Tennessee football: Ranking all head coaches’ final NFL Draft classes
Class: 2021. 13. Scouting Report. Record in 2020: 3-7 (3-7). Jeremy Pruitt. player. 839. Pick Analysis
Number of NFL Draft picks: 2
- Round 3: Josh Palmer – Los Angeles Chargers (Pick 77)
- Round 6: Trey Smith – Kansas City Chiefs (Pick 226)
Yes, Jeremy Pruitt’s final draft class as head coach of the Tennessee football program is one of the worst. To be fair, he never had a good draft class. Nobody was taken after his first year, and only two players were taken after his second year: Darrell Taylor by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round and Jauan Jennings by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round.
It was expected that this draft class would look a bit better, as offensive lineman Trey Smith figured to go higher, and defensive back Bryce Thompson was expected to be a late-rounder. However, Thompson signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent, and Smith fell to the sixth round.
Wide receiver Josh Palmer being taken in the third round, which was higher than expected, did give this class a bit of a boost, but that doesn’t change this class from being so low. Although it could be an overachieving class in the pros, the class itself was thin.
There’s one caveat to this class. Due to the NCAA’s COVID-related eligibility ruling, very few players actually entered the draft this year, which would naturally make the class thinner. Pruitt does get a break on that front.