KNOXVILLE - For a second year in a row the first round of the NFL draft came and went Thursday without a Tennessee player being selected.
Producing NFL players and first-round picks are a point of pride for a program that dedicates an entire room in its Anderson Training Center to the 45 first-round picks in its history.
The last helmet, jersey and signature the Volunteers added to the collection belonged to Ja'Wuan James, the offensive tackle taken 19th overall by Miami in 2014. Tennessee may have to make room for another set next year, when the Vols should have at least five players picked in the draft.
For the former Vols who comprise this year's group of NFL hopefuls, however, their path to their dream doesn't end if they're not picked in the final six rounds tonight or Saturday, as Justin Coleman and Matt Darr proved this past year.
"You see how well (Coleman) did playing for the former champions," former Tennessee safety Brian Randolph said last month. "That's definitely motivating for me. It shows I can do it, because I played with him. He's a great guy, one of my best friends and my roommate.
"He's definitely been a good factor in my life to look at and a good role model."
For the first time since 1963 Tennessee did not have a player drafted last year, but Coleman and Darr made impacts as rookies after signing as undrafted free agents.
Coleman, a defensive back who started the last 34 games of his Tennessee career, initially signed with the Minnesota Vikings, then landed on the Seattle Seahawks' practice squad before the New England Patriots signed him to their 53-man roster in September.
In 10 games for New England, Coleman made 21 tackles and broke up five passes and played extensively in the Patriots' playoff games against Kansas City and Denver.
Darr won Miami's punting job in the preseason and averaged 47.6 yards, third-best in the league, on 90 punts to earn a spot on NFL.com's All-Rookie team.
"It's very nice to see that, especially a Vol, for that to happen for (them)," former Tennessee offensive tackle Kyler Kerbyson said. "It kind of shows that teams in the NFL see us as hard workers and see us as good players, even if they don't take you in the draft. You're definitely a guy that can come on a team and make it better.
"I think the connotation is really good."
Marquez North is Tennessee's best hope of starting a new streak for Tennessee, which had a player taken in every NFL draft but three (1938, 1963 and 2015).
The talented wide receiver, a four-star recruit out of high school, had a disappointing junior season with the Vols due to injuries and a disconnect with the coaching staff, but he tested well enough to draw interest from some NFL teams after his early entry in the draft.
He had at least one private workout with the Dallas Cowboys between the scouting combine in February and Tennessee's pro day in late March and reportedly worked out for New England, Carolina, Cleveland and Indianapolis this month. Draft projections on NFL.com and FoxSports.com have North going late in the sixth round.
"I'm hearing good things," North said after Tennessee's pro day.
On talent alone Curt Maggitt is probably Tennessee's next best bet to have a player drafted, but multiple injuries in his five-year career with the Vols make him a risky choice for an NFL team.
Maggitt missed one season after tearing his ACL and missed nearly all of last season after chipping a bone in his hip against Oklahoma, but when healthy in 2014 he led Tennessee and finished third in the SEC with 11 sacks.
"Getting drafted is a very high goal of every football player, but at the end of the day it's the end product," Maggitt said. "It's getting through this process. I know my abilities, and I'm confident in my abilities when I am healthy. I know what I can bring to a team and an organization."
Randolph helped himself with an impressive pro day performance, but it still may not be enough for him to get drafted. Kerbyson, defensive tackle Owen Williams, tight end Alex Ellis and receivers Von Pearson and Pig Howard are former Vols who could sign free-agent deals after the draft ends Saturday.
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com