ESPN’s latest seven-round NFL mock draft has five Tennessee players selected, all going in the first five rounds. Draft analyst Matt Miller projected all 257 picks, with James Pearce, Dylan Sampson, Omarr Norman-Lott, Dont’e Thornton and Bru McCoy all making the list.
Miller had Pearce as a second-round pick, going No. 49 overall to the Cincinnati Bengals. He had Sampson in the third round, at No. 67 overall to the Cleveland Browns, and Norman-Lott in the fourth round, at No. 116 to the Miami Dolphins.
He had both Thornton and McCoy as fifth-round picks, with Thornton at No. 145 overall to the New York Jets and McCoy at No. 153 to the Bengals.
James Pearce at Tennessee: 19.5 sacks, 30 tackles for loss
Pearce last season had 7.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 13 games, despite having just 0.5 tackles for loss and no sacks through Tennessee’s first three games of the season.
In three seasons at Tennessee he had 71 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, 19.5 sacks and one interception returned for a touchdown.
“Pearce is a productive player,” Miller wrote, “though slightly undersized at 6-foot-5, 245 pounds. He had 17.5 sacks the past two seasons combined and has speed scouts love, running the 40 in 4.47 seconds with a 1.56-second 10-yard split.
Pearce turned heads at the NFL Scouting Combine in February with a 4.47 time in the 40. His 10-yard time of 1.58 was in the 98th percentile. His 40 time was the fastest among defensive ends at the Combine.
“Pearce was once considered a top-10 overall prospect,” Miller added, “but a lack of play strength and a pass-rush plan beyond speed rushes have caused concern around the league. But he has a high immediate ceiling as a pass-rush specialist.”
Dylan Sampson broke Tennessee rushing records for yards, TDs
Sampson broke Tennessee single-season rushing records for yards, with 1,491, and touchdowns, with 22, during his junior season. In 35 games over three years at Tennessee, he ran for 2,492 yards and 35 touchdowns while averaging 5.9 yards per carry.
“Sampson is one of my favorite backs in the draft,” Miller wrote, “with home run speed on a 5-foot-8, 200-pound frame. He is also a dangerous receiving option.”
Norman-Lott, who transferred from Arizona State before the 2023 season, had 44 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in 23 games at Tennessee.
Thornton, an Oregon transfer, caught 39 passes for 885 yards and seven touchdowns in 22 games with the Vols, including 26 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns last season.
McCoy in three seasons at Tennessee caught 108 passes for 1,356 yards and seven touchdowns.
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