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Tennessee football: Top 10 Vols with 2022 NFL Draft potential

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee offensive lineman Cade Mays (68) runs on the field during the first quarter during a game between Tennessee and Missouri at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020.100320 Tenn Mo Jpg
Tennessee offensive lineman Cade Mays (68) runs on the field during the first quarter during a game between Tennessee and Missouri at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020.100320 Tenn Mo Jpg /
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Offensive lineman Cade Mays (68) runs onto the field at an open University of Tennessee spring football practice at Neyland Stadium, Saturday, April 10, 2021.Utpractice0410 0211
Offensive lineman Cade Mays (68) runs onto the field at an open University of Tennessee spring football practice at Neyland Stadium, Saturday, April 10, 2021.Utpractice0410 0211 /

Scouting Report. Senior. Cade Mays. 1. player. Pick Analysis. Offensive lineman. 839

6’6″ 325 pounds; Hometown: Knoxville, Tenn.

Coming back to Rocky Top, Cade Mays took a bit to get going. He had to wait until two weeks into Tennessee football’s 2020 season to be able to start. However, there is no doubt that he is the best NFL Draft prospect on this list.

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Mays started seven games last year and is another Trey Smith in every way. He thrives most at guard, but he can play left tackle if necessary or anywhere else on the line. Simply put, his abilities are defined by a combination of versatility and simply being an elite player, which showed before he transferred to the Vols from the Georgia Bulldogs.

A local product and a legacy player as the son of UT offensive lineman Kevin Mays from the early 1990s, the graduate of Knox County’s Knoxville Catholic High School is likely to stand out again this year. How he stands out, though, remains to be seen.

There’s a chance, given the uncertainty on the line, that Mays has to put his versatility more on display. However, if Josh Heupel figures out a rotation, Mays could settle in at guard and simply overwhelm people. He may have an extra incentive now, as if he needed one, given the chance that he could block next to his brother, Cooper Mays, who could play center.

dark. Next. Ranking Vols position groups by spring practice play

Overall, Tennessee football has a lot of potential NFL Draft prospects for 2022, but Mays is the one sure bet at this point. As a result, it’s clear-cut that he deserves to be No. 1 on this list. Once again, UT’s top prospect is an interior lineman.

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