NFL draft: Vols running back Alvin Kamara selected in third round by New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara never complained about getting more carries at Tennessee.
Kamara wanted to touch the ball more, but he never wanted to put his own interest above the team.
Although Kamara knew it could hinder his NFL aspirations, he trusted scouts would recognize his talent once they saw his film and workouts.
The former Tennessee running back was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the NFL draft on Friday night with the No. 67 pick overall.
Kamara was projected by many mock drafts as a second or potential late first-round pick. NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock had him listed as his third-best player available entering the second round.
No Vols were selected in the second round after defensive end Derek Barnett went in the first round on Thursday night.
Kamara is the 10th UT running back selected in the first two rounds. He is the first running back from UT selected since Montario Hardesty was drafted in the second round by the Cleveland Browns in 2010.
Read more:
Vols' Derek Barnett selected No. 14 by Philadelphia Eagles
Vols' Cameron Sutton taken by Pittsburgh Steelers in third round
Vols quarterback Joshua Dobbs still waiting to be drafted
A four-down back, Kamara rushed 103 times for 596 yards and nine touchdowns, caught 40 passes for 392 yards and four touchdowns and returned 18 punts for 184 yards as a redshirt junior last season.
The 5-foot-10, 214-pound Kamara led UT with 1,188 all-purpose yards, which ranked seventh in the SEC, and 13 total touchdowns, which tied for third in the SEC.
In his first starting opportunity last season, the Georgia native set a UT record with 312 all-purpose yards in UT’s double-overtime loss to Texas A&M.
Kamara finished his two-year career at UT with 1,294 rushing yards, 683 receiving yards and 284 punt return yards.
Kamara began his college career at Alabama, redshirting his freshman season before transferring to Hutchinson Community College in Kansas.
He arrived at UT in 2016 and became an instant fan favorite for his fun-loving personality, nose ring and fake gold grill. Kamara was named a team captain last season, and frequently expressed how much he’d matured since joining the Vols.
One he declared for the draft, Kamara gained immediate buzz as scouts and analysts lauded his dynamic playmaking abilities that fit the mold of a modern NFL back.
At the combine, Kamara posted the best vertical jump (39.5 inches) and best broad jump (10-11) among the 33 running backs.
Kamara also reportedly scored the highest among running backs on the Wonderlic Test with a 24.
The Saints signed running back Adrian Peterson earlier this week to share backfield duties with Mark Ingram.