For University of Tennessee tight end Brad Cottam and quarterback Erik Ainge, the jump to the NFL won't be without a few familiar faces.
Cottam, a third-round pick, wound up with the Kansas City Chiefs and former Vols teammates Turk McBride, Dustin Colquitt and Rob Smith.
"It's always good to go somewhere you already know some people," Cottam said. "It's nice to know there are people who are there that I know."
Ainge, meanwhile, had a little more obscure connection with the New York Jets, who drafted him in the fifth round.
When Jets camp opens, Ainge will be playing alongside quarterbacks with connections to the two most recent places he's called home.
Ainge, a native of Hillsboro, Ore., spent time at former Webb School quarterback Chad Pennington's annual camp in Knoxville.
The Jets' other QB, former Oregon star Kellen Clemens actually helped Ainge land at Tennessee - albeit in an unusual way.
"I was actually going to go to Oregon," Ainge said, "but he was going into his junior year. I didn't want to wait two years to play because in college you've only got four. I came to Tennessee almost because of Clemens."
Now Ainge is in the unique position of competing against players he knows.
"Chad was always a very nice guy and he always said, 'Maybe I'll play with or against you someday,' " said Ainge, who was the ninth quarterback picked in the draft and the first UT quarterback drafted since Tee Martin in 1999. "Now we get to play against each other with each other."
Ainge and Cottam overcame injury issues to earn a spot in the draft.
Ainge had a shoulder injury as a freshman, an ankle injury as a junior and torn meniscus and a broken finger on his throwing hand this season.
Cottam missed all but five games with a broken wrist this season and struggled to overcome injuries throughout his UT career.
Those concerns didn't scare off potential teams, however, and the 6-foot-8 Cottam was just glad that Sunday came and went without having to wait too long.
"I'm definitely glad it's over and I wasn't sitting there waiting anymore," Cottam said. "It was tough. It was only 45 minutes or an hour, but it was still tough waiting that long. I'm glad it's over and glad I know what I'm doing now."
Injury concerns didn't help offensive lineman Eric Young, who before suffering a season-ending knee injury against South Carolina in October, was one of the Vols' best pro prospects. Young went undrafted.
Defensive back Jonathan Hefney, a two-time All-SEC selection who started 50 consecutive games for the Vols, also went undrafted.
According to his agent, Jason Chayut, Hefney signed a free-agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night.
UT's three total draft picks was the lowest since 2005, when Kevin Burnett, Colquitt and Cedric Houston were the only Vols selected.
Tennessee had six total players selected in last year's draft, five of which went in the first three rounds.
Felton to Detroit: The Detroit Lions selected former Sequoyah High School standout Jerome Felton in the fifth round.
Felton was a three-time All-Southern Conference selection at Furman, where his 63 career touchdowns made him the school's all-time leading scorer.
He was the second fullback drafted, following LSU's Jacob Hester.
Two Spiders Selected: New UT offensive coordinator Dave Clawson and wide receivers coach Latrell Scott had two former players selected Sunday: Richmond wideout Arman Shields (Oakland, 4th round) and running back Timothy Hightower (Arizona, 5th round).
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.
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Comments » 62
vollady writes:
Best of luck to all of you and thanks for your years as Vols.
andy112382#209793 writes:
Anyone else notice the low numbers for several NCAA teams as far as players drafted?
Florida: 2
Georgia: 4
Alabama: 0
FSU: 3
Miami: 3
Nebraska: 3
Ohio St: 3
OU: 4
PSU: 2
Just seems kind of strange to me, at least, with some of the traditional powerhouses only having a couple of picks....usually even on 'down' years, teams like Miami or OU get a decent number of players taken.
Good luck to Mayo, Ainge, Cottam and everyone else who signs! Make us proud!!!
jimr07 writes:
andy112382--how about soutern cal with 12 in the first three rounds? and, i do not see your point.
rusty_shackleford writes:
Andy, things change. Talent is going where it can play early which means players may be going to "smaller" or less traditional schools. That may be why schools like Troy and TN St. have first round talent.
The last time UT had a TE drafted in the 3rd round, it worked out pretty well. Good Luck to Brad and the other alums!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Best of luck, guys. Wish I could ride the pines with several thou in the pocket. Thanks for the memories. God knows, Ainge, where we would have been last year without you and Cut.
