Look: Estimated rookie contract values, signing bonuses for Tennessee’s 2023 NFL Draft class
Hendon Hooker became the first player in Tennessee’s 2023 NFL Draft class to sign his rookie contract, putting pen to paper with the Detroit Lions on a deal that’s estimated by Spotrac to be worth over $5.7 million, including a signing bonus north of $1.1 million.
Darnell Wright and Jalin Hyatt followed on Monday, with the Chicago Bears and New York Giants, respectively, announcing their signings. Cedric Tillman, the 74th overall pick by the Cleveland Browns, signed on Tuesday. Byron Young, the 77th overall pick in the draft, selected in the third round by the Los Angeles Rams), has not yet signed his rookie deal.
Here’s a look at Spotrac’s estimated values and signing bonuses for Tennessee’s 2023 NFL Draft picks:
Darnell Wright — No. 10 Overall, First Round, Chicago Bears
Estimated Contract Value: $20,968,267 | Estimated Signing Bonus: $12,249,648
Darnell Wright, following his breakout season at right tackle, was the second offensive tackle taken in the draft, after Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. went at No. 6 overall to the Arizona Cardinals.
Wright was Tennessee’s first first-round pick since Derek Barnett went No. 17 overall to the Philadelphia Eagles and was the highest drafted offensive lineman from the Vols since Ja’Wuan James went No. 19 overall to the Miami Dolphins in 2014.
Hendon Hooker — No. 68 Overall, Third Round, Detroit Lions
Estimated Contract Value: $5,719,021 | Estimated Signing Bonus: $1,159,288
Hendon Hooker in two years at Tennessee passed for 6,080 yards and threw 58 touchdowns, with just five interceptions. Last season Hooker threw for 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns and two interceptions, completing 69.6 percent of his passes, in 11 games before suffering the season-ending ACL tear on November 19 at South Carolina.
Jalin Hyatt — No. 73 Overall, Third Round, New York Giants
Estimated Contract Value: $5,625,313 | Estimated Signing Bonus: $1,091,136
Jalin Hyatt caught 67 passes during his breakout junior season. He finished with 1,267 receiving yards and caught 15 touchdowns. He led Tennessee in all three categories, came within 31 yards of Tennessee’s single-season record for receiving yards and set a new record with the 15 touchdowns. He also became the first Tennessee player to win the Bilenikoff Award, given annually to college football’s best wide receiver.
Cedric Tillman — No. 74 Overall, Third Round, Cleveland Browns
Estimated Contract Value: $5,610,457 | Estimated Signing Bonus: $1,080,332
Cedric Tillman was a three-star prospect in the 2018 recruiting cycle, added to Tennessee’s class late in the process out of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. In five seasons with the Vols, he caught 109 passes for 1,622 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Tillman had a breakout senior season in 2021, catching 64 passes for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns before being slowed by a high-ankle sprain last season, after returning to Tennessee for a fifth season.
Byron Young — No. 77 Overall, Third Round, Los Angeles Rams
Estimated Contract Value: $5,556,668 | Estimated Signing Bonus: $1,041,213
During his two-year career at Tennessee, Byron Young recorded 83 total tackles — 42 solo, 41 assisted — with 23.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks. He had a breakout junior season in 2021, with 46 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and an interception in 10 games. He had 34 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks in 12 games last season.
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