ESPN projects where Tennessee Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar will be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft
Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar is hoping to be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft after he was denied a final season of eligibility at UT. Aguilar spent one season on Rocky Top.
Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar is going to get a shot in the NFL, but it’s unclear if he’ll be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Aguilar wasn’t on the draft radar before transferring to Tennessee a year ago. But after leading the SEC in passing yards during the 2025 regular season, the California native put himself very much on the draft map.
Where ESPN has Tennessee Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar getting drafted
Earlier this week, ESPN projected which quarterbacks will be selected during the 2026 NFL Draft.
ESPN’s Ben Solak has nine quarterbacks getting drafted, but he doesn’t think Aguilar will be one of them.
Solak’s take lines up with the take from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, a well-respected national draft analyst, who labeled Aguilar as a prospect who will be in the Round 7 to undrafted range.
“Aguilar doesn’t play with consistent passing anticipation,” wrote Brugler this week. “And his hero-ball moments are still there, but he is a good-sized passer with an NFL arm, developed confidence and toughness. He will have a chance to turn some heads once he gets to an NFL camp.”
One big positive for Aguilar heading into the draft is that NFL teams are well aware that he’s “invested”.
“He was meeting extra with the (Tennessee) coaches to learn the new offense,” said an NFL scout to The Athletic of Aguilar. “He was invested.”
Other analysts, such as former NFL quarterback Phil Simms, are higher on Aguilar (Simms ranks Aguilar as his No. 3 quarterback in the draft).
If Aguilar falls in the draft, he may be better off going undrafted than getting selected in the seventh round. At least then he could have some control over the situation he lands in.