Vols for life -- or at least 2016?
The number of underclassmen entering the NFL Draft seems to increase each year. But Tennessee has only two or three players considering entering the draft with college eligibility remaining:
Cameron Sutton, Junior, CB: Arguably the second-best cornerback in the SEC behind Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves III, the 5-11, 190-pound Sutton already has NFL size. He’s also shown that he has the speed and shiftiness to cover some of the SEC’s best receivers. Sutton’s stats this year — six pass breakups and one interception — don’t reflect his performance because teams have generally stayed away from throwing in his direction. Sutton is one of the most complete cornerbacks in the country, and might be selected in the first round draft if he leaves early.
Jalen Reeves Maybin, Junior, OLB: The 6-foot, 225-pound linebacker moved from safety as a freshman to outside linebacker as a sophomore, and has had a huge impact on Tennessee’s defense and special teams. In 2014, Reeves-Maybin finished with a team-high 101 tackles, along with 11 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, two sacks and an interception. With one more game to play this season, he has 99 tackles, including 13 tackles for loss, and five sacks. One reason Reeves-Maybin has racked up some many tackles over the past two years is his speed. He also has a knack for diagnosing opposing offenses’ plays and hitting ball carriers at the point of attack. He may consider staying at Tennessee for one more year to add bulk to his frame, but NFL scouts are impressed by his superior tackling skills.
Curt Maggitt, Senior, OLB/DE: Maggitt’s situation is a bit complicated. His return to Tennessee would require a sixth season of eligibility from the NCAA. Maggitt was injured in Tennessee’s second game of the season against Oklahoma, and hasn’t returned to the field yet. At 6-4 and 252 pounds, Maggitt isn’t as big as most NFL teams would like, but he is an excellent pass rusher. In Tennessee’s 2014 season, he finished with 11 sacks and 15 tackles for loss. But until he can show more durability — he also missed an entire season recovering from torn knee ligaments — his draft stock will remain low, and he will likely be a late-round pick. However, one more full season at Tennessee could significantly elevate his draft position.