NFL Draft 2023: Predicting where Tennessee’s prospects will be drafted

It’s been quite some time since the Tennessee Volunteers had this many high-level draft prospects in the same class. It shouldn’t be surprising after their best season in almost two decades. But it is still refreshing to see talented players realize their potential and live out their dream of playing in the NFL.

For the past few drafts, Tennessee has typically had one prospect projected early, while the rest go in the middle rounds—or undrafted. The story has changed up a bit for the 2023 NFL draft. In fact, on this list alone, Tennessee has had four different players projected in the 1st round by at least one national analyst.

Now, that does not mean all four will go in in the 1st round. But it has been many years since you could type out that sentence and not get called crazy. Even if it isn’t the 1st round, the Volunteers have a handful of guys that are almost surely going in the top 100 picks.

I will give you my take on where I think Tennessee’s draft prospects will ultimately land. Editor Terry Lambert has done a good job with his NFL draft profile pieces so far, and they will be linked with each prospect we have one for. He will also give his final prediction on where he thinks guys will end up.

As a reminder, the 2023 NFL draft will air on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network starting April 27th (8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST). Only the 1st round will be conducted on the 27th. Rounds 2 and 3 will occur on the 28th, and the final four rounds will happen the 29th.

OT Darnell Wright

Clint: Round 1, Top 25

Wright comes in as my lone 1st round prediction. Wright has consistently been hailed as one of the top tackles in the draft, if not the top tackle. He has done nothing to lose that status. The tape, the measurements, it all combines and leaves a great impression of Wright.

Some analysts believe that he is the most NFL-ready offensive tackle in the entire class. Even if you think his future will be limited to right tackle, it’s worth getting a cornerstone of your offensive line in the first round.

Terry’s Take: Round 1, Top 20

The stats do speak for themselves, and a huge outing against Alabama’s Will Anderson really got his hype train rolling last fall. Overall, it’s difficult to poke too many holes in Wright’s game. He’s an easy plug-and-play at right tackle, and shouldn’t escape the top 20.

WR Jalin Hyatt

Clint: Round 2, Top 50

You don’t get great vibes when reading about the receivers in this year‘s draft. It simply doesn’t sound like this year‘s crop is well regarded. It’s not so much that there’s no one they like—there’s just no one they’d be willing to spend a 1st round pick on in other years. Hyatt is probably near the top of many draft boards, but that doesn’t necessarily mean his name will be called on Day 1.

Still, his deep threat ability and measurements have me thinking he won’t fall very far. Even if you find him too unpolished for a Top 20 level pick, the potential to become the league’s best deep threat is too tantalizing.

Terry’s Take: Round 2, Top 40

Hyatt’s size/strength concerns will likely keep him out of round one, but I don’t think he lasts too long on Friday night. Hyatt should lead that next wave of receivers to come off the board, coming off a Biletnikoff winning season. Though Hyatt didn’t blaze at the NFL Combine, his electric tape should be enough to go top 40.

QB Hendon Hooker

Clint: Round 2, Top 60

Every year, we get a quarterback that begins to receive unusual pre-draft hype. This quarterback will typically be considered either a project, or a sneakily good prospect flying under the radar. Sure enough, draft sites will begin to push rumors that teams simply “love their tape” and are willing to spend a high pick on them. Then, draft time comes around, and these prospects go exactly where people thought they were going to go.

Unfortunately, I think Hooker might be this year’s recipient of the undue hype. Recently, there were murmurs that he was going to be picked at the end of the 1st round (and some even have him in the teens!) . I simply don’t see it. He has way too many questions surrounding his age and his ability to perform outside of Tennessee’s system. Perhaps I am burned by the Malik Willis saga from not too long ago, but I will not be expecting Hooker’s name to be called on the first day.

That might be better for his expectations and career.

Terry’s Take: Round 1

Clint isn’t wrong with his concerns, but I think he’s discounting just how much NFL teams lose their minds over quarterbacks. Getting that fifth-year option (as all first round picks do) will slot Hooker into the back half of the first round, in my opinion. The Vikings at 23 make all kinds of sense here.

I think Hooker could run into trouble if CJ Stroud slides, like the rumor mill is suggesting this week. Anthony Richardson is also far from a finished product and could also slide. I think those two things happening are the only way Hooker doesn’t go in the first round.

Saying this two months ago would have been crazy, but that’s how things seem at the current moment.

