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NFL Draft: Vols five most productive classes with two or fewer selections

By Caleb Calhoun

DENVER - OCTOBER 04: Linebacker Robert Ayers #56 of the Denver Broncos celebrates a defensive play against the Dallas Cowboys during NFL action at Invesco Field at Mile High on October 4, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Cowboys 17-10. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER - OCTOBER 04: Linebacker Robert Ayers #56 of the Denver Broncos celebrates a defensive play against the Dallas Cowboys during NFL action at Invesco Field at Mile High on October 4, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Cowboys 17-10. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images
Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images /

5. 2012

Number of NFL Draft picks: 1

Notable players: 

  • Malik Jackson, DL (Denver Broncos: Round 5; Pick 137)
  • Matt Simms, QB (New York Jets: Undrafted free agent)
  • Tauren Poole, RB (Carolina Panthers: Undrafted free agent)

Coming off the 2011 season, Tennessee football wasn’t likely to be well-represented in the NFL Draft. Derek Dooley had gone 5-7 that year, a drop-off from his first season, and he was dealing with an extremely young team given all the attrition from Phillip Fulmer to Lane Kiffin that left the roster so depleted.

Malik Jackson was the only player taken, and he fell to the fifth round to the Denver Broncos. Jackson, by the way, was a defensive tackle who transferred from the USC Trojans only due to their probation, which happened right after Kiffin took over. So the Vols were lucky to have him.

However, Jackson’s play in the pros has carried this class. He has been in the league for eight years now, made a Pro Bowl and was a huge part of the Broncos’ Super Bowl win to deliver Peyton Manning his second ring. Heck, he scored a defensive touchdown. There’s a reason he inked a huge deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars and is now with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Beyond Jackson, though, Tauren Poole was UT’s starting running back in 2011 and was on a roster over a four-year period despite not playing much. Meanwhile, Matt Simms, who was benched in favor of Tyler Bray, has appeared in four games in the pros and has been on an NFL roster seven of the past eight years. So he’s been pretty consistent as well.

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