Tennessee football: Top 10 NFL careers of Vols taken in second round

Chad Clifton of the Green Bay Packers during a game between the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York on November 5, 2006. Buffalo won 24-10. (Photo by Mark Konezny/NFLPhotoLibrary)
Chad Clifton of the Green Bay Packers during a game between the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York on November 5, 2006. Buffalo won 24-10. (Photo by Mark Konezny/NFLPhotoLibrary)
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Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images
Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images

By far the greatest playmaker in Tennessee football history, Peerless Price was Tee Martin’s safety blanket in 1998. He had the misfortune of getting his chance at being the No. 1 receiver the year after Peyton Manning left, but all he did was catch a touchdown pass against every ranked team and become the MVP of the SEC and National Championship games.

Price’s overachieving abilities at 5’11” 190 pounds allowed him to be taken in the second round as an undersized wideout by the Buffalo Bills. There, he teamed up with Eric Moulds to make for an elite receiving tandem, and as a rookie he helped the Bills to the playoffs with nearly 393 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

In four years with Buffalo, Price became an elite producer, going over 1,200 yards in 2002. He then signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2003 and helped Michael Vick and co. reach the NFC Championship game in 2004. After a year in Dallas in 2005, Price finished his career by playing two more seasons in Buffalo, but he didn’t play again after season-ending neck surgery in 2007.

Over nine years, Price caught 403 passes for 5,281 yards and 31 touchdowns. He played in 123 games overall and started in 102 of them. While he didn’t replicate his college dominance of 1998, he was always a solid receiver, and that’s why he was able to make the list.