LAS VEGAS — A handful of Tennessee football players are hoping to hear their names called at the NFL Draft, but it likely won't be on night one for any of them.
According to various mock draft sources, four Vols are set to be selections in this year's draft, with a few more on the outside as potential undrafted free agent signings.
CB Alontae Taylor - Projected third-round pick
Taylor will likely be the first Vol off the board, but that probably won't be until the third round. The senior is coming off career highs with 60 tackles and two interceptions this past season, including a pick-six. He ran a 4.36 40-yard dash, which ranked fifth among cornerbacks.
WR Velus Jones Jr. - Projected fourth to fifth-round pick
Jones may have to wait until Saturday to hear his name called and is projected as a mid-round selection. The speedy First-Team All-SEC selection stood out as a return man and as a receiver, and a lot of teams probably have him somewhere down their draft boards.
DL Matthew Butler - Projected fourth to fifth-round pick
Butler is another Vol that projects more as a Saturday selection. The defensive lineman showed up in two of the biggest games of the year: against Alabama and Ole Miss. That might have put a few teams on notice of his potential production at the next level.
OL Cade Mays - Projected sixth round or later
The Knoxville Catholic product could be a fringe selection with the draft winding down. Mays was a Second-Team All-SEC selection in 2021 and has experience playing all five spots on the offensive line. The versatility could play well for teams looking for depth.
Likely undrafted, possibly free agent signings
Tennessee wide receiver JaVonta Payton and defensive back Theo Jackson may breakthrough as undrafted free agents. Defensive lineman Ja'Quain Blakely and defensive back Kenneth George are a bit more on the outside as they hope to get NFL training camp invites.
