Burnett wowed by Cowboys

"You've got to love that tradition,'' said Burnett, selected with the 42nd overall pick in the NFL draft Saturday by the Cowboys. "And (coach) Bill Parcells, he wins championships, and that's what it boils down to. I'm just saying 'wow, I'm going to be a Dallas Cowboy.' ''

Burnett is the ninth UT linebacker to be drafted into the NFL since John Chavis took over as defensive coordinator in 1995. The only other position where UT has produced as many players in that time span is receiver, where nine Vols also have been selected.

Burnett, like many of the others to play linebacker at UT, played a different position in high school. A safety at Dominguez High School in Carson, Calif., Burnett was quickly switched to linebacker with the Vols.

"Speed and athleticism is what you're looking for at the position,'' said Chavis, who coaches the linebackers. "We've been very fortunate instate to have guys like Eddie Moore, Al Wilson, Eric Westmoreland and Scott Galyon. Some were running backs, and Scott was a quarterback and safety.

"I enjoy coaching a guy who's never played the position before,'' Chavis said. "They're so eager to learn how to play in the system and they don't have any preconceived ideas how to play in the position.''

Chavis said he expects Burnett to adjust quickly to the 3-4 scheme the Cowboys are expected to switch to after years in the 4-3.

"Kevin can line up on an offensive tackle or he can provide really good outside pressure, and those are the kind of things if you're playing in a 3-4 you need him to do,'' Chavis said. "Kevin is an outstanding young man and a tremendous leader. He'll go in and please that organization."

Burnett, a two-time team captain for the Vols, said he received phone calls from Dallas owner Jerry Jones and Parcells.

"Coach Parcells said they were picking me for a reason,'' said Burnett, who joins former UT teammate and NFL Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten. "I'm ready to play inside or outside and hold my end of the deal up.''

Burnett was the third overall outside linebacker selected in the draft, and the highest linebacker pick out of Tennessee since Raynoch Thompson was picked in the second round of the 2000 draft with the 41st overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals.

"Burnett is an outstanding student at Tennessee. That's important, the kind of kids we're bringing into the program," Parcells told the Associated Press.

"He has good range, is a high producer. He was a three-year starter at Tennessee and he's got some flexibility in both schemes. He's a 4-3 linebacker and can play on the line of scrimmage in a 3-4 if we want to."

The Cowboys used their first two picks Saturday to select Troy defensive end DeMarcus Ware with the 11th pick in the first round, and LSU defensive end Marcus Spears with the 20th pick.

In all, the SEC had 10 picks in the first round, tying the record for the most SEC players selected in any draft. In 1998, Peyton Manning was the first of 10 SEC players selected in that draft.