Green Bay Packers southeastern scout Luke Benuska was in attendance for the Mississippi State vs. Tennessee matchup on Saturday. The two teams combined to have four draft picks in the 2025 NFL Draft and six picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Let’s take a look at some prospects who could have caught Benuska’s eyes.
Talented Tennessee DL
A year after having two defensive linemen drafted in the first two rounds, the Volunteers could potentially have four defensive linemen drafted in the 2026 draft. The three that stood out against the Bulldogs were Tyre West, Caleb Herring and Joshua Josephs.
West, a former four-star recruit, recorded a career-high two sacks against the Bulldogs on Saturday. He showcased power and exceptional closing burst. His second sack of the game was a violent strip sack that was returned by fellow defensive lineman Joshua Josephs for a touchdown.
West is a player that Green Bay defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley could move up and down the line of scrimmage and projects as a Day 3 pick.
A former four-star recruit, Caleb Herring is an explosive edge rusher. Herring finished the game with 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss. Herring runs the arc with speed and shows great closing burst to the quarterback. At 245 pounds, he may be too light for Green Bay’s liking; however, they just drafted a lighter edge rusher in Collin Oliver. When it comes to Day 3 picks, the Packers may be willing to bet on Herring’s explosiveness.
Joshua Josephs explodes off the snap and gets to the quarterback in a blur. Like Herring, Josephs may be too light (237 pounds) for Green Bay’s liking. He’s not just an explosive edge rusher though, he plays the run with violence and power. Josephs finished the game with a career-high nine tackles, 1.5 sacks, a fumble return for a touchdown and four run stops.
Another big-play threat
Jalin Hyatt and Donte Thornton Jr are two former explosive Tennnesse wide receivers who were dynamic playmakers for the Volunteers who both recently got drafted.
Chris Brazzell II is the next one in line. He’s a speed merchant who finds his top gear in a blink of an eye. At 6-5, he has a large catch radius and showcases good body control to make contested catches.
Unlike Hyatt and Thornton, Brazell is not just a vertical threat, he has clean footwork as a route runner and has the goods to develop into a three-level threat.
Brazzell finished the game with six receptions for 105 yards and one touchdown. Through five games this season, the Tulane transfer has recorded 31 receptions for 531 yards and seven touchdowns.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers scout in attendance for Mississippi State vs. Tennessee
