Back from injury, Kamal Hadden impresses on Vols' Pro Day
Everything looked routine.
On a short pass in the second quarter of Tennessee's game at Alabama last October, Kamal Hadden ran up the sideline and lowered his shoulder into Isaiah Bond as he made his way up field.
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Hadden immediately grabbed his right shoulder before making his way to the other side of the field where he was examined by trainers. Days later, he announced a promising senior season and the final chapter of his college career had ended.
Hadden was enjoying his best season since joining the Vols as a junior college defensive back in 2021. He had three interceptions, eight pass breakups and 19 tackles.
His interception return for a touchdown headlined Tennessee's rout of South Carolina on Sept. 30. Two weeks later, he helped seal a win over Texas A&M with a late interception.
In the days following the Alabama game, he was frustrated.
"When (the injury) happened, it was a big setback for me," Hadden said. "I let my team down, I feel like and I let my coaches down. Just having such a good year and all of it just ending on one little play, a routine play that I've always made."
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For Hadden, frustration gave away to acceptance within a few days, but it was conversation with his mother, Jeannette, that set his sights on recovery and getting to the NFL.
"It took me a couple of days (to accept it). You know, having my mom with me, my team with me, it's just like, I really couldn't do nothing about it," Hadden said. "It's something that you can't handle, no matter how you feel. My mom told me, 'Take a few days. It's alright to feel a certain way, but at the end of the day, you've got to get up and dust yourself off and go at it again.'
"It was just another part of my journey. She told me to keep going. Always go back out there and show them what you can do."
Back to full health after months of rehab following shoulder surgery, Hadden has spent the last month showing pro scouts what he can do.
He was one of three Tennessee players invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis earlier this month but was limited. He had the opportunity to prove himself again on more familiar turf on Wednesday.
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At Tennessee's annual Pro Day, Hadden impressed. He ran an unofficial time of 4.53 seconds in the 40-yard dash and turned in a 34.5 inch vertical and 10.2 foot broad jump.
Hadden says most of the questions he's getting from NFL teams is about his health and his outing likely helped quelled some of those concerns.
"Rehab has been great. I'm about as far as I should be," Hadden said. "I think I'm a little ahead of schedule. It's just a blessing that I got to come out here and do everything and show my potential and get back to doing what I do."
Hadden showed plenty of potential in the six games he played last season. Pairing that with a strong Pro Day could be enough to put him on the radar.
After struggling at times in coverage two seasons ago, the game slowed down for Hadden as a senior. He also bounced back from mistakes quicker, something he says scouts have been impressed by.
"They like my play-making abilities," Hadden said. "My ability to go out there and get back settled. Not just always high or always low. Just being able to get back and make a comeback play or make a play on the ball. They like my aggressiveness as well."
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