NFL DRAFT: Former Tennessee football players sign UDFA contracts

The 2024 NFL Draft wrapped up on Saturday with three former Tennessee players selected in seven rounds.

Running back Jaylen Wright was the first off of the board, going in the fourth round to the Miami Dolphins while quarterback Joe Milton and defensive back Kamal Hadden getting picked up in the sixth round by the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively.

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A number of Vols were not selected, instead signing undrafted free agent contracts with teams following the draft, including tight ends McCallan Castles and Jacob Warren, wide receiver Ramel Keyton, running back Jabari Small, offensive lineman Jeremiah Crawford, defensive backs Jaylen McCollough and Gabe Jeudy-Lally, linebacker Aaron Beasley and returner Dee Williams.

Castles was the first to ink an UDFA contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday evening. He spent one season at Tennessee after transferring from UC Davis last spring.

Looking to make a name for himself in the SEC following three seasons in the FCS, the 6-foot-5, 252-pound Castles proved his versatility in the Vols' offense, appearing in 13 games and catching 22 passes for 283 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged more than 12 yards per catch.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Tennessee RB Jaylen Wright taken by Dolphins in fourth round

Though he missed out on an NFL Scouting Combine invite in February, Castles made the most of Tennessee's Pro Day last month, turning in impressive numbers in the 40-yard dash and vertical jumps.

Castles won't be the only member of the Vols' tight ends room to get a chance to play at the next level.

Warren, who started at the position the last three seasons, signed with the New England Patriots after logging 16 receptions for 191 yards and four touchdowns.

A Knoxville native that signed with the Vols as a three-star prospect out of nearby Farragut High School, the 6-6, 253-pound Warren appeared in 54 games and started 33 in five seasons, combining for 53 receptions for more than 600 yards and eight scores.

Small was the fifth Tennessee offensive player to sign, linking up with the Tennessee Titans late Saturday.

A Memphis native that featured heavily in the Vols' running backs rotation the last three seasons, Small signed with Tennessee as a three-star prospect in the 2020 class and took a bulk of the starting carries as a junior in 2022.

Small rushed for 475 yards and two touchdowns on 95 carries last season, largely splitting reps with Wright and sophomore Dylan Sampson. He combined for 2,001 yards and 24 scores in four seasons.

Another staple in the Tennessee offense over the last two seasons, Keyton signed with the Las Vegas Raiders after five seasons.

Keyton arrived in Knoxville as a four-star prospect from Marietta, Georgia in 2019. He appeared in 12 games as a freshman and was in the Vols’ receiving rotations in 2020 and 2021 before bursting onto the scene as a senior.

Keyton saw an increased role early in the 2022 season following an injury to starter Cedric Tillman and started 13 games as a fifth-year senior in 2023, finishing with 35 receptions for 642 yards and a team-high six touchdown catches. He totaled 86 receptions for 1,456 yards and 11 touchdowns in his Tennessee career.

Crawford will get his shot after signing with the Carolina Panthers.

A part of the rotation at both right and left tackle, Crawford played in 10 games last season and made seven starts. He began his career at Kansas before transferring to Tennessee as a highly touted JUCO prospect in 2021.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Tennessee QB Joe Milton taken by Patriots in sixth round

Crawford appeared in 30 games in the last three seasons and combined for 952 offensive snaps between right and left tackle.

On the defensive side of the ball, McCollough will take his chances out west after signing with the Los Angeles Rams.

McCollough started 13 games at safety as a fifth-year senior last season, recording 58 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. He was even better in coverage, grading out 85.8 according to Pro Football Focus.

McCollough was a four-star recruit from Georgia when he signed with the Vols in 2019. He made a program-record 51 starts in five season and finished with 241 career tackles and six interceptions.

Jeudy--Lally began his college career in Nashville. Now he will look to start his pro career there, signing with the Titans.

A former defensive back at Vanderbilt and then BYU, Jeudy-Lally transferred to Tennessee with two seasons of eligibility but decalred for the draft after a successful 2023 campaign.

Jeudy-Lally made 11 starts in 13 appearances, stepping into a bigger role because of injuries in the secondary. He totaled 152 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 16 pass breakups and three interceptions.

Tennessee's leading tackler from two seasons ago, Beasley signed with the Seattle Seahawks.

Beasley opted to return to the Vols for a fifth season after racking up a team-high 76 tackles at MIKE linebacker during Tennessee's 11-win season in 2022.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Tennessee DB Kamal Hadden taken by Chiefs in sixth round

Beasley, who signed with the Vols as a three-star in the 2019 class, anchored the linebackers room again in 2023, finishing second on the team in tackles with 69 along with 11.5 tackles for loss while headlining a linebackers room that struggled with injuries.

Williams was the second Tennessee defender to sign with the Seahawks.

Though he's listed as a defensive back and had reps at wide receiver, Williams starred on the Vols' special teams as a punt returner. A JUCO transfer that missed the first half of the 2022 season because of injury, Williams made a quick impact in the return game.

In his second and final season at Tennessee, The 5-11, 194-pound speedster returned 20 punts for 259 yards. His third quarter touchdown run proved to be the difference in a 20-13 win over Texas A&M on Oct. 14.

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