After five former Tennessee players earned selection in the NFL Draft, seven other players signed free agent deals to bring the total number of NFL-bound Vols to 12.
Tennessee earned two picks during the second day of the draft. Colton Hood was the first Vol off the board in the second round to the Giants, and Chris Brazzell II was selected by Carolina in the third round.
To start the third day of the draft, Las Vegas traded up to take cornerback Jermod McCoy with the 101st draft. Projected as a first-round choice in most mock drafts, McCoy missed the 2025 season with a torn ACL and received more bad injury news in the lead-up to the draft.
McCoy will join former Vol receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. in Las Vegas during the offseason and had a good relationship with the player during his time in Knoxville.
"He's part of the reason why I had the season I had, just guarding him every day and making me better," McCoy said. "And then I feel like the same with me, him having to go against me, I'm making him also better. I think getting to do that again is just going to improve both of our games."
In the fifth round, Washington selected edge rusher Joshua Josephs with the 147th pick. The new Commanders player earned 9.5 sacks and six forced fumbles as a Vol and is excited to make an immediate mark.
"I set standards high for myself, so I feel I will be able to make a dominant impact on that field and contribute to the success of our team," Josephs said.
Tennessee's final pick of the week was defensive lineman Tyre West, who went to Detroit with the 222nd choice in the seventh round. West played in 12 games for Tennessee last season and earned four sacks and a forced fumble.
Quarterback Joey Aguilar is headed to Jacksonville after leading the Vols offense last season in his final year of eligibility. Defensive lineman Dominic Bailey earned signing from Houston after starting for the Vols last season.
Defensive tackle Bryson Eason heads to the Bay Area with San Francisco. Tight end Miles Kitselman joins West in Detroit after receiving a free agent offer.
Defensive back Jalen McMurray stays in the Volunteer state after getting an offer from Tennessee. Defensive tackle Jaxson Moi signed with the Los Angeles Rams, and defensive back William Wright signed with Denver.
Tennessee's five drafted players matches the amount drafted in both 2022 and 2023, and the total has not been exceeded since seven players went in the 2017 draft. After having James Pearce Jr. go in the first round last season, Tennessee does not have a first-round choice.
After a heavy NFL Draft output, the Vols have questions in several positions on both sides of the ball. Chief among them is quarterback, where George MacIntyre, Faizon Brandon and Ryan Staub will battle for Tennessee's starting job through the offseason ahead of 2026's season opener against Furman on September 5.