Tennessee Program Set for Best Draft in 20 Years
With the 2023 NFL Draft less than a month away, it seems that the University of Tennessee’s football program could be in for a successful draft. According to ESPN analyst Jordan Reid, the program is projected to have seven players selected this year, including five in the top 100 picks. If the projections are correct, this would be their best draft in 20 years from a quantity standpoint.
Tennessee last saw a draft of this caliber in 2003 when they produced seven draft picks. While they’ve had six players drafted in select years since then, this year’s projections show a marked improvement for the program.
Players Projected to be Selected
Reid’s mock draft projects that Darnell Wright will be taken in the first round by the Steelers as an offensive tackle for their team. Wide receiver Jalin Hyatt is projected to go in the second round to the Titans, while quarterback Hendon Hooker will join the Lions. Wide receiver Cedric Tillman is anticipated to be picked up by the Patriots, and edge Byron Young by the Raiders. Internal offensive lineman Jerome Carvin is expected to be drafted in the sixth round by the Browns, while linebacker Jeremy Banks is projected to join the Eagles in round seven.
All seven of these players played a vital role in Tennessee’s recent success under head coach Josh Heupel. They starred during the 2021 season where they won 11 games, their best season since 2001.
Quality and Quantity
According to Reid’s projections, Wright and Young were All-SEC first-team performers alongside Hyatt who became Tennessee’s first-ever Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation’s top pass-catcher. Tillman was also noteworthy as the program’s first 1,000-yard receiver since 2012.
Moreover, Hooker was a top Heisman Trophy candidate and SEC Offensive Player of the Year before getting injured in the team’s late-season loss. If these predictions turn out to be correct, Tennessee will have its first first-round draft pick since 2017.
NFL-Ready Prospects in This Year’s Draft
As teams aim to get value from their rookie contracts, having NFL-ready prospects is essential. Bryce Young, for example, has good processing and anticipation skills and a high stable and unstable play metric rating. He can start playing on day one and make an impact immediately.
Similarly, Bijan Robinson has shown excellent receiving skills with game-changing abilities in the backfield. Despite being weak in pass blocking, he can serve as a lead back in an NFL team from the start of his rookie contract.
Jordan Addison is also one of the most NFL-ready receivers in this year’s draft, generating a high number of yards per route run and showing versatility in winning at all levels and different alignments. Despite his size, he can make an immediate impact on any team.
Brian Branch has also deployed in covering the slot and possesses exceptional tackling skills with elite run defense abilities. Covering slots is more valuable in modern day defenses, making him a desirable prospect who can succeed right away.
John Michael Schmitz is comparable to Tyler Linderbaum and has consistently shown improvement in run blocking throughout his career. Although center is a difficult position to hit the ground running on at the NFL level, Schmitz has allowed only two sacks and has 21 total pressures over four years of starting in the Big 10.
The Top 100 Prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft Announced by Dane Brugler
The University of Tennessee stands to have an impressive seven picks taken during this year’s draft. However, many more quality prospects will grace the draft board, according to Dane Brugler’s top 100 prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft.
The prospects are ranked according to Brugler’s overall rank and color-coded by their primary side of the ball. The list can be filtered by the player’s school or specific position, including QB, RB, WR, OC, OG, OT, EDGE, DT, LB, SAF, and CB.
Each prospect on this list has a player profile that highlights their strengths and includes pre-draft measurements for comparison to players drafted at their position since 2010.
Conclusion
With seven talented players projected to be selected from the University of Tennessee in this year’s draft, the program is set for its best performance in over two decades. These players are expected to make an impact on NFL teams with a history of superb gameplay during their college careers.
While Tennessee leads the way with astounding projections, there is no denying that NFL teams will benefit from a pool of talented NFL-ready prospects this year.
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