The 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner, with the event beginning on Thursday night in Pittsburgh, PA. The draft will run through Saturday with more than 250 players finding their first home in the NFL.
Tennessee projects to be an active force in the draft this week in the Steel City. In ESPN’s full seven-round mock draft from early April, Tennessee projected to have five players selected in the seven-round draft. That included Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood in the first round, Chris Brazzell in the third round, Joshua Josephs in the fourth round, and Bryson Eason in the sixth round.
If Tennessee does have five players selected, it’ll tie a Josh Heupel era record for the Volunteers. Tennessee previously had five players taken in both the 2022 NFL Draft and the 2023 NFL Draft.
Heupel wrapped up his fifth season with Tennessee last December, which means that this will be his fifth NFL Draft on Rocky Top. During those four drafts, Heupel has seen 17 Tennessee players make it to the NFL.
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Here’s a look at Tennessee’s full NFL Draft history during the Josh Heupel era in Knoxville:
2022 NFL Draft (5)
- Round 2, Pick 49 – DB Alontae Taylor, New Orleans Saints
- Round 3, Pick 71 – WR Velus Jones Jr, Chicago Bears
- Round 5, Pick 175 – DT Matthew Butler, Las Vegas Raiders
- Round 6, Pick 199 – OG Cade Mays, Carolina Panthers
- Round 6, Pick 204 – DB Theo Jackson, Tennessee Titans
2023 NFL Draft (5)
- Round 1, Pick 10 – OT Darnell Wright, Chicago Bears
- Round 3, Pick 68 – QB Hendon Hooker, Detroit Lions
- Round 3, Pick 73 – WR Jalin Hyatt, New York Giants
- Round 3, Pick 74 – WR Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns
- Round 3, Pick 77 – DE Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams
2024 NFL Draft (3)
- Round 4, Pick 120 – RB Jaylen Wright, Miami Dolphins
- Round 6, Pick 193 – QB Joe Milton III, New England Patriots
- Round 6, Pick 211 – DB Kamal Hadden, Kansas City Chiefs
2025 NFL Draft (4)
- Round 1, Pick 26 – DE James Pearce Jr., Atlanta Falcons
- Round 2, Pick 63 – DT Omarr Norman-Lott, Kansas City Chiefs
- Round 4, Pick 108 – WR Dont’e Thornton, Las Vegas Raiders
- Round 4, Pick 126 – RB Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for full coverage of Tennessee’s activity at the 2026 NFL Draft this week in Pittsburgh, PA.