DE Byron Young

Clint: Round 3, Top 100

I’m having real trouble trying to gauge Byron Young’s draft potential.

On one hand, there’s enough sources and stories out there which point to Young being selected in the first two rounds. He’s already had multiple visits with NFL teams and was routinely highlighted as one of the more athletic players at the combine. If you follow the draft buzz, Young is probably off the board by the time the 3rd round starts.

But I still have trouble thinking he’ll go higher than the middle 3rd. I think you still have a good group of pass rushers that had a little bit more production than Young, and at least a comparable amount of athleticism.

This is one of those instances where I can’t help but be contrarian about the expectations. Maybe it’s because for the past few drafts, I’ve been overly optimistic about Tennessee players and where they get picked, and I end up getting burned.

Terry’s Take: Round 3, Top 80

I’ll go a little higher than Clint here because I think teams are going to want to bet on his traits. Young doesn’t have the production you’d like to see, but he’s also got plenty of upside waiting to be unlocked. Remember, Young was out of football for a bit before trying out at the Georgia Military College. He only got two years in Knoxville, but he put up his best tape to close things out against Clemson. Pass rushers always seem to go higher than we think, and I could see a team using a second round pick on Young on Friday.

WR Cedric Tillman

Clint: Round 4, Top 120

There’s a chance that Tillman’s NFL career surpasses his collegiate career. Tillman has all the tools that NFL teams covet in the modern wide receiver, and he consistently showed that through the draft process. His final season at Tennessee did not work out the way anyone thought it would, but it seemingly did not affect his draft stock all that much.

Questions still remain about his locker room presence and whether he’s worth the risk of a higher round pick—especially with the health questions in the past year. I don’t think it will be enough to knock him too far down the draft.

Note: Tillman is yet another prospect that has been mentioned in the first round. I don’t buy that, but I won’t deny that he has a lot of tantalizing potential.

Terry’s Take: Late 2nd/Early 3rd

He’s not a burner by any stretch, but time and time again, you saw Tillman end up getting behind defenses consistently. Maybe it’s the strides, maybe it’s the lack of suddenness that lulls corners to sleep, but Tillman made a living down the field for the Volunteers in 2021. Tillman isn’t the elite level athlete to be a truly dominant WR1 at the next level, but I’m guessing he’s going to be a nice fit as a WR2 pretty quickly.

LB Jeremy Banks

Clint: Undrafted

A special teams role is probably what Banks should aim for at this rate. I’ve seen some projections that have him in the middle rounds, but it’s hard for me to reconcile that with what I’ve seen on the tape. I don’t think he has the athleticism to make up for some of his shortcomings. Crazier things have happened but I’ll be a pessimist once more.

Terry’s Take: Undrafted

Banks is a big-bodied, productive SEC linebacker, but nothing really screams NFL potential here. Couple that with two (very public) off-field issues and I would be flat out shocked if he was selected this weekend. He’ll get a shot as a camp body, but he’ll be on a short leash.

S Trevon Flowers

Clint: Undrafted

Could Flowers sneak his way into a selection? Apparently so, according to Matt Miller. His recent mock draft has Flowers going to the San Francisco 49ers with the 255th pick near the end of the 7th round. To be sure, picks that late are totally random, so I wouldn’t bank on it. Don’t count him out however.

Terry’s Take: Undrafted

Anyone that watched Tennessee’s defense this past season saw one clear weakness, and it was the safety spot. Despite the experience, Flowers simply isn’t athletic enough to hang in an NFL secondary.

OL Jerome Carvin

Clint: Undrafted

Might make a practice squad. Solid college lineman, not really a pro level guy at this juncture.

Terry’s Take: 7th round

I’m a pretty big fan of Carvin’s. He was a steadying presence for Tennessee, playing a couple of different roles through the years. He’s got a ton of football under his belt and I think he’s got a shot to carve out a backup role at the next level.

TE Princeton Fant

Clint: Undrafted

Apparently viewed by NFL teams as more of an H-back at the next level. Has some versatility that might help him get on a roster.

Terry’s Take: Undrafted

Fant is undersized for the tight end position at the next level, and frankly I’m not sure where he fits at the next level. Tennessee used him as a swiss army knife, which may provide him with a chance to be a bit of a hybrid fullback of sorts. He’ll get a shot, but I don’t have high hopes.

P Paxton Brooks

Clint: Undrafted

Terry’s Take: Undrafted