The feeling at the Senior Bowl is reportedly that the Tennessee Vols 'wasted' one of their best players
The feeling at the Senior Bowl in Mobile this week is that the Tennessee Vols "wasted" one of their best players in 2024. 104.5 The Zone's Zach Lyons, who has been at the Senior Bowl this week, said on Thursday during Cover 2 with Blaine and Zach that various folks at the Senior Bowl — including […]
The feeling at the Senior Bowl in Mobile this week is that the Tennessee Vols "wasted" one of their best players in 2024.
104.5 The Zone's Zach Lyons, who has been at the Senior Bowl this week, said on Thursday during Cover 2 with Blaine and Zach that various folks at the Senior Bowl — including media and NFL team personnel — are perplexed at how Tennessee used defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott.
"I don't know where he plays on this Tennessee team, because everybody I've talked to down here considers him a first round talent," said Lyons. "I don't know if I'd go that far. I think maybe a second round [talent], but I will say this — I don't think Tennessee used him enough at the University of Tennessee. That's the general feeling I've gotten from talking to a few people down here on the sidelines that are from various companies and NFL teams, is that Tennessee kind of wasted Omarr Norman-Lott. And I thought that was so interesting. They got so heavy into a rotation."
"I missed the very beginning of the American team practice where they do the bag drills," continued Lyons. "He (Norman-Lott) showed up in the 11 on 11 and seven on sevens. But in the bag drills, everybody that I've talked to said that he looks to have, outside of Walter Nolen, the best feet, the best technique. So I do think that there is a place for Omarr Norman-Lott on an NFL team. And I think maybe because pass rushers do have upside, and he's a little undersized for my liking, but he has such good pass rush technique and good quick feet, he looks better than Princely (Umanmielen) out of Ole Miss. He even looks better than Jared Ivey — Jared Ivey's having a great week. Outside of Walter Nolen, his (Norman-Lott) footwork and technique probably stood out the most out of everybody there."
Norman-Lott, who transferred from Arizona State to Tennessee ahead of the 2023 season, averaged just 17.3 snaps per game for the Vols in 2024 (he played 226 snaps in 13 games).
By comparison, Penn State's Abdul Carter, Michigan's Mason Graham, and Ole Miss' Walter Nolen all averaged 45 snaps per game in 2024.
Tennessee's deep defensive line rotation was a big asset for the Vols in 2024 as it helped keep players fresh deep into games. Elite players, however, need to be on the field as often as possible. And it sounds like Norman-Lott was an elite player who didn't see the field nearly enough for the Volunteers over the last two seasons.
