Volunteer Country

From Walk-On to NFL: How Will Brooks Went From Tennessee to the Kansas City Chiefs

From unranked high school prospect to SEC starter to a chance in the NFL, Will Brooks has made a career out of betting on himself — and winning.
Josh Greer|
Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Will Brooks (35) intercepts a pass intended for Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) in the first half at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.
Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Will Brooks (35) intercepts a pass intended for Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) in the first half at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee defensive back Will Brooks' football journey is the kind of story college programs love to tell — and NFL teams love to bet on. After going from a preferred walk-on at Tennessee to a starting safety in the SEC, Brooks now takes the next step, signing with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent.

It’s a remarkable rise for a player who, not long ago, wasn’t even sure if football would be his future. Coming out of Mountain Brook High School in Alabama, Brooks was a standout athlete, but his primary attention initially came from lacrosse programs. His senior year became a turning point. After a sit-down conversation with Ohio State’s lacrosse staff, who told him he was “on the outside looking in” for a scholarship, Brooks made the decision to fully commit to pursuing football.

It wasn’t an easy road. Having largely bypassed the summer camp circuit early in high school, Brooks entered his senior year without much recruiting momentum. But a strong showing at a Vanderbilt camp and a Nike SPARQ combine finally put him on the radar for several FCS schools and a few preferred walk-on opportunities, including one from Vanderbilt.

Despite being unranked by recruiting services and lacking FBS offers, Brooks' confidence never wavered. His play on the field backed it up — by his senior year, he earned Second-Team All-State honors in Alabama, behind only future Alabama standout Malachi Moore. Those performances caught the attention of Tennessee’s staff, specifically inside linebackers coach Kevin Sherrer, whose Birmingham ties helped connect Brooks to the Volunteers.

Brooks first visited Knoxville for Tennessee’s 2019 game against UAB. Though a lifelong Auburn fan, he immediately felt at home on Rocky Top. Shortly afterward, he accepted a preferred walk-on offer, beginning a journey that would see him develop from a special-teams contributor into a full-time starter.

His college career steadily built momentum. Brooks played in all 13 games as a redshirt freshman in 2021, making his debut against Bowling Green and seeing defensive snaps later that season. In 2022, he again appeared in every game, continuing to thrive on special teams and making critical plays, such as recovering a fumble in Tennessee’s win at LSU.

In 2023, Brooks began making his move toward a larger defensive role. He played in 10 games and started once, stepping into the starting lineup against Vanderbilt and recording eight tackles in the regular-season finale.

By 2024, Brooks had emerged as a reliable force in Tennessee’s secondary. He started all 13 games at safety, finished second on the team with 59 tackles, and led the defense with nine passes defended and four interceptions. His highlight moments included a crucial pick-six against NC State and a game-sealing interception against rival Alabama — a signature play that will be remembered among Vol fans for years.

Now, Brooks brings his resilience and ball-hawking instincts to the Kansas City Chiefs. While the path ahead will be competitive, the qualities that carried Brooks from overlooked recruit to SEC starter — work ethic, intelligence, and toughness — are the same traits that NFL coaches value highly in building out rosters.

Whether he carves out a spot on the 53-man roster or the practice squad, Brooks' story is already a remarkable one. From unranked high school prospect to SEC starter to a chance in the NFL, Will Brooks has made a career out of betting on himself — and winning.

Now, in Kansas City, he’ll look to do it one more time.

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