All for Tennessee
Fansided

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

By Caleb Calhoun

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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 11
Next
Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images
Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images /

Wide Receiver. 1992; Pick 31. Carl Pickens. 56. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 6. player

The face of those late 1980s and early 1990s Tennessee football teams, Carl Pickens was a defensive back for the Vols his freshman year in 1989. All he did was grab four interceptions and help UT go from 5-6 to 11-1 with an SEC Championship and a Cotton Bowl win over the Arkansas Razorbacks, for which he earned defensive MVP honors.

Pickens then became an offensive superstar for Andy Kelly, helping them win another SEC title in 1990 and earning back to back All-SEC honors in 1990 and 1991. Because of his talents, he was among the first players in school history to go to the NFL before reaching his senior season.

At 6’2″ 206 pounds, Pickens was taken in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He became one of their top producers over an eight-year period, earning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1992 making two Pro Bowls in 1995 and 1996. Pickens had three straight seasons of over 1,100 yards and had four 1,000-yard season in five years.

In 2000, Pickens finished his career by joining the Tennessee Titans, and he retired in 2001. He finished his nine-year career with 540 receptions for 7,129 yards and 63 touchdowns, and he added a punt return touchdown. Overall, Pickens appeared in 129 games and started in 117 of them throughout his NFL years. So the guy was a star.

Home/Vols Football