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Why Tennessee football’s 2023 draft class will be deeper than 2022

By Caleb Calhoun

Tennessee players take the field as the University of Tennessee Pride of the Southland marching band performs a pregame show and fans checker Neyland Stadium orange and white for the Florida game on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016.0925 Kcsp Utfl 012 Mp
Tennessee players take the field as the University of Tennessee Pride of the Southland marching band performs a pregame show and fans checker Neyland Stadium orange and white for the Florida game on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016.0925 Kcsp Utfl 012 Mp /
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Tennessee wide receiver Cedric Tillman (4) warming up for 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 wide receiver Cedric Tillman (4) warming up for the NCAA college football game between the Tennesse Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, November 27, 2021.Kns Tennessee Vanderbilt Football /

Last weekend’s NFL Draft was a pleasant surprise for Tennessee football fans. The Vols had five players taken, more than any year since 2017, and they did so despite only four players being invited to the NFL Combine. JaVonta Payton signing a deal with the Arizona Cardinals made for six players landing with teams overall.

However, that was just Josh Heupel’s first year. Now, with momentum behind the program, everybody expects next year’s draft to be better. They’re right to expect that, and based on what’s happening with UT right now, those expectations will be met.

Sure, five players selected is impressive, but UT is trying to return to the Phillip Fulmer years, where seven to 10 guys could be taken on a yearly basis. Let’s break down while they’re on track to get back there. Here are the five biggest reasons Tennessee football will have a deeper NFL Draft class in 2023 than it did in 2022.

5. The team should be better, drawing more attention.

This one’s pretty simple. It’s a bit of a debate given the Vols’ schedule, but of their first three Power Five opponents, two are undergoing coaching changes, and the other, the Pittsburgh Panthers, just lost their entire passing game. Then there are their three Group of Five opponents, making six wins possible.

Add in the Vanderbilt Commodores, South Carolina Gamecocks, Missouri Tigers and Kentucky Wildcats, and this team could win as many as 10 games. If that happens, of course NFL general managers will start to take more notice of the team.

Just this past year, production propelled some Tennessee football players into the draft, more than even the combine. That was from a 7-6 team. If the Vols improve upon that, you have to think even more GM’s will naturally take a look. Sometimes name brand helps, even if it shouldn’t and with success, UT’s brand could lure GMs.

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