2023 NFL Combine: Biggest storyline for each Tennessee draft prospect

Mar 1, 2023 - 7:08 PM

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NFL draft season is in full swing, with the 2023 NFL Combine right around the corner. On field drills start on Thursday, March 2nd, with hundreds of draft prospects heading to Indianapolis to try and convince teams why they deserve a selection on draft night (April 27th).

The Tennessee Volunteers football program will be well represented come draft time. The Volunteers had eight players declare for the draft, and seven of those players received combine invites. If recent murmurs are to be believed, Tennessee will have a minimum of three selections, and possibly more.

Each player invited has some pressing questions about their NFL potential. There is no clear first round selection in the group—not at this point in time, at least. This upcoming week could make a huge difference for a few of these guys. We’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line.

We will do a post-combine stock report article with all of the results as soon as the combine concludes on March 5th. Before the numbers start pouring in, we take a look at the biggest storyline surrounding each Tennessee player as they embark on the draft process.

Note: Jerome Carvin did not receive an invite to the combine. He will still perform at Tennessee’s Pro Day. Punter Paxton Brooks is the other combine participant.

Did Hendon Hooker’s injury tank his draft stock?

Hendon Hooker already had an uphill battle to be drafted in the first few rounds. The league tends to shy away from older quarterbacks—and for good reason. There’s not many cases of them working out, and they tend to not have much of a ceiling. What you see is what you get.

Hooker will be 25 years old at draft time, meaning he’s already got a stigma attached to his draft potential.

The ACL injury he sustained in the South Carolina loss only complicates things. Hooker was not overly reliant on his mobility like some other quarterbacks are—but injuries like that affect more than just your straight line speed and change of direction. It becomes a confidence issue when throwing and standing in the pocket. The truth of the matter is, whatever you think of Hooker as a passer, the injury could alter his game.

It’s a bit up in the air about what Hooker will do at the combine. Obviously he will interview and talk with teams—but there is a chance that he will be able to throw. He says as much in his own words over at The Athletic. The other physical tests are out of the question.

Although he will likely have a more complete experience at Tennessee’s Pro Day, this week could be huge for Hooker’s momentum heading into the draft. If he interviews well, impresses teams on the whiteboard, and shares good injury updates, he can assuage some of the fears surrounding his draftability.

Still, it is hard to overlook that Hooker has two big knocks against him already.

Could Darnell Wright really go first round?

This one is a little surprising to me, but there is real smoke around it. Tackle Darnell Wright finished up an impressive Tennessee career with a very strong 2022 season. This past year launched him up draft boards, with teams coming away impressed at his tape against SEC opponents and their talented defensive ends.

So much so that some mock drafts have him going in the first round. The tape doesn’t lie— Wright has a ton of natural power to his game, and looks polished as a prospect. Add it to some good measurables, and it’s all coming together for a potential first round selection.

The combine this week will give teams a better idea of Wright’s ceiling. I think the biggest question at this point is Wright’s overall athleticism and agility. It’s agreed upon that Wright is solely a right tackle at the next level, so it’s unlikely he cracks the top 15 picks. But even with that limitation, Wright can solidify himself as the best right tackle prospect in the class.

Will Jalin Hyatt’s gamebreaking speed be enough to sneak into the first round?

The Biletnikoff Award winner comes into the NFL combine with lofty expectations. He showed tons of ability on the field, and now teams want to see just how fast he can go. At his size (6-foot, 185 pounds), clocking a good 40-yard dash time is essential to warrant a first round selection.

Hyatt does have a huge question mark hanging around his stock, however. Teams want to know if he’s more than a one trick pony.

Typically, receivers who have a very limited route tree at the college level have a much harder time adjusting to the NFL. That’s not saying it’s impossible, but teams want to see if a receiver can pick up the nuances of the position. For an example, look at how Velus Jones Jr. has yet to catch on in Chicago (though the problems there are more pressing than Jones, obviously). As much as I loved watching Hyatt on the field last season, you’re not exactly witnessing into an NFL offense with Josh Heupel‘s system.

I think everyone knows what to expect on the physical side. Chances are Hyatt will impress and the numbers will back up what the film shows. He arguably has more to gain from the interview process and showing teams that he’s a quick learner. I do think there is some volatility with Hyatt’s draft stock, and I could see him going anywhere from late 1st round to early 4th. Hopefully we get a better idea coming out of this week.

Where does Cedric Tillman fit?

I’m fascinated to see where Tillman lands. He has all the measurables that teams want in a No. 1 receiver, and he has shown some terrific playmaking abilities that don’t rely on just speed or size. The game comes very naturally to him.

If Tillman had had another great season in 2022, we are having a different discussion. But as we all know, nagging injuries meant his season was basically over before it really got going. There was also a weird episode later in the season where Tillman was supposedly healthy, but the staff held him out anyway. You can bet teams will ask a lot about that situation and where he is as a player.

So which Tillman will show up to the combine? The 2021 Tillman that looked like a legitimate first round receiver? Or a hobbled 2022 Tillman that leaves teams with more questions than answers? Of all the players on this list, I will be watching Tillman the closest. If he tests well, he could end up being one of the steals of the draft. There’s even a chance he goes in the top 50 picks.

If not, he could slide off draft boards all together.

Will red flags be too much for Jeremy Banks?

Jeremy Banks’ draft stock is already a bit questionable. He’s got some nice physicality to his game, but for whatever reason his athleticism never really developed into the star linebacker fans had hoped for. He still got picked on too much in pass coverage, and never really seemed to improve in that regard. That is a non-negotiable in the modern NFL. The days of lumbering linebackers who exist solely to destroy running backs are gone. If you can’t show versatility in a defensive scheme, you’re already behind the eight ball.

Yet I’m not even sure that is the biggest knock on Banks. He still has that aforementioned athleticism which could convince teams he has room to grow.

I think the biggest knock on Banks is going to be his conduct as a player—both on the field and off. Rumors have swirled about Banks ever since he enrolled on campus. Even if we discount the saga of his arrest and reinstatement, we’re still discussing a guy who was absent for a key game in the season...which ultimately doomed Tennessee’s playoff hopes. He then followed that up a few weeks later with a bizarre last minute draft declaration prior to the Orange Bowl, which seems to imply some issues on his end.

Teams will be asking all about these incidents and investigating what he was like in the locker room. Banks could give the best interview you’ve ever heard, but I’m still not sure that would be enough to convince teams to take a flyer on him.

Can Byron Young find a spot in the league?

Technically, you could say that Byron Young has the most to gain from the combine. Young ended up being a decent player for Tennessee, but never materialized as the pass rushing specialist the team wanted. Despite all this, he still has adequate size and some half decent tape to show. He has the same issue as Hooker however, where he will be 25 years old in the next month.

Evaluating Young is tough because you have to try and project how he will do with NFL coaching and schemes. Yes, Young never reached his full potential at Tennessee. But the tools are still there. NFL teams are the best of the best at recognizing potential and developing it, and they could very well see it with Young. Could a good combine sneak him into the draft?