Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Vols ended their 2025 campaign with a 30–28 loss in the Music City Bowl in Nashville. A last-minute field goal threw a wrench into the Vols’ comeback attempt. It was heartbreak for Big Orange, especially for DB Jalen McMurray, who put his body and NFL dreams on the line for his Vols brotherhood.

“It has been an emotional roller coaster,” DB Jalen McMurray said in the post-game presser. “There were times where I felt good, there were times where I didn’t. Like he said, I was doubtful yesterday. I didn’t think I’d be able to play. This place has given me so much, and I wanted to be able to finish it out.”

The whole situation was touch-and-go leading up to the game against Illinois. McMurray was dealing with an injury he suffered ‘undisclosed’ during bowl practice in mid-December, making his availability questionable right up until game time. Obviously, as a precaution under NCAA protocol, he didn’t even start the game.

But as the game tightened and Tennessee needed him most, McMurray couldn’t sit idle on the bench. Plus, with the NFL Draft looming, he made the biggest gamble of his career. He checked into the game and made an immediate impact, including a massive third-down pass breakup in the fourth quarter that forced Illinois to settle for a field goal.

One wrong step or tweak could have jeopardized his NFL stock. He couldn’t have cared less at that moment.

All McMurray cared about was finishing his college career on the field with his teammates. He later explained why he felt he had to push through the pain:

“I didn’t want my teammates and I know they probably wouldn’t think this but I didn’t want them to think I quit on them. I wanted to leave everything on the field, especially with the guys that are here. I love them.”

By the end of the night, McMurray said he was feeling much better physically. Even the head coach, Josh Heupel, was proud of him for that decision. He praised McMurray’s love for the game, saying it showed exactly the type of player and person you want in your program.

Plus, he’s done pretty well for himself at Temple and Tennessee. He wrapped up his college career with 158 total tackles and 18 passes deflected across all his seasons.

Now, McMurray turns the page to what’s next. He has accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl, one of the most important showcases for NFL hopefuls. He’ll have a little time to prepare before taking on that challenge.

Jalen McMurray’s early draft profile

What makes Jalen a promising prospect is his ability to adapt. He started over 20 games while playing for Temple before transferring to Tennessee. At around 6 feet tall and 187 pounds, he’s got decent size for the position and is good at reading plays, especially in zone coverage. He also logged 18 pass breakups during his college career.

Jalen is experienced, having played in over 51 games, and is a natural leader with good coverage instincts. The obvious weaknesses scouts might point to are that he isn’t an “elite” athlete with top-end speed, and he didn’t create many turnovers, logging only one interception during his entire college career.

It’s too early to lock down an exact draft round for Jalen McMurray. Right now, scouts likely view him as a potential mid-to-late round pick. Analysts like Tony Pauline had him going in the 7th round.

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Mind you, teams don’t invite players to the Senior Bowl for no reason, though, so he has a real shot at being drafted and hopefully making a solid career at the next level.