🏈 The next step for Tennessee Football

Where will the Vols land in the NFL?

Author

Josh Ward
April 28, 2023

Hello. This is the Josh and Swain Newsletter, a quick roundup of the week’s top stories and topics involving Tennessee and the sports world.

Here’s what we have for you today:

  • How Darnell Wright turned himself into a first-round pick

  • Why NFL Draft success matters for Tennessee’s future success

  • Where would the Vols have landed in a 12-team playoff in 2022?

  • A VFL making a difference off the field in life after football

A BIG NIGHT FOR DARNELL WRIGHT

How do you top this scene? via UT Athletics

The Chicago Bears saw what Tennessee fans have known for quite a while.

Darnell Wright is a bad dude.

He’s about to be a rich man because the Bears drafted Wright with the 10th overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night.

Wright’s draft stock shot up after his senior season as teams saw on film how he performed at Tennessee.

His play combined with his measurables (6-5, 333 with the ability to move) made Wright a top prospect.

And the way he plays. It led Bears general manager Ryan Poles to say this about Wright:

“He’s a nasty dude. When you watch the tape and be like, ‘Alright, we gotta play the Bears next week.’ You go, ‘OK, this is gonna be a long day.’”

Now Wright hopes to have a long career.

His development at Tennessee says he has a good chance.

A five-star prospect out of high school, Wright played early for the Vols but didn’t play at a high level when he first arrived.

The “five-star” ranking came into question.

But along came Josh Heupel and offensive line coach Glen Elarbee.

With Elarbee’s teaching and Wright’s talent and work ethic, the change was dramatic.

Wright played left tackle in 2021 before switching back to right tackle in 2022. He didn’t allow a sack as a senior.

That’s the film part of Wright’s evaluation that helped him go so high in the draft.

When Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., who went third overall to the Houston Texans, called Wright the best tackle Anderson faced last season – teams had to take notice.

How about this praise from ESPN’s Louis Riddick immediately after Wright’s name was called on draft night?

“I believe that this young man, when it’s all said and done, has the ability to be the best player in this draft.”

That’s why Chicago had to have Wright. He’ll help fix a glaring problem with the Bears offense.

Wright’s selection ends a long drought for Tennessee, too.

Wright is the first top-10 pick from Tennessee since 2010 when Eric Berry went fifth to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Vols have a rich history of players in the NFL Draft. But not as much recently.

Wright’s memorable draft night is a sign of progress for Tennessee.

MORE VOLS TO WATCH

The first round of the draft came and went with Wright being the only Vol selected.

That will change on Friday.

📅 Rounds 2-3
⏰ 7 p.m. ET
📺 ESPN/NFL Network

Here are other Tennessee players to watch on Friday during rounds 2 and 3 (rounds 4-7 take place on Saturday):

Quarterback Hendon Hooker 

He had hoped to go in the first round. But after three QBs went with the top four picks, the quarterback run ended.

That also meant Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, who attended the draft, fell out of the first round.

Hooker should go in the second round. So where could he land?

Several teams will be worth watching early on Friday, including the Lions, Rams, Seahawks, Raiders and Saints.

Any of those teams could be interested. It also depends on which quarterback goes next, Hooker or Levis.

WR Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman

We’ll put these guys together since they play the same position.

Either player could go first depending on the team’s need.

Hyatt offers speed that Tillman can’t match. Tillman has an all-around game that’s attractive to teams.

Edge rusher Byron Young 

Young was an All-SEC defender as a senior who led Tennessee in sacks before wowing NFL teams with his athletic ability.

Young is one of the best stories and value picks available entering the second day of the draft.

Other Tennessee players to watch

Several other Vols will receive an NFL opportunity this weekend.

Linebacker Jeremy Banks and punter Paxton Brooks were invited to the NFL Combine.

Defensive lineman LaTrell Bumphus, offensive lineman Jerome Carvin, tight end Princeton Fant and linebacker Solon Page III are worth watching.

If they’re not selected in the draft, they’ll find free-agent opportunities.

The more players drafted – and the earlier they’re selected – the better for Tennessee.

There’s real correlation between sending players to the NFL and a program’s success in college.

There’s a lot of winning in that tweet.

Tennessee is working to join the group. This weekend should be a step in that direction.

Check out our conversation with The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, who discussed the positive turnaround for Tennessee’s football program under Josh Heupel.

SPORTS NUGGETS

🏈 It’s never too soon for first-round draft grades, even before the entire draft concludes.

🏈 The biggest topic in college football this week: Deion Sanders flipping Colorado’s roster. Read David Ubben’s story (subscription required) on how some CU players found out they were being cut.

🏈 Alabama’s quarterbacks looked shaky in the spring game. So Nick Saban brought in Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner to compete for (and likely win) the starting job.

🏈 Could Cameron Seldon be the next big-time running back at Tennessee? Here’s why the answer is yes.

🏈 Wonder what the 2022 College Football Playoff bracket would've looked like in a 12-team format? Take a look here.

⚾ Never in doubt for Tennessee baseball last night as the Vols beat Mississippi State on Griffin Merritt’s walk-off homer in the ninth inning. Here’s info on Games 2 and 3 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

🏀 Bracketology for the 2023-24 NCAA Tournament? Why not… see where Tennessee lands in next season’s tourney.

SUCCESS OR FAILURE

The No. 8 seed Miami Heat eliminated Milwaukee, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, on Wednesday. And the Heat did it in five games.

After the game, a reporter asked Giannis Antetokounmpo if the Bucks’ season was a failure.

It was the “wrong question,” according to Giannis.

“There’s no failure in sports. There’s good days, bad days. Some days you are able to be successful, some days you are not. Some days it’s your turn, some days it’s not your turn. That’s what sports is about.”

Whether you agree or disagree, the message from Giannis will make you think.

Watch the full exchange below.

ONE LAST BYTE OUT THE DOOR

Curt Maggitt was a standout on defense for Tennessee from 2011-15.

He made a difference as soon as he arrived as a freshman from West Palm Beach, Fla.

Maggitt had to overcome several injuries at Tennessee.

Nobody wants to experience a torn ACL or hip fracture.

Maggitt dealt with both before making it to the NFL. But injuries ended his career early.

Since retiring, Maggitt has earned his MBA at Tennessee and entered the professional world.

Maggitt explained to us on Josh and Swain how the game of football prepared him for life after football.

“What I learned from football is a lot of those discupines are transferable. And what made me unique in the football space, I had to really pull deep and extract those things, those values, those lessons, and apply it to life. It’s cool because with football, what you did yesterday or last game or the last play, it doesn’t quite matter.

What matters is the next snap. How we snap and clear. You mess up, you go back and watch the film. And I’ve applied that and I’ve found a lot of success in a lot of different areas.”

Maggitt has also made sure to give back to the community.

He’s hosting the second annual Kickball With Curt event in Knoxville this weekend to benefit his Edge Foundation.

Check out our full conversation with VFL Curt Maggitt. It’s worth your time. ⬇️⬇️

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