ESPN ranks Tennessee's NFL Draft prospects entering College Football Playoff
Of the 112 NFL Draft prospects ESPN believes is in the new 12-team College Football Playoff, seven are on the Tennessee Football roster. ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller this week broke down the draft tiers for players on every playoff team, with the Vols having three players in the first three rounds.
Miller gave Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce a first-round grade and running back Dylan Sampson and defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott third-round grades.
He gave wide receiver Bru McCoy a fourth-round grade, defensive tackle Omari Thomas a fifth-round grade and wide receiver Dont’e Thornton and offensive lineman Andrej Karic a sixth-round grade.
James Pearce the last two seasons: 17.5 sacks, 26 tackles for loss
Pearce this season has 7.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss through 12 games, finishing strong after having just 0.5 tackles for loss and no sacks through the first three games of the season.
“No one has been better than Pearce in creating pressure off the edge this season,” Miller wrote, “as the junior affected quarterbacks on 19.8% of his snaps en route to 7.5 sacks. Most scouts I’ve talked to say that Pearce would have been the first lineman drafted this year, had he been eligible.”
Pearce over his last two seasons has combined for 17.5 sacks and 26 tackles for loss, with 63 tackles and one interception returned for a touchdown.
“He is a light edge player at 243 pounds,” Miller wrote, “eliciting comparisons to the Giants’ Brian Burns. I have Pearce at No. 10 on my board, though opinions vary on whether he’s a top-15 player in this class.”
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Dylan Sampson broke Tennessee records for single-season rush yards, touchdowns
Sampson has been uber productive as the workhorse leading Tennessee’s offense during his breakout junior season.
He set new Tennessee single-season rushing records with 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns. He is averaging 123.7 yards per game, running for 100 or more yards 10 times during the 12-game regular season, including a season-high 178 yards his last time out, on November 30 at Vanderbilt.
Sampson is ranked by ESPN’s Mel Kiper as the No. 10 running back available in the 2025 NFL Draft.
“Sampson has been one of the best running backs in the FBS this season, rushing for 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns (and adding 19 receptions),” Miller wrote. “He has averaged 5.8 yards per carry over the past two seasons and projects as a future NFL starter.”
Norman-Lott in 12 games has 4.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, 18 tackles and three quarterback hits.
“(Omarr) Norman-Lott is the pacesetter for a deep Volunteers defensive line,” Miller wrote, “registering four sacks and 18 pressures this season along with an interior pressure percentage of 14.5%.”
