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Tennessee football: Ranking all 15 first NFL Draft classes of Vols head coaches

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee Head Coach Josh Heupel congratulates wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. (1) during senior day ceremonies before the start of the NCAA college football game between the Tennesse Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, November 27, 2021.Kns Tennessee Vanderbilt Football
Tennessee Head Coach Josh Heupel congratulates wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. (1) during senior day ceremonies before the start of the NCAA college football game between the Tennesse Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, November 27, 2021.Kns Tennessee Vanderbilt Football /
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Tennessee head coach Johnny Majors, second from right, talks with his sophomore quarterback Jimmy Streater (6) before going back on the field against California in their home opener. But California spoiled the return of the Vols head coach Johnny Majors as coach of his alma mater with a 27-17 victory before a record crowd of 84,421 fans at Neyland Stadium Sept. 10, 1977.Utvscal 05
Tennessee head coach Johnny Majors, second from right, talks with his sophomore quarterback Jimmy Streater (6) before going back on the field against California in their home opener. But California spoiled the return of the Vols head coach Johnny Majors as coach of his alma mater with a 27-17 victory before a record crowd of 84,421 fans at Neyland Stadium Sept. 10, 1977.Utvscal 05 /

Scouting Report. Johnny Majors. 5. player. 839. Pick Analysis. Class: 1978. Record in 1977: 4-7 (1-5)

Number of NFL Draft picks: 5

  • Round 3: Craig Colquitt – Pittsburgh Steelers (Round 76)
  • Round 8: Jesse Turnbow – Cleveland Browns (Pick 205)
  • Round 9: Russ Williams – Dallas Cowboys (Pick 250)
  • Round 10: Brent Watson – Cleveland Browns (Pick 261)
  • Round 11: Pat Ryan – New York Jets (Pick 281)

Given the fact that until 2017, this was Tennessee football’s worst team, it was shocking that they had so many draft picks. However, two of them can be explained away. Their highest pick was a punter, Craig Colquitt, the architect of the Colquitt family. Meanwhile, Pat Ryan was a quarterback who didn’t fit Johnny Majors’ system.

In fact, Majors bringing in another new era on Rocky Top is what set this program back. Bill Battle actually probably had a talented enough team to improve upon his mediocre 1975 and 1976 campaigns, but UT’s favorite son having so much success while he faltered proved too great of an opportunity for the Vols to pass up.

Anyway, that resulted in Majors coming home and changing up the systems to the detriment of a team built for something else. NFL scouts still noticed their talent, though. Colquitt, ironically, carries this class as a top 100 pick since everybody else is in the 200 to 300 range.

In fact, Ryan wouldn’t even be drafted if the number of picks were what they are today. So many low picks in the 2000s is what keeps this from being higher despite five players going. Colquitt was the star of the class, but Ryan had a 14-year career as a backup quarterback. The other three were out of the league by 1979.

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