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Tennessee football: Ranking all four Vols by most to prove at 2022 NFL Combine

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee defensive back Alontae Taylor (2) high-fives fans after defeating South Carolina 45-20 in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021.Kns Tennessee South Carolina Football
Tennessee defensive back Alontae Taylor (2) high-fives fans after defeating South Carolina 45-20 in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021.Kns Tennessee South Carolina Football /
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Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. (1) runs for a touchdown during an NCAA college football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Tennessee Tech in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, September 18, 2021.Tennvstt0918 1816
Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. (1) runs for a touchdown during an NCAA college football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Tennessee Tech in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, September 18, 2021.Tennvstt0918 1816 /

This year’s NFL Draft Combine is underway, and Tennessee football has four players taking part in the event. There are two skill players and two players in the trenches from Rocky Top who are spending the next few days trying their best to improve their draft stock, as are 320 other prospects at the event.

Some players need this event more than others based on their production in 2021 and how important physical gifts are for their position. Two former Vols have a bit of added pressure since they decided not to take advantage of a potential extra year of NCAA eligibility.

Our breakdown on who has the most to prove here will consider that factor, but production and position will be more in play. Here is our ranking of Tennessee football’s former players based on the most to gain (and lose) at the 2022 NFL Combine, which began on Tuesday, March 1 and will last through Monday, March 7.

Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Wide receiver. Saraland, Ala.. 4. 839. Velus Jones Jr.. player

2021 stats: 62 catches, 807 yards, 7 TDs; 13 KR, 628 yards, 1 TD; 18 PR, 272 yards

Sure, his 40-time may come into play, but it’s pretty obvious what Velus Jones Jr. will be drafted to do if an NFL team takes a chance on him. The graduate of Saraland High School in Alabama’s Mobile County who spent two years at UT after transferring there from the USC Trojans only needs to plug in the tape to prove that.

Jones was listed at 6’0″ 200 pounds while on Rocky Top, but his height is actually a bit irrelevant. As long as he’s not shockingly small or shockingly slow, teams will have all the data they need on him based on how elite of a return specialist he was and how good he was in the slot.

These numbers alone prove that, and Jones being such a playmaker for Tennessee football will be a selling point on his own. If he was trying to get drafted as a wideout, his size would come more into play. However, his football speed is obvious as is his ability to produce, so he likely won’t be hurt by anything at this event.

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