Tracking Tennessee football undrafted free agents after 2023 NFL Draft
The 2023 NFL Draft is over, but more Tennessee players are still getting a call to the pros.
Five Vols were drafted in the first 80 picks. They included offensive tackle Darnell Wright (first round, Chicago Bears), quarterback Hendon Hooker (third round, Detroit Lions), wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (third round, New York Giants), wide receiver Cedric Tillman (third round, Cleveland Browns) and defensive end Byron Young (third round, Los Angeles Rams).
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Here are the Tennessee players signed as undrafted free agents as they are reported.
Princeton Fant to Dallas Cowboys
Princeton Fant, a 6-foot-1, 238-pound tight end from Nashville, signed with the Dallas Cowboys.
Fant touts versatility that was on full display in his final season with the Vols. He recorded nine touchdowns, including five rushing, three receiving and one passing.
Fant primarily plays tight end, both in-line and flexed. He had 22 receptions for 241 yards in 2022. And he has NFL pedigree at that spot because his cousin, Noah Fant, is the Seattle Seahawks’ starting tight end.
But he also spent time in the backfield as a lead-blocking H-back and sometimes short-yardage ball-carrier.
Jerome Carvin to Kansas City Chiefs
Jerome Carvin, a 6-5, 308-pound offensive lineman from Memphis, Tennessee, signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Carvin is one of the most experienced players in Tennessee history, playing 60 games. He is dependable and very versatile.
His 43 career starts included 21 games at left guard, 17 at right guard at five at center. In 2021, he routinely moved from guard to center in a pinch due to injuries to the starting center.
Carvin also has versatility in terms of style and scheme. He played in Jeremy Pruitt’s power-running offense and Josh Heupel’s up-tempo offense. He has plenty of game film in a gap scheme and zone scheme of blocking.
Carvin played 2,817 offensive snaps over 60 games. He allowed only two sacks over his last 26 games and did not allow a sack in the 2021 season.
Jeremy Banks to Tampa Bay Bucs
Jeremy Banks, a 6-1, 232-pound linebacker from Cordova, Tennessee, signed with the Tampa Bay Bucs.
He was one of the SEC’s most productive defenders over the past two seasons, which is why he got invitations to the East-West Shrine Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine.
In 2021, Banks had 128 tackles, 11½ tackles-for-loss and 5½ sacks. In 2022, his production dropped to 53 tackles, 4½ tackles-for-loss and eight quarterback hurries.
But he still flashed his dynamic skillset and closing speed, which makes him a valuable special teams player.
Paxton Brooks to Indianapolis Colts
Paxton Brooks, a 6-6, 201-pound punter from Lexington, South Carolina, got a rookie mini-camp invitation from the Indianapolis Colts, according to numerous reports.
Brooks was Tennessee’s starting punter for four seasons and among the handful of specialists invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. He averaged 42.3 yards per punt and played in 61 career games with a long of 64 yards. He also handled kickoff duties.
Brooks was underused in the 2022 season because the Vols had the highest scoring offense in college football. He only had 38 punts in 13 games.
LaTrell Bumphus to New York Giants
LaTrell Bumphus, a 6-3, 290-pound defensive end from Savannah, Tennessee, got a rookie mini-camp invitation from the New York Giants, according to numerous reports.
He played 55 games with 24 starts at Tennessee over six seasons. He recorded 12 tackles-for-loss and three sacks in his career. In 2022, Bumphus had 14 quarterback hurries, according to Pro Football Focus.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. Twitter @AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tracking Tennessee football undrafted free agents after 2023 NFL Draft
