Three Tennessee players in this week's 2024 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis
Three former Tennessee football players — quarterback Joe Milton III, running back Jaylen Wright and cornerback Kamal Hadden — are set to take part in the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine this week. On-field workouts are scheduled to get started later this week at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Milton, Wright and Hadden were part of a group of 321 prospects that were invited to the Combine. Milton is one of 14 quarterbacks who received invites. There were 29 running backs invited, including Wright, and 67 defensive backs, including Hadden.
Defensive linemen and linebackers will go through workouts on Thursday, followed by defensive back and tight ends on Friday. Saturday is quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs and Sunday is offensive linemen.
NFL Combine: February 26-March 4
Wright in November became the 19th running back in Tennessee football program history to go over 1,000 yards in a season. He ran 137 times for 1,013 yards averaging 7.4 yards per carry, reaching the 1,000-yard mark in 22 fewer carries than any other Tennessee running back before him.
Milton finished the season with 2,813 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions. Milton during the 2022 season threw for 971 yards and 10 touchdowns, appearing in nine games as Tennessee’s backup quarterback.
In his final appearance in a Tennessee uniform, Milton completed 22 of 33 passes for 383 yards and four touchdowns in Tennessee’s regular-season finale against Vanderbilt on November 25 at Neyland Stadium. He ran five times for 11 yards, giving him six total touchdowns on the day.
Hadden, who suffered a season-ending injury in Tennessee’s game at Alabama in October, had the best season of his collegiate career before the injury, recording 19 tackles, intercepting three passes and breaking up eight more over seven games.
According to Pro Football Focus numbers, Hadden allowed 12 receptions on 33 targets this season with six passes broken up and the three interceptions. He was called for just two penalties in the seven games.
Jaylen Wright ‘probably the fastest, the most explosive’ RB in draft class
Milton is ranked No. 10 among quarterbacks on ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s big board and has Wright at No. 4 among running backs, up six spots from where Kiper had him previously ranked.
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said on a conference call last week that Wright was one of his two favorite running backs in the draft.
“(He) is just real springy and juicy,” Jeremiah said, “stop-start quickness, home run hitter, finishes runs. He can get skinny though the hole. Really, really quick feet. He is 210 pounds, so he has a little bit of size to him. Enough size to him. He is probably the fastest, the most explosive of all these guys.”