Passes into the stands and all.
eb502us#225637 writes:
pdhuff, without Ainge and Cut, we'd have fared much better. Both are highly highly overrated. Cut with his dink and dunk offense and puzzling play calling in key situations and Ainge with his poor mechanics, poor footwork, suspect decision making and average arm. While I wish both the best, I just don't see Ainge sticking in the NFL unless he shows something we never saw at UT. Hard to live off your last name in the NFL.
GreerVol22 writes:
pdhuff, should be interesting this fall for sure. Minus an Ainge and a Cut, + another Clawson. All puns intended.
TommyJack writes:
Pro career for Cottam? Fair chance. Ainge? No chance.
orangebloodgmc writes:
Four Vols on the Chiefs team! I guess I'll have to follow KC more this season. Go Vawls!
CoverOrange writes:
Thought Hefney might have gone to Cleveland. Don't know the situation in Tampa but Cleveland didn't draft a CB after losing one of their first teamers. Seemed like a wide open cattle call for Hefney to show something at his natural position. Good luck to them all.
Basketball_Jones writes:
One thing all of you failed to mention on those not getting drafted is the draft is only 7 rounds not 12 like it used to be. Thats 150 or so kids that would have gotten picked up.
As far as Hefney getting drafted, he had a terrible senior year, I think he pulled a Jamal Lewis and played not to get hurt and it hurt his draft status, unlike Lewis.
If I were a late round kid I would rather be a free agent, you get to almost choose between 2 or 3 places of where you would want to go. Seems like you could chose a team to fill a need. Just a thought.
Lastly after all that I feel the talent level has dropped off. I was taling with someone the other day asking how in the hell a guy like Jared Lorenzen can make it as a back-up/third stringer and Tee Martin/Casey Clausen can not.
Silent_Fulmer writes:
This is my favorite time of year. A time when Phil Fulmer goes silent for about 4 months. Where's Fulmer? Jackson Hole? He isn't around for any qoutes to the media like a pro-active type of coach that is for sure (Bruce Pearl).
CoverOrange writes:
It's a crapshoot, Mr Jones. Choose the team that seemingly has the most need and open position, give a good showing in few opportunities then they pull the rug out from under you the last week of preseason when they opt for a veteran free agent that just got off the bus.
Silent_Fulmer writes:
Sorry duncecap, spelling quotes wrong and our QB who played with us for 4 years isn't the same when it comes to football knowledge of your team.
Nice try though.
jimr07 writes:
tommyjack--did you offer your expert opinion to the Jets? i am sure they would welcome your insight. at least give Erik a chance to show he can or cannot make it.
jimr07 writes:
sphs_vol--leave ashley alone because he is convinced that he is the only person with a callender. his comment is always thought provoking. i mean who else could come up with only so many more days? see what i mean?
TommyJack writes:
jimr07: If the Jets called, they didn't leave a message. But I would have been glad to share my thoughts with them. OK with you?
TommyJack writes:
Ashley: JimR just likes to female dog.
Silent_Fulmer writes:
wow, Ashley has serious self assurance issues. Maybe you need to spend some time on the Oprah message board as well girlfrenn'
orangebloodgmc writes:
I kinda like the countdown.
alfrizzle097 writes:
Eye hoope ewe gies kan lyten up.The spelengs git mesed up frum tieme to time because these comments are written in one or two minutes. Wee don't use spell check on it. It doesn't seam too bother aneebody else, sew just let it go.
Bye the way, hope eye gave ewe enough spellings to correct.
chris_ann writes:
i am very proud of our draft picks from UT..
wish them the best in the NFL... GOOD LUCK ERIK I WILL MISS YOU ......
CoverOrange writes:
Have to admit, the countdown is concise and to the point.
kjneel#238751 writes:
Hefney was awesome as a Junior but got burned ALL the time last year. NFL teams saw the same thing thus no draft.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
What's been going on here (other than Ashley getting owned again)?
alfrizzle097 writes:
Hefney's junior year wasn't that great in my opinion. I saw him commit early to one part of the field and let other players look bad when he was as much at fault as them. His senior year he simply learned how to play safety and it turned out he wasn't that good at playing it the right way.That being said, at least he did play it the way he was supposed to last year.
Silent_Fulmer writes:
Ashley, did I spell girlfrenn' wrong?
feathersax writes:
Why do so many of you people sound like GA dawg fans? Reading these posts is depressing.
