More than two months of intense workouts have been geared toward one week of opportunity for former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga defensive linemen Derrick Lott and Davis Tull.
Those two will be part of an exclusive group of about 300 draft-eligible college players taking part in the NFL Scouting Combine that begins Tuesday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
“I’m getting really excited,” Tull said this past week on Chattanooga’s “Press Row” radio show. “I’m counting down the days — been looking forward to it and getting more excited the closer it gets. I know it’s a job interview, there’s a lot on the line and I’m taking it seriously.
East defensive lineman Derrick Lott, of Chattanooga (91), and linebacker Cole Farrand, of Maryland, practice in this Jan. 13, 2015, file photo.“Some nerves are good, like before a game, to get the adrenaline flowing. I think God’s put me in a great situation. The pressure is building and I’m just anxious to show what I’ve been working on.”
All players in the combine will work out and be given mental aptitude tests by coaching staffs, general managers/executives and medical personnel from all 32 NFL teams. It’s an intense process in what amounts to an extended job interview for players hoping to make an impression either to be drafted or to be picked up as free agents.
Lott and Tull are two of 27 FCS players invited to this year’s combine, and UTC is one of three FCS programs with multiple participants. This is the first time the Mocs will have two players at the combine in the same year.
“There’s a stigma coming from a small school. You do have to fight that,” Tull acknowledged. “But you have an opportunity to be around other guys from bigger programs and compare yourself. I’m excited to see how I stack up with those guys.
“I talked with Derrick and we joked about who’s going to get picked first. We’re competitive people, so we’ve talked about that. This has been my dream since I started playing football. I’ve got a good drive and love for the game that not everybody else has, and now I just have to maximize that potential and see how far it can take me.”
Tull is the first player in nearly 20 years to earn Southern Conference defensive player of the year honors three consecutive years and was also a three-time All American. He is also the conference record holder for career sacks with 37, which ranks fourth all-time at the FCS level. Last season he had 10.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss and nine quarterback hurries.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder played defensive end at UTC but projects as an outside linebacker in the NFL and will work with both position groups during the combine.
Defensive linemen are scheduled for on-field workouts next Sunday.
The 6-foot-4, 303-pound Lott was a four-star prep prospect who transferred to UTC from Georgia and played his final two seasons at defensive tackle with the Mocs, earning All-SoCon honors twice. Last season he had 51 tackles, 13.5 for loss and six sacks.
He played last month in the East-West Shrine Game, where he had three tackles, an assist and two tackles for loss.
“It really hit me once I signed with my agent,” Lott said. “Since I put pen to paper I know it’s serious business trying to get to the NFL. It’s no longer college or playing football to win something for the team or fans. That would come later if I make it. Right now the combine and our pro day back in Chattanooga (in March) are for myself, because that’s my chance.”
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.