The first Tennessee player is off the board in the 2022 NFL Draft. Cornerback Alontae Taylor went 49th overall to the New Orleans Saints — a bit higher than most projected.
Taylor is a former wide receiver prospect that flipped to the defensive side of the ball upon arrival in Knoxville. The former four-star athlete became a day one starter at cornerback, and never looked back. Taylor took his lumps, but eventually emerged as one of the SEC’s best at the position.
As a senior, Taylor became the top cornerback on the depth chart for Tennessee.