By Vince Ferrara / @VinceSports
Final roster cuts are all in. NFL teams had to get down to 53-player rosters on Tuesday in preparation for the start of the 2021 season.
Here’s an updated list of University of Tennessee players in the National Football League, as well as players that were once at UT and other Knoxville area players.
Look for constant VFL in the NFL updates here on my blog “Vince’s View.” Bookmark my blog page and check back often.
This update does not include coaches with U. of Tennessee ties on NFL coaching staffs or in front office positions around the league. I will list those in a separate post here on my blog.
Depth chart positions are from our friends at Ourlads NFL Scouting Services. As teams reveal their own “unofficial” depth charts, we’ll adjust those positions to what the teams list. Many haven’t done so yet for the season opener and the 53-player roster.
Recent Transactions
TE Dom Wood-Anderson released by Seahawks
WR Josh Malone released by Jets
TE Jason Croom placed on IR by Eagles
TE Eli Wolf (ex-Vol) released by Ravens
Tuesday Cutdown Day Transactions
RB John Kelly released by Browns
DB Nigel Warrior released by Ravens
DT Reginald McKenzie released by Bengals
TE Alex Ellis released by Raiders
DT Kendal Vickers released by Raiders
TE Ethan Wolf released by Saints
DB Bryce Thompson placed on IR by Saints
QB Joshua Dobbs placed on IR by Steelers
OT Ja’Wuan James placed on non-football IR by Ravens
RB Nathan Cottrell (local non-UT) released by Jaguars
OG Nathan Gilliam (local non-UT) released by Chargers
*Note: Some of these released players will be brought back to practice squads. He’ll track those and list them in future updates as well.
Notes and Numbers On UT Players
*20 U. of Tennessee players on final 53-player NFL rosters to start season
*2 rookie VFLs are currently on active rosters (T. Smith & J. Palmer)
*New Orleans has most current UT players on active rosters with 3
*WR & DL are the largest positions represented with 4
*15 of the 32 teams have a UT player on rosters
*There are 5 players that were once at U. of Tennessee but then transferred
*There are 4 players that didn’t attend UT, but have Knoxville/East TN ties
*6 players that went to high school in the Knoxville area are on current rosters (A. Rodgers, B. Colquitt, L. Smith, H. Smith, R. Cobb, T. Higgins)
Tennessee Volunteers On 53-Player NFL Rosters as of 9/1/21 (20)
x = Rookie
AFC East (3)
CB – Justin Coleman (27) Miami Dolphins – starting CB
P – Michael Palardy (5) Miami Dolphins – starting P
FB – Jakob Johnson (47) New England Patriots – starting FB
NONE – Buffalo Bills, New York Jets
AFC North (2)
DT – Malik Jackson (97) Cleveland Browns – starting LDT
DB – Cameron Sutton (20) Pittsburgh Steelers – starting RCB
NONE – Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
AFC South (2)
TE – Luke Stocker (85) Tennessee Titans – 3rd team TE
LS – Morgan Cox (46) Tennessee Titans – starting LS
NONE – Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars
AFC West (3)
LB – Alexander Johnson (45) Denver Broncos – starting ILB
OL – Trey Smith (65) Kansas City Chiefs – x – starting RG
WR – Joshua Palmer (5) Los Angeles Chargers – x – backup WR
NONE – Las Vegas Raiders
NFC East (1)
DE – Derek Barnett (96) Philadelphia Eagles – starting RDE
NONE – Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins
NFC North (2)
LB – Jalen Reeves-Maybin (44) Detroit Lions – backup ILB
P – Britton Colquitt (2) Minnesota Vikings – starting P
NONE – Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers
NFC South (4)
WR – Cordarrelle Patterson (84) Atlanta Falcons – backup WR & starting KR
RB – Alvin Kamara (41) New Orleans Saints – starting RB
DT – Shy Tuttle (99) New Orleans Saints – 3rd team NT
WR – Marquez Callaway (12) New Orleans Saints – starting WR
NONE – Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West (3)
CB – Emmanuel Moseley (41) San Francisco 49ers – backup LCB
WR – Jauan Jennings (15) San Francisco 49ers – 3rd team WR
DE – Darrell Taylor (52) Seattle Seahawks – starting LEO “DE-OLB”
NONE – Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams
Not on 53-Player Rosters – Reserve Lists (5)
CB – Bryce Thompson (31) New Orleans Saints – x
TE – Jason Croom (81) Philadelphia Eagles
QB – Joshua Dobbs (5) Pittsburgh Steelers
OT – Ja’Wuan James (60) Baltimore Ravens
DE – Kyle Phillips (93) New York Jets
UT Players In The NFL On 53-Player Rosters By Position (20)
QB – 0
RB – 1
WR – 4
TE – 1
FB – 1
OL – 1
DL – 4
LB – 2
DB – 3
P – 2
PK – 0
LS – 1
One-Time Vols That Transferred To Other Schools On NFL Rosters (5)
x = Rookie
TE – Lee Smith (85) Atlanta Falcons (Powell HS/U. of Tennessee/Marshall) – backup TE
P – Tommy Townsend (5) Kansas City Chiefs (U. of Tennessee/Florida) – starting P
QB – Nathan Peterman (3) Las Vegas Raiders (U. of Tennessee/Pitt) – 3rd team QB
WR – Preston Williams (18) Miami Dolphins (U. of Tennessee/Colorado St) – backup WR
WR – Jalen Hurd (14) San Francisco 49ers (U. of Tennessee/Baylor) – 3rd team WR
Active Knoxville Area Players That Didn’t Play At UT on NFL Rosters (4)
x = Rookie
WR – Tee Higgins (85) Cincinnati Bengals (Oak Ridge HS/Clemson) – starting SWR
WR – Amari Rodgers (8) Green Bay Packers (Catholic HS/Clemson) – x – 3rd team WR
WR – Randall Cobb (18) Green Bay Packers (Alcoa HS/Kentucky) – backup WR
S – Harrison Smith (22) Minnesota Vikings (Catholic HS/Notre Dame) – starting SS
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