More photos » by Steve Nesius - AP

6 months ago: FILE - In this Jan. 1, 2008 file photo, Tennessee defensive end Robert Ayers (91) sacks Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Donovan (12) during the second quarter of the Outback Bowl football game in Tampa, Fla. Ayers is a top prospect in the 2009 NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius, File)

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We've been on quite the roller-coaster ride with the recent news of Coleman's departure from the team (as well as Sawtelle's),  but they will not be the last Vols we see permanently leave the Orange and White behind this weekend.  Despite a very turbulent 4 years in Big Orange football and a trainwreck of a 2008 season, there are still several Volunteers who will be drafted by NFL teams on Saturday and Sunday, and others who may get picked up as undrafted free agents UDFAs).

Some prep:

• rkmccoy provided a nice bullet list of some Vols to watch for.  Click the link to get the Cliff's Notes on Arian Foster, Anthony Parker, Ramon Foster, Demonte' Bolden, and Robert Ayers.  Other names not mentioned include Lucas Taylor and Josh Briscoe and Britton Colquitt.
• Robert Ayers and Arian Foster are the two most intriguing names to follow, given their histories at Tennessee.  Click their names in this bullet point for more detailed information.
• Several of the NFL-related SBNation blogs have inquired about Vols players (particularly Ayers) and seem to have a keen interest in him in relation to their team.  There should be some Vols buzz afloat at Buffalo Rumblings, The Phinsider, Pride of Detroit, Mile High Report, Music City Miracles, and The Falcoholic.
  
• There is a draft hub for SBNation:  Mocking The Draft.  It's a great little access point driven by some of the more hard-core draftniks in the SBNation blogs.
• A shout-out goes to Craig T of Buc 'Em.  He's one of the main guys at the Buccaneers blog, is a big Volunteers fan, and has had his fate even more intricately tied to our own with the acquisition of Monte Kiffin.

Our Plans

Informal as always, I will set up a day-long live comment thread for the first day of the NFL draft.  I'd like to have discussions about more than just the Vols being taken as well.  I know that most of us are NFL fans and this will provide us an opportunity to have a conversation with fans of teams that are not necessarily our own.

I, for one, will be very intrigued by the Broncos.  My lifelong "home" team is in a dubious position in my mind, as I am still very leery of McDaniels (and basically everything that's happened since the end of the season).  But they'll be one of the power players in the first round with two mid-round picks in their name.

And, as last year, my personal theme for the NFL draft (as borrowed from Mike and Mike):

You're feelin' it.  I can tell.

[UPDATE]  Yes, I just learned that this video is not embeddable.  Here's the YouTubery if you're interested.