Tennessee Volunteers stars Jermod McCoy, Chris Brazzell II departing for 2026 NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Roster turnover is inevitable in the current era of college football, but the Tennessee Volunteers have become victims of their own success.

As the 2025 NFL season enters its final stretch, the race for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is officially wide open. Tennessee’s surprising Week 14 win over Cleveland flipped the top of the board,

The Tennessee Volunteers have seen strong linebacker play over the years. Al Wilson, Kevin Burnett, and Jermod McCoy stood out in orange and white before going on to play on Sundays. But things have dried up at the position as far as top-end talent for far too long in Knoxville.

Last offseason, the Atlanta Falcons traded up into the first round of the 2025 NFL draft to select edge rusher James Pearce Jr. with the 26th overall pick. Pearce currently leads all rookies with eight sacks and has recorded at least one in each of his last six games.

Jermod McCoy will bypass another season with the Vols for the NFL Draft.

The 2026 NFL Draft should see plenty of names on offense go in the first round. Here are the top names to know at every position.

ESPN's Adam Schefter shared that the NFL was going to be cutting down on the time that teams have to pick in round one from 10 minutes to eight. The two minutes may not seem like much, but it will make teams work quicker on any trade backs,