Silent_Fulmer writes:
does your countdown refer to days to football season or days till Fulmer speaks to the media?
THANKYOU4GETTINGRIDOFTHENOTSOSLIMONE writes:
Straight from Yahoo Sports
New York Jets
Picks: LB/DE Vernon Gholston, TE Dustin Keller, CB Dwight Lowery, QB Erik Ainge, WR Marcus Henry, OT Nate Garner
Positives: Keller and Lowery
Negatives: Gholston and Ainge
Bottom line: C. Jets fans at the draft were thrilled when their team grabbed Gholston to give them another outside pass rusher, another piece in an aggressive offseason. But there are plenty of people around the NFL who contend that Gholston is the biggest potential bust of the first round. There are concerns about whether he really likes the game. That’s not good. Keller gives the team a more dynamic receiver for the middle of the field and a stopgap if starting TE Chris Baker doesn’t play for the Jets this season. Lowery gives them depth at a weak spot. Ainge is a waste of a pick.
alfrizzle097 writes:
Silent_Fulmer, why do you have a problem with Fulmer not talking to the media during the off-season? I'm not sure I can see your logic. Why shouldn't he be able to take time off like everybody else? Do you never take vacations? I just don't see what your problem is. I'm not trying to take a shot, I just want to hear your thoughts.
Silent_Fulmer writes:
alfrizz - It's more about being at the right place at the right time.
I think we all know how high in regard I hold Bruce Pearl. Does Pearl take vacations? Or enough of them? I don't know, He probably deserves to take more than he does...is my perception. I don't care how much vacation anyone takes as long as the job gets done.
The reality is Fulmer is not meeting program goals (0 SEC titles in 10 years this season). My perception is he might not just be "Workin like enough heck" to get our program where it needs to be.
So in review,
1. Get the damn job done
2. Get the damn job done
3. Don't make a perception be you care as much about not talking to the national media and living in Jackson Hole half the year if your not meeting goals.
imw8n4u writes:
Fulmer works 19 hours days 9-10 months a year. Cut him some slack for spending some quality time in Jackson Hole. Even there he's probably still working 4-5 hours a day on the phones. Besides, he has to have some time to spend all that money, otherwise what good does it do to make it?
Silent_Fulmer writes:
Here is the current state of the SEC stock up - stock down type of stuff taking into account the past couple of seasons and what is to come in the future.
Florida - stock up, ho hum, national title and heisman contenders
USC - Flat, hiring spurrier and going to bowl games is about as good as USC can do
UGA - stock up, bcs bowl games and winning them
UT - stock down, had we won the SEC this past season I would give us close to flat - maybe.
UK - stock up, going to bowl games and getting athletes is better than I thought UK could do
Vandy - stock up, almost getting to bowl games is about as well as Vandy can do
Silent_Fulmer writes:
imw8n4u - thanks for missing my point. I don't care how many hours a day you work.
Get the job done.
There are coaches that work less the Fulmer and get better results.
Get the job done.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
19 hours a day 9-10 months out of the year? So, let me get this straight, he commutes 35 minutes each way from Maryville to Knoxville for what at least an hour out of the day. The man obviously likes to eat and being generous, he only spends an hour eating all day long. That only leaves about 3 hours of sleep for Foolmore. Nopee!!!!! You had me going there for a minute though.
Silent_Fulmer writes:
SEC West
Arkansas - Stock down, A lot of NFL talent and no hardware to show for it. Now they have a high priced coach and a bare cupboard.
LSU - stock up, ummmmm yeah, they took Tennessee's place in the SEC after Fulmer decided he didn't want to work to hard anymore post 90's
Ole Miss - stock down, firing cutcliffe was a bad move and they have nothing to show for the whole mess except for the Fulmer of the West, Houston Nutt.
Miss St. - stock down, slowly but surely pulling together and are pretty close to flat
Alabama - stock down, 6-6 stinks for $4mill period. Things look good for the future supposedly and could get back to flat or stock up in 1 year.
Auburn - stock up, Big time stock up. SEC titles, roughing other teams up and knocking you off the ball at the line of scrimmage leads to 10 win seasons almost every year for Tubs and Co.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
I see I am still on Thunder Thigh's mind. She managed to go a few posts without mentioning me but it appears she can't get enough of me. LOL!!!!!!!!!!
