NFL Mock Draft: Where Tennessee prospects are projected to go in Dane Brugler’s latest

Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (17) yells in celebration after scoring a touchdown during a NCAA football game between Tennessee and Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, on September 13, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2026 NFL Draft is a little over a week away, and things are starting to come into focus. Tennessee has several prospects slated to go over the weekend, some with solid projections, and others — well it depends on who you ask.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic has come out today with his 7-round mock draft, detailing every potential pick made. This gives us a little better picture of some later round guys like Bryson Eason, Tyre West and Miles Kitselman.

Below are his projections with my thoughts on each prospect.

CB Jermod McCoy — Round 1, pick 18, Minnesota Vikings

McCoy has gone from a question, to a seemingly top 15 lock after his pro day, back to a question over the last few weeks. Rumors are swirling that there are teams out there that aren’t comfortable with their own reports back on his knee, which obviously could cloud his projection. Could we see a draft night tumble for McCoy? It sounds like it’s very possible. Could all of this be smoke? Absolutely. McCoy is one of the hardest prospects to project in the entire draft.

CB Colton Hood — Round 1, pick 32, Seattle Seahawks

Hood has settled into this 25-40 range, it seems. Brugler projects him to land with the Super Bowl champions here as the final pick in the first round. The physical, aggressive corner would fit nicely here in an already nasty Seattle defense.

WR Chris Brazzell — Round 3, pick 78, Indianapolis Colts

Full disclosure here, I personally thought Brazzell would rise throughout this process. 6-5 and can fly, dominant at the catch point, yet Brazzell really hasn’t found much traction. There’s a narrative about Tennessee receivers in Josh Heupel’s system, and that seems to have spilled over onto Brazzell here. This certainly feels like a still in the middle of day two.

EDGE Joshua Josephs — Round 4, pick 110, Cincinnati Bengals

Josephs is a solid prospect that lacks some flash, but can provide immediate depth and maybe something more down the road. He really showed up playing alongside of James Pearce for a couple of years in what was a dominant Tennessee defensive line rotation.

DL Tyre West — Round 7, pick 228, New York Jets

West is a former top prospect who never really became elite, but flashed those traits this past season. The interior defensive lineman came away with an impressive four sacks in 2025. In what was a deep Tennessee defensive line room, there may be more to squeeze out here.

DL Bryson Eason — Round 7, pick 246, Denver Broncos

Eason started his career at linebacker and turned himself into a 6-2, 320 pound defensive tackle that was in the rotation for four seasons. That linebacker athleticism has generated some day three interest from teams.

TE Miles Kitselman — Undrafted

Kitselman can do a bit of everything, but his stock took a hit after his injury in 2025. His blocking ability could get him a look late on day three, but more than likely afterwards as a free agent.

QB Joey Aguilar — Undrafted

Aguilar’s big season against SEC defenses will at least get him a shot in an NFL camp this fall. He threw for over 3,500 yards this past season, though there will be questions about the Tennessee scheme. A tough grinder without any elite trait, Aguilar likely has a tough road ahead of him to stick on a roster.