There are three backup quarterbacks from Tennessee Football in the pros entering 2024 as the NFL season kicks off in Hendon Hooker, Joshua Dobbs and Joe Milton III. However, thanks to Josh Heupel rebuilding the program, UT is better represented at the next level than they have been for years, so none of them make our list of top 10 former Vols in the NFL this year. Here are those players now.
10. Jalin Hyatt
UT is turning back into Wide Receiver U with Jalin Hyatt, Cedric Tillman, Josh Palmer, Velus Jones Jr. and Jauan Jennings. Princeton Fant and Jakob Johnson are also solid tight ends. Palmer led all of them last year in receiving. However, this will be Hyatt’s breakout year with the New York Giants after 23 catches for 373 yards. It’ll come down to him or Tillman, but my money’s on Hyatt.
9. Jaylen Wright
Of all the Tennessee Football rookies, this is my one bold projection. Jaylen Wright is a complete running back and going to the perfect system in the Miami Dolphins, so he’ll be the splash first-year guy over McCallan Castles, Joe Milton III, Kamal Hadden and Ramel Keyton. Wright is in an elite system and a speed back who could torch defenses. Add in his preseason, and he looks like a potential Pro Bowler.
8. Shy Tuttle
Rocky Top dominated the NFL on the interior defensive line in its heyday. That’s not necessarily the case now, but Shy Tuttle, Matthew Butler and Kendal Vickers are part of a unique group of reliable players in that role. Tuttle is now with the Carolina Panthers after a few years with the New Orleans Saints. For three years, Tuttle has been a regular starter now, and he had 43 total tackles, 19 solo in 2023.
7. Morgan Cox
You can call me crazy for putting a long snapper on here, but Morgan Cox may go down as the greatest long snapper in history. Coming from the Lane Kiffin and Phillip Fulmer era of Tennessee Football, Cox has made three Pro Bowls. There’s a reason Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens, a Hall of Famer, had the worst season of his career last year. The Titans had their best in decades with Nick Folk.
6. Alvin Kamara
His magic isn’t what it once was, but with Alvin Kamra gaining over 1,000 total yards from scrimmage for his seventh straight season, Wright entering the NFL and Cordarrelle Patterson still in the pros, Tennessee Football is turning into All-Purpose Back U. Kamara may have a bit of a drop-off with the New Orleans Saints this year, but he should still be elite.
5. Darnell Wright
Arguably the most physically gifted offensive lineman in the history of Tennessee Football, Darnell Wright held onto that tackle spot all season last year with the Chicago Bears. Now, the franchise is forcing Caleb Williams on him after Justin Fields. Either way, though, Wright will be elite, and whatever happens with the franchise, he should be able to turn into a star this year.
4. Alontae Taylor
Defensive back is an underrated pro position group for the Vols in recent years, but Emmanuel Moseley has been injury prone recently, and Cameron Sutton is suspended for eight games. Micah Abernathy and Theo Jackson are more depth guys. Alontae Taylor, though, is a star with the Saints. He started 13 games his second season last year and had two picks. This year could be his breakout star season.
3. Jalen Reeves-Maybin
It’s not everyday a player spends six years as a depth guy in the pros and then becomes a Pro Bowler his seventh year, but that’s exactly what Jalen Reeves-Maybin did with the Detroit Lions. Reeves-Maybin was second team All-Pro last year, and now he’s got his contract extended through 2025, so the franchise clearly believes in him, which puts him up here on this list.
2. Trey Smith
Arguably the biggest steal in history from Tennessee Football, Trey Smith is turning into what all Vol fans knew he’d be if he could just stay healthy. The guard has now been a fixture of two Kansas City Chiefs team to win the Super Bowl and is turning into one of the best interior blockers in the NFL. He is on a contract year now too, so look for him to dominate.
1. Byron Young
Edge rusher is also becoming a top position for Tennessee Football, as Darrell Taylor has 21.5 sacks in three years with the Seattle Seahawks, and Derek Barnett has been a regular with the Philadelphia Eagles, winning a Super Bowl. He’s now with the Houston Texans. However, Byron Young had one of the best rookie seasons in history for a former Vol.
With eight sacks and as an all-rookie for the Los Angeles Rams, Young should be able to take a giant leap forward now. He is the first of what many expect to become a string of edge rushers from Rocky Top who played for Josh Heupel. James Pearce Jr. and Jordan Ross are next, but Young will be seen as the guy who started it all.
