Tennessee lands 8 on 2023 Senior Bowl Watchlist

For most people, the Reese’s Senior Bowl is the first event of the NFL Draft season. In essence, it’s a week of practice and then a game that the top seniors in college football participate in. Now, the 2023 Senior Bowl Watchlist is out, with eight Tennessee Volunteers on it.

“It takes professional evaluators to identify future professional players and this year’s Senior Bowl staff will be comprised of nine scouts with over 150 years of NFL experience,” the Senior Bowl’s website explains. “Our staff will rely on decades worth of relationships at the college and NFL levels to stay on top of all the risers, career backup late-bloomers, and transfers taking advantage of opportunities in their final seasons.”

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Among the eight Tennessee players on the Senior Bowl Watchlist, there are several key positions, including the quarterback.

• Jeremy Banks, LB
• Jerome Carvin, OL
• Princeton Fant, TE
• Trevon Flowers, S
• Hendon Hooker, QB
• Cedric Tillman, WR
• Darnell Wright, OL
• Byron Young, EDGE

There are several players on this list who are going to make Josh Heupel’s offense click at Tennessee. It starts, obviously, with Hendon Hooker at quarterback and the connection that he has with Cedric Tillman. It’s a connection that Heupel has praised this offseason.

Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball, Tennessee will need its key seniors to step up. In particular, having Byron Young help the pass rush off the edge and players like Jeremy Banks control the quarterback run, will be pivotal.