Former Tennessee Vols defender gets the opportunity to start his NFL career in the same spot where his college career ended
A former Tennessee Vols defensive back will get the chance to start his NFL career in the same stadium where his college career ended after going undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft.
A former Tennessee Vols defensive back will get the chance to start his NFL career in the same football stadium where his college career ended.
Former Vols defensive back Jalen McMurray wasn’t selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, but he didn’t have to wait long to find a home in the NFL.
According to multiple reports, McMurray is signing an undrafted free agent deal with the Tennessee Titans.
McMurray, who is from Upper Marlboro, MD, started his college career at Temple before transferring to Tennessee ahead of the 2024 season.
The Maryland native’s final game with the Vols was the 2025 Music City Bowl, which was played in Nissan Stadium, the home of the Titans (until the franchise moves to its new stadium in 2027).
McMurray was banged up for Tennessee’s loss to Illinois in the Music City Bowl, but he gutted through the discomfort to finish with two tackles and two pass breakups.
“Yesterday, I’m not sure you thought you were going to play,” said Vols head coach Josh Heupel after the Music City Bowl. “And he said, ‘Man, I want to go through warmups and figure it out.’ A great teammate, great football player, and he’s a football player. He loves playing the game.”
It was important to McMurray to play in the bowl game because he didn’t want his teammates to think that he quit on them.
“I was doubtful yesterday,” said McMurray. “I didn’t think I would be able to play. But this place has given me so much. I wanted to be able to finish it out. I didn’t want for my teammates, even though they probably wouldn’t think this, I didn’t want them thinking I’d quit on them. It was important to me to leave it out, everything, out on the field. Give it all for the Power T. Give it all for my teammates, coaches for them giving me so much.”
McMurray has a long road ahead of him as an undrafted free agent, but he has the right mindset to make a 53-man roster in the NFL.