There’s an old saying when it comes to the NFL Draft: It’s about where you’re taken, not when you’re taken. Former Tennessee offensive lineman and current Kansas City Super Bowl Champion and sixth-round pick Trey Smith is a prime example of that.
And while Tennessee’s Jerome Carvin didn’t get selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, the former Vol is still heading to a great location after signing as an undrafted free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday.
Smith and Carvin will now reunite under the Chiefs’ banner. The two linemen were both at Tennessee for three years together from 2018 to 2020. Not to mention, both were productive as Tennessee’s guards on the same line.
During the 2019 season, Carvin started seven games at right guard while Smith started 12 games at the left guard position. Then, in 2020, Carvin had four starts at right guard and played in all 10 games while Smith started all 10 games at the left guard position.
@JeromeCarvin https://t.co/w1ojMmdOJA pic.twitter.com/bESfasvtdT
— Trey Smith (@treysmith) April 30, 2023
More from RTI: How Close is Hendon Hooker to Starting in Detroit?
Carvin is one of three former Tennessee players to sign as undrafted free agents following the draft this weekend. In addition, linebacker Jeremy Banks signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while Princeton Fant signed with the Dallas Cowboys.
When it comes to Jerome Carvin’s game, his versatility is the aspect that stands out the most. Carvin will bring a unique ability to play multiple positions on the line for Kansas City as he routinely bailed Tennessee out by doing so throughout the late stages of his career on Rocky Top.
During the 2021 season, Carvin started all 13 games for Tennessee: seven at left guard, five at center, and one at right guard. That’s all coming after pretty much exclusively playing at right guard throughout the first few years of his Tennessee career.
Then, during his final year, Carvin was a rock-solid left guard for the entire season while protecting Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton.
According to Tennessee Sports, Carvin “allowed only two sacks over the last 26 games of his career and did not allow one in 2021.”
Tennessee had five players drafted in the NFL Draft this weekend:
- No. 10 Darnell Wright (Chicago Bears)
- No. 68 Hendon Hooker (Detroit Lions)
- No. 73 Jalin Hyatt (New York Giants)
- No. 74 Cedric Tillman (Cleveland Browns)
- No. 77 Byron Young (Los Angeles Rams)
#Vols OL Jerome Carvin lights up while talking about his mother’s service in the Navy and his sister’s service in the Army on Tuesday. Says it’s really a “military family”.
Tennessee’s Salute to Service game is this weekend against Missouri. pic.twitter.com/B8Rzo6LegK
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) November 8, 2022
UT lineman Jerome Carvin lighting up a cigar in celebration pic.twitter.com/Ob2UZKgV52
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) October 16, 2022
