Tennessee football: Vols DB Nigel Warrior’s five best NFL Draft landing spots

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 30: Nigel Warrior #18 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates with fans after the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Neyland Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 30: Nigel Warrior #18 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates with fans after the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Neyland Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
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Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images
Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images

From Daniel Bituli to Darrell Taylor to Jauan Jennings, Tennessee football players appear to belong with the New York Giants this year. But when you consider their needs and the connections that new coaching staff has to the Vols, it’s beyond obvious why this city would be an amazing landing spot for everybody coming out of Rocky Top in this year’s NFL Draft.

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Defense would be the better fit because Kevin Sherrer has been with Warrior each of the past two years, and he was Warrior’s co-defensive coordinator in 2019. Meanwhile, Warrior played under Derrick Ansley, who worked under new Giants assistant coach Derek Dooley when Dooley was in Knoxville, so they could have a connection as well.

But beyond anything, the Giants also have a need for a safety right now. Their only proven starter is Jabrill Peppers, and Peppers’ contract is up after this year. As a result, they are clearly going to be looking for somebody they can groom behind him in, and that includes finding some talent in the draft but also giving players who aren’t taken a fair shake.

You have to think new head coach Joe Judge is the type of guy to want to find unheralded talent. Well, Warrior fits that mold, and the Giants staff has guys on there who know about him. Because of that, New York is a great landing spot for him, just like it’s a great landing spot for so many other people we’ve been covering over the past week.