1. More players have to come out in general.
While Tennessee football’s 2023 NFL Draft class is going to be heavier on offense, there will be more players in general from the class simply by force. Only three players who were seniors but could have taken advantage of the COVID eligibility ruling last year are not on the team this year. Two of them, Alontae Taylor and Cade Mays, were drafted. Aubrey Solomon was the third.
However, there are 10 scholarship players who are seniors and came back for a final year of eligibility. With nine players in this past year’s draft class, already, this one’s deeper. Then there are just regular seniors who don’t fit that bill. Cedric Tillman is among them, and so is Jaylen McCollough. Both could be draft picks.
The seniors in their final year no matter what include guys like Hendon Hooker, Jerome Carvin and Trevon Flowers. Simply put, it’s a loaded class, and that doesn’t even include the potential Vols who may leave early for next year’s draft if they have standout performances in 2022.
Taking all that into account, Tennessee football could have as many as 20 players in its 2023 NFL Draft class. Simply put, the Vols will be so laded that they’re bound to have at least five selected if they have a decent year, and a few could be first and second round picks. As a result, next year’s class will be deeper.