KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The New Orleans Saints drafted former Tennessee defensive back, Alontae Taylor, in the second round, No. 49 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. The corner becomes the highest-drafted Tennessee defensive back since Eric Berry in 2010 who has had a decorated career in the NFL.
Taylor had a lot of contact with the Saints coaches prior to the draft and his agent told him he would likely be taken in the third or fourth round, so when Taylor got the call in the second round from the Saints he was pleasantly surprised.
“I hear about the team that talks to you the most might not be the team that drafts you, so in my head, I’m like ‘ok, I’m not going to New Orleans, they talked to me a lot,” reflected Taylor. “But sometimes it works the other way around and that’s what happened to me.”
Taylor joins five other active VFLs on the Saints roster and is one of five other players in Tennessee’s draft class.
Taylor sported the No. 2 for the past three seasons at Tennessee and wore the No. 6 his freshman season with the Vols and in high school. Taylor said he would like to sport the No. 6 in black and gold. If he can’t get the single-digit number, he’d like to rock No. 26.
