University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols in the NFL – Week 15
December 17, 2025 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Former Tennessee standouts continued to make an impact across the NFL in Week 15, led by big performances from Jauan Jennings and James Pearce Jr.
Jennings delivered another clutch outing for San Francisco, hauling in three receptions for 37 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Tennessee. The veteran wideout has found the end zone six times over the past six games, including four scores in his last three contests.
Rookie EDGE James Pearce Jr. turned in a dominant performance for Atlanta, recording two sacks along with three tackles, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and two pass breakups in a 29-28 victory over Tampa Bay. Pearce now leads all NFL rookies with eight sacks and has registered at least one sack in six consecutive games.
A full recap of Tennessee's representatives across the league can be found below.
Derek Barnett – DE – Houston Texans
Posted one tackle in a 40-20 win over Arizona
Matthew Butler – DT – Miami Dolphins
Did not see any action
Jerome Carvin – OL – Jacksonville Jaguars
On practice squad
McCallan Castles – TE – Green Bay Packers
On practice squad
Morgan Cox – LS – Tennessee Titans
Snapped eight times on Sunday against San Francisco
Joshua Dobbs – QB – Patriots
Did not see any action
Princeton Fant – TE – Dallas Cowboys
On practice squad
Kamal Hadden – DB – Green Bay Packers
Played seven special teams snaps vs. Denver
Jalin Hyatt – WR – New York Giants
Played four offensive snaps against Washington
Theo Jackson – DB – Minnesota Vikings
Played nine special teams snaps against Dallas
Jauan Jennings – WR – San Francisco 49ers
Caught three passes for 37 yards with two touchdowns in a win over the Titans. Over the past six games, he has pulled in six touchdowns, including four over the last three contests
Jakob Johnson – FB – Houston Texans
Did not see any action
Alvin Kamara – RB – New Orleans Saints
Did not see any action
Cade Mays – C – Carolina Panthers
Made his ninth start of the season at center against New Orleans
Jaylen McCollough – DB – Los Angeles Rams
Made his third consecutive start for the Rams, making one tackle and adding one PBU in a win over Detroit
Joe Milton III – QB – Dallas Cowboys
Did not see any action
Omarr Norman-Lott – DT – Kansas City Chiefs
On Reserve/Injured list
Josh Palmer – WR – Buffalo Bills
Caught one pass for 16 yards in a win over New England
James Pearce Jr. – OLB – Atlanta Falcons
Notched two sacks, with three tackles, two TFLs, two QB hits and two PBUs in a 29-28 win over Tampa Bay. Pearce leads all NFL rookies with eight sacks on the year and has recorded at least one sack in six consecutive games
Dylan Sampson – RB – Cleveland Browns
Did not see any action
Elijah Simmons – DT – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Did not see any action
Trey Smith – OL – Kansas City Chiefs
Did not see any action
Alontae Taylor – CB – New Orleans Saints
Recorded three tackles in a 20-17 win over Carolina
Darrell Taylor – OLB – Houston Texans
On Reserve/Injured list
Dont'e Thornton Jr. – WR – Las Vegas Raiders
Played eight offensive snaps against Philadelphia
Cedric Tillman – WR – Cleveland Browns
Played seven offensive snaps at Chicago
Shy Tuttle – DT – Tennessee Titans
Did not see any action
Darnell Wright – OT – Chicago Bears
Played all 66 offensive snaps against in a 31-3 win over Cleveland
Jaylen Wright – RB – Miami Dolphins
Rushed one time for two yards and added one reception for one yard against Pittsburgh
Byron Young – OLB – Los Angeles Rams
Had three tackles and two QB hits in a 41-34 win over Detroit
Jennings delivered another clutch outing for San Francisco, hauling in three receptions for 37 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Tennessee. The veteran wideout has found the end zone six times over the past six games, including four scores in his last three contests.
Rookie EDGE James Pearce Jr. turned in a dominant performance for Atlanta, recording two sacks along with three tackles, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and two pass breakups in a 29-28 victory over Tampa Bay. Pearce now leads all NFL rookies with eight sacks and has registered at least one sack in six consecutive games.
A full recap of Tennessee's representatives across the league can be found below.
Derek Barnett – DE – Houston Texans
Posted one tackle in a 40-20 win over Arizona
Matthew Butler – DT – Miami Dolphins
Did not see any action
Jerome Carvin – OL – Jacksonville Jaguars
On practice squad
McCallan Castles – TE – Green Bay Packers
On practice squad
Morgan Cox – LS – Tennessee Titans
Snapped eight times on Sunday against San Francisco
Joshua Dobbs – QB – Patriots
Did not see any action
Princeton Fant – TE – Dallas Cowboys
On practice squad
Kamal Hadden – DB – Green Bay Packers
Played seven special teams snaps vs. Denver
Jalin Hyatt – WR – New York Giants
Played four offensive snaps against Washington
Theo Jackson – DB – Minnesota Vikings
Played nine special teams snaps against Dallas
Jauan Jennings – WR – San Francisco 49ers
Caught three passes for 37 yards with two touchdowns in a win over the Titans. Over the past six games, he has pulled in six touchdowns, including four over the last three contests
Jakob Johnson – FB – Houston Texans
Did not see any action
Alvin Kamara – RB – New Orleans Saints
Did not see any action
Cade Mays – C – Carolina Panthers
Made his ninth start of the season at center against New Orleans
Jaylen McCollough – DB – Los Angeles Rams
Made his third consecutive start for the Rams, making one tackle and adding one PBU in a win over Detroit
Joe Milton III – QB – Dallas Cowboys
Did not see any action
Omarr Norman-Lott – DT – Kansas City Chiefs
On Reserve/Injured list
Josh Palmer – WR – Buffalo Bills
Caught one pass for 16 yards in a win over New England
James Pearce Jr. – OLB – Atlanta Falcons
Notched two sacks, with three tackles, two TFLs, two QB hits and two PBUs in a 29-28 win over Tampa Bay. Pearce leads all NFL rookies with eight sacks on the year and has recorded at least one sack in six consecutive games
Dylan Sampson – RB – Cleveland Browns
Did not see any action
Elijah Simmons – DT – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Did not see any action
Trey Smith – OL – Kansas City Chiefs
Did not see any action
Alontae Taylor – CB – New Orleans Saints
Recorded three tackles in a 20-17 win over Carolina
Darrell Taylor – OLB – Houston Texans
On Reserve/Injured list
Dont'e Thornton Jr. – WR – Las Vegas Raiders
Played eight offensive snaps against Philadelphia
Cedric Tillman – WR – Cleveland Browns
Played seven offensive snaps at Chicago
Shy Tuttle – DT – Tennessee Titans
Did not see any action
Darnell Wright – OT – Chicago Bears
Played all 66 offensive snaps against in a 31-3 win over Cleveland
Jaylen Wright – RB – Miami Dolphins
Rushed one time for two yards and added one reception for one yard against Pittsburgh
Byron Young – OLB – Los Angeles Rams
Had three tackles and two QB hits in a 41-34 win over Detroit
Players Mentioned
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