Ranking Tennessee football’s previous 10 draft classes with five picks

8. 1974

• Round 3: Bill Rudder – San Diego Chargers (Pick 59)
• Round 5: Haskel Stanback – Cincinnati Bengals (Pick 114)
• Round 8: Eddie Brown – Cleveland Browns (Pick 199)
• Round 10: Gary Valbuena – Miami Dolphins (Pick 260)
• Round 16: Gene Killian – Dallas Cowboys (Pick 413)

By this point in the mid-1970s under Bill Battle, the program was somewhat sliding from its peak years in Battle’s early days and Doug Dickey’s tenure. It was hidden, though, as Tennessee football was in the midst of a legendary run with Condredge Holloway, whose play helped two players get selected in this class.

One of them, Haskel Stanback, had the best career of all of them, appearing in 83 games with 52 starts over six years as a running back with the Atlanta Falcons. He finished his career with 728 carries for 2,662 yards and 25 touchdowns. Gene Killian was the other offensive player. He lasted one year, appearing in seven games as a guard with the Dallas Cowboys in 1974.

Eddie Brown put this class ahead of 1958, as he and Stanback made for more overall production. As a defensive back and return specialist, Brown also spent six years in the pros with the Cleveland Browns, Washington and Los Angeles Rams. He finished his career with eight interceptions, nine fumbler recoveries, three and a half sacks and a punt return touchdown.

Ironically, Gary Valbuena was Holloway’s backup, and his play when Holloway was hurt allowed him to be drafted. Bill Rudder was a running back who wholly benefitted from Holloway’s play, allowing him to be the top UT pick in this draft. Neither played a game in the pros, though.