Nine Vols named to 2020 Senior Bowl watch list

Tennessee didn’t have a single player selected in the 2019 NFL Draft — a true indication of the talent level that Jeremy Pruitt was dealing with in year one. The 2018 senior class was filled with prospects who either transferred, suffered devastating injuries, or just flat out didn’t develop.

Tennessee’s 2019 class looks a little brighter, however. So much so that nine prospects were added to the Senior Bowl watch list on Wednesday. The premier all-star event on the path to the NFL Draft named the following Volunteers as candidates to participate in the week long event.

LB Daniel Bituli

OLB Darrell Taylor

CB Baylen Buchanan

DT Emmit Gooden

WR Jauan Jennings

WR Marquez Callaway

SAF Nigel Warrior

TE Dominick Wood-Anderson

LS Riley Lovingood

Of course, Buchanan and Gooden have already suffered injuries during the offseason. Gooden is expected to return to Knoxville next season for another attempt at his senior season. Buchanan could do the same by taking a redshirt, although his situation is cloudier after Pruitt described his injury as a “narrowing of the spine” issue.

Pass rusher Darrell Taylor is likely Tennessee’s top NFL prospect heading into the season. The 6-4, 255 pound outside linebacker chose to return to Tennessee for his senior year after debating an early declaration at the end of 2018. With more consistent production in 2019, Taylor should be a day two selection in the spring.

Jennings, Callaway and Wood-Anderson have a chance to improve their stock this season in what should be a more productive offense.

Senior Bowl week will take place from January 20th through the 25th. The game will take place on that Saturday, the 25th, at 2:30 p.m. ET at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.