Adams: Tennessee Vols' roster still has plenty of NFL draft picks on it

Now that Tennessee is relevant again in the NFL draft, its newfound presence left me thinking about the drafts to come.

Six UT players were taken in the first four rounds of last week’s draft, and defensive end Derek Barnett was taken in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles. But maybe UT will have an even greater impact in drafts to come.

With that in mind, I came up with a mock draft of my own. It’s limited to UT players, but it’s not restricted to next year’s draft-eligible players.

Obviously, my mock picks are based on potential, rather than production. Isn't that the way the NFL does it?

Trey Smith: So what if this offensive lineman has never played a down for UT. I’ve read and heard so many good things about the 2017 signee that I couldn’t resist making him my No. 1 pick.

Nigel Warrior: Here’s another vote for potential. Warrior had just one start and played in 12 games as a safety last season. But I’m guessing he eventually will become a big-time player, as his father – former Vol Dale Carter – did.

Jarrett Guarantano: Although the former celebrated recruit was redshirted as a freshman, the dual-threat quarterback has too much potential to pass up.

Quinten Dormady: Never mind how little he played his first two seasons. I’ve had too many people tell me how well he can throw the ball. And he has those Texas quarterbacking roots in his favor, too.

Darrin Kirkland Jr.: After starting 10 games as a freshman linebacker, he didn’t have a great sophomore season in 2016. However, you have to cut him slack because a high-ankle sprain cost him almost half his season. Look for him to bounce back big in 2017.

Tyler Byrd: You saw only glimpses of Byrd as a freshman wide receiver last year. But that was enough to convince me he will help make up for the loss of fourth-round draft pick Josh Malone, UT’s leading receiver.

Marquez Callaway: You saw even less of wide receiver Marquez Callaway. But remember, the draft is about potential. And Callaway strikes me as a potential playmaker.

Chance Hall: He made freshman All-American after starting the last seven games of the 2016 season, but an injury shortened his sophomore season. A healthy Hall should help make the offensive line a strength for the Vols this season.

Jashon Robertson: A starter since the first game of his freshman season, Robertson will enter his senior season with 34 career starts. That much experience in a conference as good as the SEC tells you something.

I ended my mock draft after nine picks. You easily could come up with nine more.

As last week’s draft proved, Tennessee now has its share of pro prospects.

Reach John Adams at 865-342-6284 or john.adams@knoxnews.com and on Twitter @johnadamskns.