Silent_Fulmer writes:
Funny how Thunder girl went from spelling be champ this morning to not caring how to spell words
Silent_Fulmer writes:
I guess Thunder has nothing else to contribute until the clock strikes midnight tonight. Keep in mind though, Fulmer is two hours behind Knoxville time though Thunder.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
Basically cottage cheese thighs does 1 of 3 things:
Makes a post about me
Provides a football countdown
Correct spelling in posts that she deems negative (Funny, how she doesn't correct the spelling on posts that she deems positive)
Anyhow, that is pretty much the extent of posting creativity.
TommyJack writes:
Cottage Cheese Thighs...nice image. lol
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
I figure that this is as good as time as any to congratulate our beloved Coach Foolmore for having the SEC team with the most NFL draft picks (53) as well as 1st rounders (9) than any other SEC team since the 2000 NFL draft.
Too bad Foolmore doens't have 1 single SEC title to show for it since then. We appear to have the talent, what's the deal?
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
I guess when Fulmer talks about SEC parity, he's talking about coaching parity, because we sure have had the talent to win at least 1 title since 2000:
SEC
School Total drafted 1st round picks
Alabama 31 2
Arkansas 28 6
Auburn 33 6
Florida 47 8
Georgia 49 8
Kentucky 13 1
LSU 43 8
Ole Miss 18 4
MSU 16 0
USC 21 4
Tennessee 53 9
Vanderbilt 11 2
LSU has won 3, UGA 2, Bama 1, Florida 1, and Auburn 1 SEC titles with less talent than what an organization that spends tons of money evaluating, drafting, scouting, and developing this talent. But hey, it's SEC parity, right Foolmore?
TommyJack writes:
WorkinLike: It's called "coaching them down".
pdhuff#552644 writes:
TJ, how is the koolaid supply in Boerne? I have a 55 gallon drum of brewed orange I can send you.
Its labeled ol' sjt18, bulging the barrel as we speak. Currently out of orange-colored glasses, shipment coming in late August......
Hope Ainge has some skin-thickener with him. Jets fans, boy howdy!
TommyJack writes:
PD: Only burnt orange koolaid here.
You don't desecrate good MM with the koolaid, do you?
ballewville6 writes:
you bunc of fools you say fulmer is a fool and ainge was a wasted draft pick ,souds like to me that most of you just jumped on the tennessee bandwagon when they won national tital,i agree we should have won more sec titals with the talent we have had,but i have been a fan since i was 3 years old and tennessee was an average team but in the last 35 years my love for tennessee football has stayed strong,the bad and the good so in my opionion if you cant pull for the vols even if you hate the coach find you another team to be a fan of ,one reason we might not have got the big time recruits is they may read your worthless comments and think if the fans dont like the coach and stuff why should i play there give fulmer til 2010 just 2 more years if he wins keep him if they fold get new coach ,but have pride in UT instead of bringing up only negativity..go VOLS fan for life here ,i have never jumped on bandwagons like everyone else i have liked THE VOLS IN collage and sixers in nba dolphins in nfl and houston and pittsburg in mlb all of them since atleast 1975 and boy have my teams had some lumps put on them but i never waverd so all you that jump onto a bandwagon every year to whoever is winning go to h-ll.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
100 pounds of chewed bubble gum thighs, I believe your assistance is needed with ballewville6's above post.
philfan writes:
This is how the SEC fared in the 2008 NFL draft. The average number of draftees per SEC team was 3 (35 divided by 12 teams):
LSU-7 drafted (West)
Arkansas-6 (West)
Auburn-5 (West)
Georgia-4
Kentucky-4
Tennessee-3
Vanderbilt-3
Florida-2
South Carolina-1
To me, this demonstrates the incredible parity that has developed recently in the SEC, especially in the East Division. Tennessee, which finished 12 in the nation and won the SEC East Division, and Florida, which was ranked 13, were the overachievers. Was this due to good coaching? Arkansas and Kentucky were the underachievers. Could this have been due to poor coaching? Alabama had no players drafted. This could mean that the great new recruits had better step up fast, or Alabama could be in big trouble next year. Freshmen drop the ball a lot, miss assignments, and over pursue the ball carrier.
I would like to stress that I am not a professional sports analyst. However, I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
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