Lucas Panzica recaps the 2025 NFL Draft, and the 4 former Tennessee Vols that got drafted, focusing in on one in particular that represents a big milestone for Josh Heupel and the program.
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00:00The NFL draft is officially in the books and four former Vols heard their names called over the weekend in Green Bay
00:06But there's one in particular whose NFL career could be especially important to Josh Heupel and his football program
00:13Hey Lucas Panzeca with you from 104.5 The Zone and A to Z Sports. That's right
00:21Four Vols got drafted over the weekend. A few others finding landing spots as UDFAs
00:27We'll go through them here in the first round number 26 overall edge rusher James Pierce Jr
00:33Does end up going on day one as he lands with the Atlanta Falcons who showed just how badly
00:40They wanted James Pierce by trading back into the first round and giving up a king's ransom to do it giving a
00:462026 first round pick to the Los Angeles Rams to get in there and jump ahead of the Baltimore Ravens
00:54There at 27 to grab James Pierce Jr. Off the board
00:58That is quite a haul to give up to get into the back end of the first round and it shows just how much
01:04Atlanta prioritized James Pierce Jr. A guy that we didn't know if he was going to end up going on day one
01:10After being projected by many as potentially the number one overall pick at the start of the 2024 season
01:16So James Pierce does end up in a good landing spot for an Atlanta team that has bolstered its defense already
01:23With an earlier pick in the first round grabbing Jalen Walker the linebacker out of Georgia
01:27They add James Pierce Jr. to that core and really address a position that has quite frankly been a weakness for a long time for the Atlanta Falcons
01:35So there's no doubt James Pierce Jr. was a priority for them and he has a huge chance to make his mark as a star pass rusher
01:43A position the Falcons have not had much of over the years
01:47So a great situation there for James Pierce Jr. The next vol off the board defensive lineman Omar Norman Lott
01:54Going in the second round 63rd overall to the Kansas City Chiefs
01:58He joins fellow VFL Trey Smith at a place where you play long enough
02:03You're probably going to end up with the Super Bowl ring
02:05He'll get to play alongside Chris Jones and for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo
02:10Hard to imagine a better landing spot for Omar Norman Lott
02:14And then in the fourth round at pick 108 Tennessee wide receiver Dante Thornton
02:19Drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders and to round it out Dylan Sampson a little bit later
02:24Than many would have projected the Tennessee running back who set records last season
02:29Also went in the fourth round going at pick 126 to the Cleveland Browns
02:34He joins a backfield that already has one rookie in Quinchon Judkins
02:38The Ohio State running back that Cleveland drafted earlier in the weekend
02:43The Cleveland Browns made a habit of drafting the same position multiple times
02:47As was highly publicized at the quarterback spot
02:49They do it at running back too with Dylan Sampson in the mix
02:52But the most important Tennessee player on this list to me is wide receiver Dante Thornton
02:58We've had this discussion a little bit this offseason
03:00During the Nico Iamalava drama on the way out
03:04The family reportedly saying that the Tennessee offense was the main reason why they left
03:09Which we all understand is laughable
03:10But you understand why that was the approach from a PR standpoint that Nico's camp took
03:15Because it is a fact that Tennessee's offense has not exactly pumped successful skill position players on offense
03:24Into the NFL
03:25Josh Heupel does not have a starting quarterback in the NFL under his belt that he can really tout in recruiting
03:31And the same goes for the wide receiver spot
03:34Whether it's Bayless Jones, Cedric Tillman, or Jalen Hyatt
03:37Tennessee receivers to go to the NFL have yet to really make their spot as an impact player in the National Football League
03:46Dante Thornton is another opportunity for Tennessee to have that on their resume in the Josh Heupel era
03:52And he lands in a good spot to be able to do that
03:54The Las Vegas Raiders are starting a new era with Pete Carroll as the head coach
03:58And it's a football team right now that is relatively thin at the wide receiver position
04:03Dante Thornton, as Tennessee fans know, is a fantastic deep threat that can take the top off the defense
04:09And he adds a great speed element to this Raiders team quarterbacked by Geno Smith
04:14So Dante Thornton is going to get an immediate opportunity to make an impact for the Las Vegas Raiders
04:20It would benefit Tennessee football if he could do that sooner rather than later
04:24I know James Pierce Jr. went in the first round
04:26But I think it's critically important that Dante Thornton finds a foothold in the NFL
04:31For the purposes of how this offense is perceived and the way that trickles down to recruiting
04:37A few Vols finding landing spots as undrafted free agents
04:40As Will Brooks, the former walk-on, the safety who starred for Tennessee last year
04:45Will join Omar Norman Lott as UDFA to Kansas City
04:49Defensive lineman Elijah Simmons heads to Arizona to play for the Cardinals
04:52And defensive lineman Omari Thomas will head to New Orleans to play for the Saints
04:57So congratulations to all the VFLs that will start their NFL careers in 2025
05:03As Tennessee continues to churn players into the National Football League
05:08Thank you
05:14acquisition 2
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