Tennessee sent four players to the league through the NFL Draft this weekend, giving Josh Heupel 17 NFL Draft selections during his tenure on Rocky Top.
The Vols saw James Pearce Jr. go to the Falcons in the first round, while the Chiefs picked up Omarr Norman-Lott in the second round. Offensive weapons Dont’e Thornton and Dylan Sampson both went in the fourth round, to Las Vegas and Cleveland, respectively.
The days following the NFL Draft feature countless report cards from different organizations grading each team, with Pro Football Focus being one of them. The PFF staff graded every team’s draft haul and wrote a quick paragraph on each selection.
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Here’s how PFF graded out the four teams that Tennessee’s players went to and what was said about each of the four Vols picked:
Atlanta Falcons
PFF’s staff handed out an A-grade for Atlanta’s draft class, which included two first-round picks after trading back into the first round. The Falcons took Georgia EDGE Jalon Walker with the 15th pick and then doubled up with Tennessee EDGE James Pearce Jr. with the 26th pick. Pearce’s ability to get after the quarterback, despite the expensive trade, makes this is a strong draft for the Falcons.
“Pearce defeats blocks exceedingly well, generating a 23.0% pass-rush win rate while also sporting an 84.1 run-defense grade,” PFF writes. The Falcons had one of the worst pass-rushing defensive lines in the NFL in 2024 but immediately improved that tonight.”
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City’s draft class received an A grade from Pro Football Focus coming out of the draft. The Chiefs took offensive tackle John Simmons and the first round and then came back with Tennessee DT Omarr Norman-Lott in the second round. Norman-Lott is looked at as a boom-or-bust prospect, but he has a high-end motor. As early as it was, Norman-Lott’s selection has come with some criticism from the media. PFF doesn’t seem to believe it’s enough to knock the Chiefs’ draft, though.
“Norman-Lott was arguably the best true pass-rushing defensive tackle in this draft class,” PFF writes. “His 18.9% pass-rush win rate led the nation, and his 88.3 true pass set pass-rush grade ranked above the 95th percentile. Norman-Lott plays with violence and speed and should provide the Chiefs with another pass-rushing force to rotate into their lineup.”
Las Vegas Raiders
PFF gave the Las Vegas Raiders an A grade for its draft class, which included Tennessee wide receiver Dont’e Thornton as a fourth-round pick. Thornton went much higher than he was expected to go before the draft, likely due to his high-end speed, ball-tracking ability, and deep-field threat. Combine Thornton with some of the Raiders’ new pieces, such as RB Ashton Jeanty and WR Jack Bech, and you’ve got a pretty good haul this weekend.
“Thornton is a bet on size and athleticism on the outside for Las Vegas,” PFF writes. “There aren’t many wide receivers at 6-foot-5 and over 200 pounds who can run a 4.3-second 40-yard dash. Thornton wasn’t a high-volume option in Tennessee’s offense, but he made his looks count, averaging 25.5 yards per reception. That ‘one trick’ is valuable, and he gives Geno Smith a big target on the outside with big-play ability.”
Cleveland Browns
After a few strong listings, PFF gave the Cleveland Browns a C+ grade for a pretty wild draft class. The Browns took two running backs in the draft, with Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins in the second round and Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson in the fourth round. Cleveland also took two quarterbacks in the class and did not select an offensive lineman. While Cleveland’s draft may not have been graded out all that well, Sampson’s pick appears to be a good one.
“Cleveland continues to revamp its backfield in this draft, landing Dylan Sampson, who was the 55th prospect on the PFF Big Board,” PFF writes. “Pairing Sampson with Quinshon Judkins provides the Browns with two elite collegiate running backs who have a knack for forcing missed tackles. Sampson’s 70 missed tackles forced on rushing attempts alone were the eighth-most among all FBS running backs last season.”
