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Tennessee football’s NFL Draft success: Who gets the most credit? Jeremy Pruitt or Josh Heupel?

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 Josh Heupel high fives offensive lineman Cade Mays (68) during morning football practice on campus on Friday, August 20, 2021.Kns Ut Football Practice Bp
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel high fives offensive lineman Cade Mays (68) during morning football practice on campus on Friday, August 20, 2021.Kns Ut Football Practice Bp /

2. Josh Heupel

Butch Jones may have signed some of the players. Jeremy Pruitt may have signed some and developed all of them. However, Tennessee football’s success in the 2022 NFL Draft was based on production if you look at the measurables they showed this past offseason and where they were taken. Heck, Theo Jackson wasn’t even invited to the NFL Combine.

That means scouts relied heavily on the success of 2021, and there’s no doubt that Josh Heupel and his staff deserve the most credit for that. Heupel had as much to do with Cade Mays’ versatility by moving him over to right tackle to start for that season.

Meanwhile, Velus Jones Jr. became a breakout player in Heupel’s system, remaining a slot guy but emerging as an elite kick returner. Heupel brought in Tim Banks as his defensive coordinator to install his nickel-heavy 4-3 defense, and that benefitted Jackson greatly as he started at nickel.

Now, Alontae Taylor’s emergence was more about him getting healthy. Jeremy Pruitt and his staff almost solely deserve credit for him. However, Heupel and his staff deserve as much credit for Matthew Butler. Keeping him on the inside while switching to a 4-3 really helped his production and sold his versatility. That puts Heupel above Pruitt.

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