picking posts? Geez. TKJr is an outstanding athlete and would be on most draft boards after this year. YOU my friend are the one who mentioned it would be a bad idea if he left. I simply stated he could be drafted after this year. Get over yourself.

With all due respect regarding TKJr, man I don't know. He's a smart player with a great nose for the ball. He's been and will continue to be a very good, very solid player for us and I'm glad he's leading things on the back end of our defense.

But I'm not sure he has the athletic ability to be considered a draft pick this year. It's jmo, but I see him as more a guy that's gonna need 4 years of tape, 4 years of building a case for how smart and instinctual he is to make a strong case for being drafted. Maybe he surprises and throws up Brian Randolph type pro day numbers, but I think the general thought about TKJr is that he's a solid, productive, smart SEC safety, but that he's not the greatest athlete in the world. Again, jmo, could certainly be wrong.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

With all due respect regarding TKJr, man I don't know. He's a smart player with a great nose for the ball. He's been and will continue to be a very good, very solid player for us and I'm glad he's leading things on the back end of our defense.

But I'm not sure he has the athletic ability to be considered a draft pick this year. It's jmo, but I see him as more a guy that's gonna need 4 years of tape, 4 years of building a case for how smart and instinctual he is to make a strong case for being drafted. Maybe he surprises and throws up Brian Randolph type pro day numbers, but I think the general thought about TKJr is that he's a solid, productive, smart SEC safety, but that he's not the greatest athlete in the world. Again, jmo, could certainly be wrong.

Or he could get 7-8 ints next year and shoot up the draft boards.

You know I'm not that high on TK but I could see him having a huge year statistically because he has a knack for finding the football.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

I can think of 10 guys off the top of my head that have a shot at being drafted (if some decide to leave) in the 2017 draft.

Dobbs
Hurd
Sutton
Barnett
Kamara
JRM
Todd Kelly Jr.
Ethan Wolf
Croom (with a good year)
Josh Smith
Vereen

And I didn't even mention any OL. Next year we will definitely have a lot of guys that will be drafted, with quite a few that can put themselves into position with a strong year.

Don't forget Justin Martin. He's draft eligible and has the physical traits to have teams salivating.

Rashaan Gaulden is another guy that with a huge season could make the jump.

All in all we're loaded with pro talent.

 

[VOL 4 Life 83]

Don't forget Justin Martin. He's draft eligible and has the physical traits to have teams salivating.

Rashaan Gaulden is another guy that with a huge season could make the jump.

All in all we're loaded with pro talent.

D4H I agree with you on this one. Lots of talent that translates to the draft in the coming years. I'm sure we could have even more but those were the names that came to mind without looking at the roster.

 

[KBVol]

Or he could get 7-8 ints next year and shoot up the draft boards.

You know I'm not that high on TK but I could see him having a huge year statistically because he has a knack for finding the football.

So we agree about TKJr? And that production does indeed matter? 😬

Like you said, the kid has a great knack for being around the ball. Not by chance IMO. Great intangibles from all accounts.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

So we agree about TKJr? And that production does indeed matter? 😬

Like you said, the kid has a great knack for being around the ball. Not by chance IMO. Great intangibles from all accounts.

I wouldn't care about it. I would draft based on talent (hence my bullish approach to Stephen Griffin). But I know NFL teams get easily fooled by guys with big years statistically.

If TK gets 7-8 INTs (which is possible given the fact he's had 3 picks each of the last 2 years while playing less than half the snaps) then I could see him getting a 2nd round grade and declaring for the draft.

 

[The Artful Dodger]

Lawd, 2002 was a ridiculous draft class for the Vols:


John Henderson DT 1; 9 Jacksonville
Donte' Stallworth WR 1; 13 New Orleans
Albert Haynesworth DT 1; 15 Tennessee
Fred Weary OG 3; 66 Houston
Will Overstreet DE 3; 80 Atlanta
Travis Stephens RB 4; 119 Tampa Bay
Andre Lott DB 5; 159 Washington
Reggie Coleman OT 6; 192 Washington
Teddy Gaines DB 7; 256 San Francisco
Dominique Stevenson LB 7; 260 Buffalo

*First number is round, second is pick.

Will be nice to look forward to draft day again.

 

[Kristy*]

With all due respect regarding TKJr, man I don't know. He's a smart player with a great nose for the ball. He's been and will continue to be a very good, very solid player for us and I'm glad he's leading things on the back end of our defense.

But I'm not sure he has the athletic ability to be considered a draft pick this year. It's jmo, but I see him as more a guy that's gonna need 4 years of tape, 4 years of building a case for how smart and instinctual he is to make a strong case for being drafted. Maybe he surprises and throws up Brian Randolph type pro day numbers, but I think the general thought about TKJr is that he's a solid, productive, smart SEC safety, but that he's not the greatest athlete in the world. Again, jmo, could certainly be wrong.

I really like Kelly. He reminds me a lot of Eric Berry. His intelligence, instincts, and athleticism. He's not fully polished, but with a solid year (like you and D4H said), I could see him going really high (maybe early 2nd round).

 

[Biopsyman]

I really like Kelly. He reminds me a lot of Eric Berry. His intelligence, instincts, and athleticism. He's not fully polished, but with a solid year (like you and D4H said), I could see him going really high (maybe early 2nd round).

Not even close.. Berry was a starter first game in career and clearly was the best player on the team and was drafted in the top 10..

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

I really like Kelly. He reminds me a lot of Eric Berry. His intelligence, instincts, and athleticism. He's not fully polished, but with a solid year (like you and D4H said), I could see him going really high (maybe early 2nd round).

Love the enthusiasm but not way. Eric Berry was a FREAK athlete. Guys like him come around once a decade.

 

[wildorange]

Croom I said IF he has a good/great year as a TE. Vereen drafted, and I believe I said if they decided to leave. You can't tell me that TKJr wouldn't be drafted if he decided to leave after this year. Dude is a stud.

He was saying Kelly probably stays, I too think he stays but this is way to far early to anyway. I think Kelley will be a 4 year player and a great one. GO VOLS!!!!