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Vols not expected to make big impact at this week’s NFL draft

Tennessee defensive end Kyle Phillips sacks Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham during the visiting Vols' upset of the 21st-ranked Tigers this past October. Stidham fumbled on the play, with Alontae Taylor returning it for a touchdown.
Tennessee defensive end Kyle Phillips sacks Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham during the visiting Vols' upset of the 21st-ranked Tigers this past October. Stidham fumbled on the play, with Alontae Taylor returning it for a touchdown. Tennessee defensive end Kyle Phillips sacks Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham during the visiting Vols' upset of the 21st-ranked Tigers this past October. Stidham fumbled on the play, with Alontae Taylor returning it for a touchdown.

By Gene Henley 2 min read

photo Tennessee defensive end Kyle Phillips picks off a pass during the Vols’ home win against Charlotte this past November. Multiple projections have Phillips as the only Vol likely to be taken in this week’s NFL draft.

KNOXVILLE – The NFL draft is in the state of Tennessee for the first time.

But will anybody from the University of Tennessee be selected?

The draft begins Thursday evening in downtown Nashville with the first round. The second and third rounds are Friday, and the remaining four rounds are Saturday.

There’s no greater evidence of the current dearth of talent in the Volunteers’ football program than the projections for this draft. Multiple predictions have no more than one Vol expected to be picked in any of the seven rounds.

That one player? Defensive end Kyle Phillips, projected by NFL.com to be taken in the fifth round. Phillips, who hails from Nashville, had 114 tackles, eight sacks and 16 tackles for loss during his Vols career.