KNOXVILLE - Derek Barnett made a bold final appeal to NFL franchises Wednesday.
Tennessee's all-time sacks leader and a likely selection in tonight's first round of the draft released a "cover letter" through the Players' Tribune expressing his desire to win a Super Bowl.
"Achieving that sack record definitely meant a lot to me, but I would have traded it away in a heartbeat to have won a championship while I was in college," Barnett wrote on the website, which features first-person content from athletes.
"So understand that even though I've achieved some noteworthy things and won some individual awards, they are not what drives me."
Barnett is in Philadelphia, where he is almost certain to become the program's first player selected by an NFL franchise since 2014.
Wiggins joining Vols
Tennessee bolstered its cornerback depth for next season with the addition of a graduate transfer Wednesday.
Louisville's Shaq Wiggins announced on Twitter he will use his final season of eligibility to join the Volunteers. A native of Tyrone, Ga., he will be eligible immediately and could contribute to a position of need for the Volunteers.
Wiggins played his freshman season at Georgia in 2013 before following defensive coordinator Todd Grantham to Louisville and playing for the Cardinals the past two seasons.
He battled injuries last season but has proven capable of competing in the Southeastern Conference. The 5-foot-10 Wiggins started eight games as a freshman for the Bulldogs. He made six tackles, including one for loss, in Georgia's 34-31 win over Tennessee in 2013.
He announced last month that he planned to transfer from Louisville to use his final year of eligibility, and on Wednesday he tweeted his thanks to coaches and programs who reached out to him but said that "with hard prayer and support from my family I think I've made right the decision for me."
The Vols lost nickelback Malik Foreman and four-year starter Cameron Sutton at cornerback from last year's roster. They will welcome three freshman defensive backs in preseason camp.
Currie adds to staff
Tennessee athletic director John Currie announced a high-profile addition to his cabinet Tuesday.
Reid Sigmon is joining the athletic department staff as executive associate athletics director and chief operating officer. He comes to Knoxville after working as the College Football Playoff's chief financial officer.
Currie and Sigmon worked together at Kansas State from 2009 to '13. Both are Wake Forest graduates.
"Reid was the driving force in the academic, athletic and financial success we enjoyed at Kansas State, and I was able to see firsthand the impact he had in supporting our student-athletes and coaches throughout the department," Currie said in a Tennessee news release.
Sigmon will start May 15 and earn a salary of $285,000, according to the university.