Tennessee Volunteers NFL Draft Prospects

Tennessee's 2024 breakthrough gave way to a step backward in 2025, as the Volunteers slipped to 8-5 (4-4 SEC) a year after reaching the College Football Playoff. The offense stayed explosive, but a defense that ranked near the bottom of the league in total and scoring defense dragged the season down, and the Vols closed by failing to beat a single FBS team with a winning record.

The defining offseason story runs in two directions. Josh Heupel, now entering a pivotal sixth year in Knoxville, tore up his defensive staff and hired former Penn State coordinator Jim Knowles to fix the unit's problems, importing a cluster of transfers who already know his system. At the same time, he must replace Joey Aguilar, whose bid for another year of eligibility was denied, leaving the SEC's most quarterback-dependent offense in unproven hands.