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Tennessee football: Ranking all head coaches’ final NFL Draft classes

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee wide receiver Josh Palmer (5) poses for a photo with Tennessee Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt before a game between Tennessee and Texas A&M in Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020.
Tennessee wide receiver Josh Palmer (5) poses for a photo with Tennessee Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt before a game between Tennessee and Texas A&M in Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020. /
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The sun peeks over Neyland Stadium before the University of Kentucky and the University of Tennessee college football game on Volunteer Boulevard in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020.Kentucky Vs Tennessee Football 202095971
The sun peeks over Neyland Stadium before the University of Kentucky and the University of Tennessee college football game on Volunteer Boulevard in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020.Kentucky Vs Tennessee Football 202095971 /

Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Class: 1936. Record in 1935: 4-5 (2-3). W.H. Britton. 14. player. 839

Number of NFL Draft picks: 1

  • Round 4: Gene Rose – New York Giants (Pick 36)

Ironically, the first ever NFL Draft came in between Robert Neyland’s first two stints as Tennessee football’s head coach, a period that only lasted one year. That one year, 1935, also was the only year from Neyland’s first overall year on Rocky Top, 1926, to his final year, 1952, in which the Vols had a losing record.

Neyland’s assistant, W.H. Britton led the program during that time. As a result of his tenure only lasting one year, his first NFL Draft class was also his final one as the Vols’ head coach. Gene Rose was the only pick from UT at the time, going in the fourth round to the New York Giants.

Rose was an end who came to the Vols from Cincinnati, Ohio. Playing on both sides of the ball, he had 73 rushing yards in the pros, and 1936 was the only season he played at the NFL level. New York went 5-6-1 that year.

Obviously, being a late-rounder and the only one would keep Britton’s draft class near the bottom of this list as well, but this is Rocky Top’s first draft class. Neyland came back the next year and instituted what became known as the Golden Age of Big Orange Country.

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