As the NFL regular season barrels into its final stretch, Week 15 gave us another glimpse at how former Tennessee Volunteers are shaping the league landscape. From breakout rookie performances to clutch red-zone plays, Vols alums made their presence felt across the board.
Let’s dive into the standout moments and under-the-radar contributions from Tennessee products around the league this past weekend.
James Pearce Jr. is on a tear - and the league is noticing
If you’re not watching James Pearce Jr. yet, you might want to fix that. The Falcons' first-round pick is heating up at just the right time - and he’s doing it in style.
In Atlanta’s Thursday night win over Tampa Bay, Pearce was a wrecking ball off the edge. He racked up two more sacks, giving him a streak of six straight games with at least one.
That’s not just impressive - it’s historic for a rookie. He now leads all NFL rookies with eight sacks on the season, with the next closest sitting at 5.5.
Pearce did all this damage in just 47 defensive snaps. His stat line?
Three tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and two pass deflections. That’s not filling up the box score - that’s taking it over.
He got to the quarterback early in the first quarter, then again right before halftime. The timing, the burst, the instincts - they’re all there. Pearce is making a serious case for Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Week 15 only strengthened it.
Jauan Jennings torches the Titans in a homecoming to remember
Back in his home state, Jauan Jennings reminded everyone why he’s one of the 49ers’ most reliable weapons when it counts.
The Murfreesboro native made the most of his five targets, hauling in three catches for 37 yards and two touchdowns in a dominant San Francisco win over the Titans. He opened the scoring with a 4-yard TD in the first quarter, then added a 13-yard score in the third. Just for good measure, he tacked on a 20-yard reception in the fourth.
Jennings has now found the end zone four times in his last three games and six times over his past six. His seven touchdown catches this season mark a new career high - and with the 49ers surging, Jennings is peaking at the perfect time.
Other Vols making noise across the league
Here’s how the rest of the former Tennessee standouts fared in Week 15:
- Byron Young (Rams OLB) - Another solid outing for the second-year pass rusher. He notched three tackles and two quarterback hits in a win over the Lions, continuing to be a steady force on the edge.
- Jaylen Wright (Dolphins RB) - After a breakout performance last week, Wright saw limited action against the Steelers on Monday Night Football. He logged just four offensive snaps, finishing with a 2-yard run and a 9-yard catch.
- Josh Palmer (Bills WR) - Back from a two-game injury absence, Palmer started against the Patriots and caught one pass for 16 yards on two targets. A quiet return, but a welcome one for Buffalo’s receiving corps.
- Darnell Wright (Bears OT) - The big man continues to anchor Chicago’s offensive line. Wright played every snap at right tackle and didn’t commit a single penalty in the Bears’ win over the Browns.
- Jaylen McCollough (Rams S) - Logged 66 total snaps (41 on defense, 25 on special teams) and recorded a tackle and a pass breakup in the Rams’ win over Detroit.
- Cade Mays (Panthers OL) - Returned to the starting lineup and played every offensive snap in Carolina’s loss to the Saints.
- Alontae Taylor (Saints CB) - Started and recorded three tackles in New Orleans’ win over the Panthers. A steady presence in the secondary.
- Cedric Tillman (Browns WR) - Played just seven snaps in a loss to the Bears, with no receptions.
- Jalin Hyatt (Giants WR) - Saw only four offensive snaps and was targeted once in a loss to the Commanders.
- Dont’e Thornton Jr. (Rookie WR) - Played eight offensive snaps for the losing side against the Eagles but wasn’t targeted.
- Derek Barnett (Texans DE) - Played 22 defensive snaps and tallied one tackle - but also drew an unnecessary roughness penalty in Houston’s win over Arizona.
- Kamal Hadden (Packers CB) - Saw the field for seven special teams snaps in Green Bay’s loss to the Broncos but didn’t record any stats.
- Velus Jones Jr. (Seahawks RB/Returner) - Elevated from the practice squad, he played one offensive snap and 20 on special teams in Seattle’s win over the Colts. No stats, but valuable reps.
- Theo Jackson (Vikings S) - Logged nine special teams snaps in Minnesota’s Sunday night win over Dallas.
- Morgan Cox (Titans LS) - As consistent as ever. He was clean on all his snaps - two field goals, three extra points, and three punts - in Tennessee’s loss to the 49ers.
Inactive QBs
- Joshua Dobbs (Patriots) - Dressed but did not play as the backup quarterback in New England’s loss to Buffalo.
- Joe Milton III (Cowboys) - Also served as the backup and did not play in Dallas’ Sunday night loss to the Vikings.
With just a few weeks left in the regular season, Tennessee alums are making their mark in every phase of the game - from rookies chasing awards to veterans holding down key roles on playoff contenders. Week 15 was another reminder that the Vols pipeline to the NFL is alive and thriving.