Lester McClain (born September 17, 1949 [1] ) is a former American football wide receiver and the first African American to play at the University of Tennessee. [2] [3] He joined the Volunteers in 1967, and played for them between 1968 and 1970 (freshmen were ineligible to play varsity prior to the 1970s). [4] He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 9th round (220th overall) of the 1971 NFL draft, but was cut prior to the season. [5] He attended Antioch High School in Antioch, Tennessee. [6]
During his three seasons at Tennessee, he caught 70 passes for 1,003 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also rushed 30 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns, and returned eight kickoffs for 168 yards. [7]
Jason Jamar Allen is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Miami Dolphins 16th overall of the 2006 NFL draft. He played college football at Tennessee. Allen also played for the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals.
Reginald John Cobb was an American professional football player who was a running back for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, leading the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in touchdowns his freshman year. A second-round selection in the 1990 NFL draft, he initially played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, registering his best season in 1992 when he rushed for over a thousand yards and scored nine touchdowns. He was later a member of the inaugural roster of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Willie James Gault is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Raiders. Considered one of the fastest NFL players of all time, Gault was a member of the Bears team that won Super Bowl XX. He was also a member of the U.S. Olympic team that boycotted the 1980 Olympics.
Stanley Douglas Morgan is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. A "deep threat" receiver, he holds the NFL record with 19.2 yards per catch, and also holds the Patriots team record for total receiving yards in a career.
Gregory Paul Landry was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and United States Football League (USFL) from 1968 to 1984. He played college football for the UMass Minutemen from 1965 to 1967 and was selected in the first round of the 1968 NFL draft with the 11th overall pick. Landry played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions, Baltimore Colts and Chicago Bears. He became an assistant coach after his playing career. Landry is considered a forerunner of the dual threat quarterback.
William James Wade Jr., often referred to during his playing career as Billy Wade, was an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Los Angeles Rams (1954-1960) and Chicago Bears (1961-1966).
James Ottis “Little Man” Stewart III is an American former professional football player who was a running back for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and was selected by Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 1995 NFL draft. Stewart played in the NFL for the Jaguars and Detroit Lions from 1995 to 2003.
LaMarcus Darnell Coker is a former football running back who played for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League.
Tyler Ian Bray is an American former professional football quarterback. After playing his college football at the University of Tennessee, he declared himself eligible for the 2013 NFL draft, in which he went undrafted. He spent five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs before joining the Chicago Bears.
The 1961 Tennessee Volunteers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Tennessee as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1961 college football season. In their seventh year under head coach Bowden Wyatt, the team compiled a 6–4 record. tied for fourth place in the SEC, and outscored opponents by a total of 221 to 149.
Cordarrelle Patterson, nicknamed "Flash", is an American professional football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). A versatile utility player, he plays running back, wide receiver, kickoff returner, and occasionally on defense. Patterson played college football for the Hutchinson Blue Dragons before transferring to the Tennessee Volunteers, where he earned first-team All-SEC honors. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. He has also been a member of the Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, and the Atlanta Falcons.
Jeffrey O'Neal Powell is a former American football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Powell also won recognition as an elite hurdler in track and field. Powell played college football for the University of Tennessee and is famous for his 60-yard touchdown in the third quarter during the 1986 Sugar Bowl. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 1986 NFL draft, and after his football career, Powell earned a law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School. He currently practices law in Tennessee.
Austin Cheek Denney Jr. was an American football tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills. He played college football at the University of Tennessee.
Jackie Eugene Walker was an American football linebacker who played for the University of Tennessee from 1969 to 1971. A two-time All-American, he was the first black captain of a Southeastern Conference squad. Walker shares the NCAA record for most interceptions returned for a touchdown, with five. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 1972 NFL draft, but was cut before the season.
Evan Lawrence Berry is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers. While primarily a safety, he was selected to All-America team as a return specialist in 2015. He is the younger brother of former Tennessee Volunteers and former NFL safety Eric Berry, and his twin brother, Elliott, also played at Tennessee.
Gerald Antonio Riggs Jr. is an American former football running back. He played college football at Tennessee. He is the son of former Pro Bowl running back Gerald and ex-wife Dana Riggs.
D'Onta Foreman is an American professional football running back for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns, and was selected by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. He has also played in the NFL for the Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers, and Chicago Bears.
Nathan Michael Peterman is an American professional football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers following a stint with the Tennessee Volunteers and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL draft.
Velus Tyler Phillip Jones Jr. is an American professional football running back and return specialist for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at USC before transferring to Tennessee.
Tykevius Chandler is an American professional football running back and kickoff returner for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers before transferring to the North Carolina Tar Heels.
