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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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Oct 19, 2013; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones reacts during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 19, 2013; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones reacts during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

7. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Butch Jones. player. 839. Class: 2014. Record in 2013: 5-7 (2-6)

Number of NFL Draft picks: 3

  • Round 1: Ja’Wuan James – Miami Dolphins (Pick 19)
  • Round 6: Zach Fulton – Kansas City Chiefs (Pick 193)
  • Round 6: Daniel McCullers – Pittsburgh Steelers (Pick 215)

Three years after Derek Dooley’s first class, Butch Jones was responsible for getting some of Dooley’s players to the NFL. Similar to Doug Dickey 50 years prior, Jones was naturally going to hurt the draft stock of some Tennessee football players since he was installing a new offense, bringing in the power-run based spread, and going back to a 4-3.

However, a focus on the running game in the spread still allowed for the Vols to dominate in the trenches in this draft. Antonio Richardson would have been drafted had it not been for a medical issue. Ja’Wuan James was one of the Vols’ best blockers the year before, and Zach Fulton was reliable for them as well.

It made sense for them both to be drafted, and James going in the first round combined with Jones having three picks propels his first class above everybody with two. Daniel McCullers benefitted from the switch to a 4-3, as he was able to dominate one-on-one matchups on the inside when he was really a nose tackle.

All three of these guys actually had decent NFL careers. James is now with the Baltimore Ravens and still playing. Fulton retired from football shortly before the 2021 season while signed with the New York Giants. McCullers played his last year in 2020 with the Chicago Bears.

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