Josh Heupel has stocked Tennessee with enough talent that NFL scouts should already be circling a few names for the 2027 draft. The Volunteers have several players worth watching, but three stand out as especially intriguing options if they keep trending the way they are now.
Mike Matthews is the headliner on offense. ESPN rated him a five-star recruit out of high school, and he has backed up that billing with steady production at Tennessee. The junior receiver is now the Vols’ leading target and has shown real growth early this season.
What makes Matthews so appealing is the way he stretches a defense. He can threaten deep and moves smoothly all over the field, the kind of player Tennessee trusts every time the ball finds him.
Even with the passing game struggling, he has been one of the few consistent bright spots. Matthews leads the team with 18 receptions, yards, and touchdowns, and his yardage makes up almost 36% of Tennessee’s passing offense.
On the offensive line, the story is more complicated for Moe. The fifth-year lineman looked ready for a huge season, but an injury against Texas ended it early. That loss stings for Tennessee, because Moe was widely viewed as the Vols’ best offensive lineman.
Athlon’s preseason recognition backed that up, naming him a Preseason Third Team All-American. NFL teams always value linemen, and Moe’s talent would normally make him a strong draft candidate. The injury, though, means he will not be selected nearly as high as his ability would otherwise suggest.
Then there is Xavier Gilliam, who came to Tennessee with defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and has wasted no time making an impact. He arrived with expectations as a key contributor, but he has been better than that. Gilliam has become Tennessee’s best defender and one of the top defensive linemen in the country.
He may not have entered the season near the top of draft boards, but that has changed quickly. With the way he has played, he is becoming impossible to ignore. If his rise continues, he should be the first Volunteer taken in the 2027 NFL Draft.
In Other News...
Rick Barnes Sends A Clear Message About Tennessees Defensive Standard
At UT Media Day, Rick Barnes made it clear that Tennessees defensive reputation is not built on simply finding ready-made stoppers in recruiting. Instead, the Volunteers coach said the program teaches that side of the floor, with most players arriving thinking of themselves first as offensive pieces and then learning quickly that defense, rebounding and ball control are the real currency for minutes.
Barnes pointed to the way players have grown into that standard over time, using development as proof that the identity can survive roster turnover. Even as the lineup changes, the message stays the same in Knoxville: if a player wants to stay on the floor, the defensive work has to show up first. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Shorthanded Defense Takes Another Hit Before Arkansas
Tennessee heads to Fayetteville this week for its third straight meeting with Arkansas, and the Volunteers are still trying to piece together a defensive rotation that has been tested repeatedly. Kedric Golston II is listed as out, adding another unavailable player to a growing list and leaving Tennessee with even less flexibility as it tries to keep its defense functioning at a high level.
Golstons absence does not come with a reported season-ending injury, but it does underline how thin the unit has become going into a matchup that usually demands depth and discipline. Even so, Tennessees defense has held up well overall, and the question now is how much more strain it can absorb before the extra absences start to show in a game that already carries some history. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Heads To Arkansas With One Much Bigger Question Than Uniforms
Tennessee heads to Fayetteville for an SEC road test at Razorback Stadium, and the Vols have already settled one small detail for the trip: theyll be in all-white uniforms. The bigger storyline, of course, is what the offense looks like with George MacIntyre expected to get the start because of Faizon Brandons shoulder injury, a development that shifts far more attention than any uniform combination ever could.
Even with that uncertainty under center, Tennessee brings a defense that has made life miserable for opposing offenses, entering the game as the nations leader in team sacks. That gives the Vols a clear path to stay in control if the quarterback situation settles quickly, but it also puts added pressure on a road offense that will need to do enough against Arkansas to let the defense keep dictating terms. [Read more 🡒]