The NFL free agency period officially begins on March 11, with several impact players looking for a new home in the league. It’s not the highest-profile free agent class that the NFL has ever seen, but there are still some big names to look out for that could affect contending teams moving forward.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen took a look at the Top 100 players in the FA class this offseason and ranked each one of them. For Tennessee fans, they’ll see three recognizable names on the list when glancing through it.
Former UT cornerback Alontae Taylor ranks as the top-ranked cornerback in the class, former Tennessee wide receiver Jauan Jennings is the fifth-ranked receiver in the class, and former UT offensive lineman Cade Mays is the third-ranked center that is available this offseason.
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Here’s a look at where each player lands in Bowen’s Top 100 rankings:
VFL CB Alontae Taylor
After being drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Taylor spent his first four seasons with the New Orleans Saints. He lands as the No. 9 overall player in the 2026 free agent class.
“Taylor’s versatility and urgent play style show up on tape,” Bowen writes. “He has the speed to cover receivers on the perimeter, but he can also play a disruptive role in the slot. In four seasons with the Saints, Taylor has 4 interceptions, 40 pass breakups and 7 sacks.”
In four seasons with New Orleans, Taylor has started 53 of the 64 games he has played in. After racking up just 46 tackles during his rookie season, Taylor has had 75+ tackles in each of the last three years, including a career-high 89 tackles during the 2024 season. He recorded two interceptions in both 2023 and 2025, with a career-high two forced fumbles in 2024.
Taylor played at Tennessee from 2018 to 2021. He spent his first three seasons on Jeremy Pruitt’s roster before playing his final season during Josh Heupel’s inaugural year on Rocky Top. He finished his UT career with 162 tackles, four interceptions, one pick-six, and one scoop-and-score recovery.
VFL WR Jauan Jennings
Former Tennessee wide receiver Jauan Jennings has become a household name for many in the NFL world after being taken in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Bowen has Jennings listed as the 25th-best player in the upcoming free agent class.
“At 6-foot-3, 213 pounds, Jennings is a consistent route runner who plays through contact and makes himself available to the quarterback on in-breaking targets,” Bowen writes. “He caught 55 passes last season for an injury-riddled 49ers unit, scoring nine touchdowns. Jennings was even better in 2024, when he ranked 12th in ESPN’s receiver scores and had 975 receiving yards.”
Jennings did not play during his rookie season in 2020 but has played for the Niners in the five years since. He took advantage of a bevy of 49ers injury in 2024 with a career-best 77 receptions for 975 yards. While battling injury himself in 2025, Jennings still recorded a career-high nine touchdowns and proved to be one of the tougher players in the league. The former quarterback recruit can still sling it, with two touchdown passes during postseason games in his career.
Jennings played at Tennessee for five seasons under both Butch Jones and Jeremy Pruitt. He tallied 2,153 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns on 146 receptions in 48 games. Jennings’ best season at Tennessee came during his final one, with 969 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 59 receptions, all being career-highs for his collegiate tenure.
VFL C Cade Mays
A sixth-round pick in the 2022 draft, Cade Mays comes in as the 39th-best free agent in the NFL’s upcoming class.
“Mays has some athletic limitations, but his 6-foot-6 length and power put him in a position to win in pass protection,” Bowen writes. “And he can displace defenders in the run game. Mays had a 94.3% pass block win rate in 2025, which ranked 20th out of 31 qualifying centers.”
Mays began his NFL career with the Panthers after being drafted in 2022 and appeared in 11 games with two starts during his rookie season. He then appeared in 16 games with five starts during the 2023 football season. Mays was released by Carolina before the 2024 season, but signed to the New York Giants’ practice squad that same September. Mays eventually wound up back with the Panthers ahead of the 2025 season and started 12 games with the team this past season.
The Knoxville native began his career with Georgia and played his first two seasons with the Bulldogs. he then transferred to Tennessee for the final two years of his collegiate career in 2020 and 2021.
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