A Look At Vols Players Who Could Get Selected in 2022 NFL Draft

Tennessee had two players selected in the 2021 NFL Draft, with Josh Palmer being selected 77th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers. Trey Smith was selected in the sixth round with the 226th overall pick by the Kansas City Chiefs. Tennessee's other two draft prospects, Bryce Thompson and Brandon Kennedy, were not selected; however, Thompson has agreed to terms as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints. With only four draft-eligible prospects in 2021, in large part due to the blanket eligibility waiver handed out by the NCAA, Tennessee could see a large uptick in production in next year's draft, which we take a look at here.

OL Cade Mays

Mays could have come out in this year's draft and likely heard his name called. While he did not perform up to expectations at times in 2020, his overall talent and potential are undeniable. He returned to Tennessee, and he will be the face of a new-look offensive line, which will be the first opportunity he has had in that role in college. His position versatility is another key factor in why he will hear his name called next spring.

Velus Jones Jr.

Jones Jr. has had a lengthy college career, but he is expected to be the guy at the receiver position for Tennessee this fall. He has excellent top-end speed, and he showed his ability to work multiple levels of the field last fall. He should be the top target for whoever wins the quarterback job in Knoxville, allowing him the opportunity to prove why an NFL team should take a chance on the Alabama native.

Trevon Flowers

Flowers has been a key contributor at Tennessee since arriving in Knoxville, and nothing should change in Tennessee's new multiple defensive schemes. He has been productive in run support, and when healthy, he has flashed nice ball skills down the field in coverage. He has a load of SEC experience, which should make him an interesting option to NFL teams when the draft rolls around.

DL Matthew Butler

Butler has been a key fixture on Tennessee's defensive line. Nothing should change for him this year, and he should only benefit from having Rodney Garner as a position coach. Butler chose to return to school to improve his draft stock, and Tennessee's new defense should only help him do this.

OL Jerome Carvin

Carvin is sometimes the forgotten man on Tennessee's offensive line; however, that should not be the case. He has played in 33 games, including 16 starts since arriving in Knoxville. He is a technician, who routinely grades out high, and he carries himself the right way on and off the field. He is someone that previous and current Tennessee coaching staff have been and are currently have high praise for. It would not be surprising to see Carvin play himself into a mid-round pick this season.

Cornerback Alontae Taylor

Another guy with tremendous SEC experience is Alontae Taylor. Taylor has stuck with Tennessee through it all, and he has a skill set that should give him the opportunity to be drafted. He will be a focal point on the outside for Tennessee this fall. The biggest question is will his game take the next step. Taylor has high-end traits, but can he make it show on the field. If he produces this fall, he should hear his name called next spring; as it is obvious to see, it pays to be a defensive back around draft time.

OL Darnell Wright

Wright was a consensus five-star coming out of high school, and he has been a fixture on the right side of Tennessee's offensive line since. He has struggled at times, as many young guys do, but he should benefit from the style of offense Tennessee will play this fall under Josh Heupel. Wright is athletic, and he excels as a blocker in space, which should happen a lot more often than it did with the previous regime. With his ceiling, it would not be a surprise for him to be a player teams keep a close eye on this fall.

Hendon Hooker, Joe Milton or Brian Maurer

It could be one or the other, or it could be none of the above. There is no reason to discount anyone in Tennessee's quarterback competition heading into the summer. Each quarterback in Tennessee's room has starting experience, which makes for an interesting dynamic heading into the competition. If one of three mentioned in the header, all of which are draft-eligible following the season, wins the job, then they could very well have a case to be drafted. This season's draft was loaded with quarterbacks, and NFL teams are always looking to add different elements to their position group. Josh Heupel's quarterbacks have generally experienced a lot of success, which means if one of the above beats out Harrison Bailey and wins the job, they should have ample opportunity to make a case to be on the big board next spring.

Other potential draft candidates for Tennessee next year include Darrel Middleton, Aubrey Solomon, Princeton Fant, Jaylen McCollough, Austin Pope, Jay Blakely, Theo Jackson, Kenneth George, Cedric Tillman, and K'Jrohn Calbert.