Five current Vols with NFL futures
- Wyeth Wilson
- May 2, 2015
- 3 min read
The 2015 NFL Draft came and went with no Tennessee player being chosen, ending a 51-year old streak.
This will not be the case in at least the next few seasons to come.
With Butch Jones’s first recruiting class at Tennessee becoming draft eligible after next season, the Vols will become a much more commonly mentioned team during the weekend of the NFL Draft in the near future.
Here is a look at some current Vols that have the NFL Draft in their future:
Cameron Sutton, cornerback
All early indications point to Sutton entering the draft after his junior season, where he would have first round potential.
The Jonesboro, Georgia native has totaled five interceptions in his two seasons in Knoxville, but that stat doesn’t do his play justice.
Sutton has been a very valuable piece to Tennessee’s secondary for both of his seasons on Rocky Top, and at times the former three-star recruit looked like the Vols’ best player in the secondary even as a true freshman.
Sutton will likely be playing his last season in a Tennessee uniform in 2015, but he has all the tools to be very successful at the next level.
Jalen Hurd, running back
Anyone who watched Hurd’s 2014 season knows that he has a future playing professional football.
Hurd finished the season with 899 yards rushing as a freshman, and that total includes minimal production from games against Chattanooga and Vanderbilt, arguably the two worst defensive teams on Tennessee’s 2014 schedule.
Reports from Tennessee’s spring practice have indicated that Hurd has bulked up even more and even looks a step quicker than last season.
Even though Tennessee will add Alvin Kamara in the backfield this season to split carries with him, Hurd will continue to put up big numbers and draw even more interest from NFL scouts as he progresses through his college career.
Derek Barnett, defensive end
While having only completed his freshman season, Barnett may have better NFL potential than anyone on Tennessee’s roster.
The best illustration of how special Barnett’s freshman season truly was is the fact that Iowa offensive tackle Brandon Scherff, whom Barnett outplayed significantly in the TaxSlayer Bowl, was selected fifth overall in the NFL Draft. The fifth pick in the entire draft could only hope to contain his freshman opponent.
Barnett tallied ten sacks for the whole season (16th in the country, tied for fourth in the SEC), a very impressive number for a freshman, especially for one that plays in the SEC.
In addition to his impressive sack total, Barnett racked up 20.5 tackles for loss in 2014, an average of 1.6 per game (tied for best in the country).
Barnett has at least two seasons of eligibility left to use, which is good news for Tennessee fans, but when he does declare for the draft, he will most likely be a first round pick.
Marquez North, wide receiver
North’s 2014 campaign was a bit disappointing, coming to a close with a season-ending shoulder injury, but the freshman All-American and freshman All-SEC performer will likely fall right back into rhythm in 2015 when he starts the season fully healthy.
North could leave after his junior season if he turns in a productive year, but there’s also the possibility that he stays for his senior season.
Either way, North has the skills and the size to be a starting wide receiver in the NFL.
Kahlil McKenzie, defensive tackle
He may not have played a down of football on the college level, but the rising freshman McKenzie has “future top five pick” written all over him.
McKenzie was ranked as the number six overall player in the country for his class (247 Composite) and has been caught on camera multiple times destroying highly ranked offensive lineman from his class.
McKenzie weighed in the 350 pound range in high school, but will be down to around 330 by the time he takes his first snaps with the Vols.
McKenzie very well could be starting on the defensive line when Tennessee opens the 2015 season.
Though he still could end up being a complete bust at the college level, it certainly seems like McKenzie has a future waiting for him in the NFL.
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