Mel Kiper Jr.’s Big Board for the 2024 NFL Draft: Three Volunteers qualify………
Although Tennessee’s NFL selection prospects appear to be less favourable this year, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. still has three Volunteers on his Big Board as the selection approaches. This week saw the publication of Kiper’s prospect positional rankings, which included Joe Milton, Jaylen Wright, and McCallan Castles.
This is where each person checked in.
At this moment, Milton appears to be a late-round project. Although the senior quarterback for Tennessee had ups and downs this season, he was unable to match Mel Kiper Jr. enormous output from 2022. Milton has always had exceptional athletic ability; he has by far the strongest arm in the class. However, he hasn’t been able to combine the processing and precision as everyone had planned. Though there will still be some pro interest, the 6-5, 230-pound body with outstanding arm strength will draw attention.
Wright has a lot of work ahead of him as he moves on to the next level, so this is about as high of a ranking you’ll find for him. From a track-star type to a genuine pro possibility, the former three-star prospect matured in Knoxville. Wright is a dynamic player who lead the Tennessee backfield in 2023 after putting his fumbling problems behind him. In his final year as a Volunteer, the 5-10, 211-pound running back averaged 7.4 yards per carry.
The NFL had been considering Castles even before he moved to Knoxville. The versatile H-back contributed significantly to the blocking scheme and scored five touchdowns this season despite not gaining much yardage in Josh Heupel’s offence. His NFL hopes as a possible late-round choice or undrafted free agent won’t be harmed by his 6-5, 252 pound frame.
On the second night of the 2023 NFL Draft, Tennessee had four players selected: Byron Young, Jalin Hyatt, Cedric Tillman, and Hendon Hooker. Not only that, but the Chicago Bears selected right tackle Darnell Wright with the 10th overall pick. This year, Tennessee won’t have that kind of volume, and Jaylen Wright appears to be the candidate with the best chance of succeeding. We’ll talk about that again following the senior bowl game next week.
This spring, there’s also a chance for receiver Ramel Keyton, tight end Jacob Warren, linebacker Aaron Beasley, cornerback Gabe Jeudy-Lally, and returner Dee Williams to hear their names called.
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