NFL Scouts Should Think Twice Before Doubting Tennessee Player

NFL scouts will eventually put DeSean Bishop on a stopwatch.

Before they do, they should probably put on the Alabama tape.

Tennessee’s running back carried the ball 32 times for 159 yards and two touchdowns against the Crimson Tide. Pro Football Focus stated that 118 of those yards came after contact, and Bishop forced 13 missed tackles. That is an afternoon spent making defenders reconsider their tackling angles.

Questions about Bishop’s top-end speed belong in his NFL evaluation. But turning that concern into a verdict would overlook an important distinction: running fast and playing running back well are related skills, not identical ones.

April 1992; New York, NY, USA; ESPN announcers Mel Kiper Jr. (left) Chris Berman (second from left), Tom Jackson (second from right), and Joe Theismann during the 1992 NFL Draft at the New York Marriott Marquis. FILE PHOTO; Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bishop Is Giving Scouts More Than a Highlight Reel

The Knoxville native and former Karns standout enters the Kentucky matchup with 957 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 171 carries. Tennessee lists him at 5-foot-10 and 215 pounds, a compact frame suited to handling contact.

His production has substance. Tennessee credits him with 671 rushing yards after contact this season, according to PFF. He has topped 100 yards in four consecutive games, including a 220-yard, three-touchdown performance against Auburn.

Those numbers support the argument that Bishop creates yards beyond the blocking.

They do not establish a verified NFL testing speed. Until he completes standardized pre-draft testing, assigning him a specific 40-yard time would be guesswork. The useful question is how his running style could translate if breakaway speed remains a concern.

Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop (18) is grabbed by South Carolina defensive back Peyton Williams (31) during a college football game at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C., on Oct. 24, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

David Montgomery Offers a Useful Blueprint

David Montgomery is a sensible comparison for the type of role Bishop could pursue.

Montgomery ran a 4.63-second 40-yard dash at the 2019 combine, according to the Bears’ official website. Yet in his first Detroit season in 2023, he rushed for 1,015 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging 4.6 yards per carry.

Detroit paired him with Jahmyr Gibbs rather than requiring both backs to provide identical skills. Lions writer Tim Twentyman described Montgomery as a physical presence between the tackles and in short-yardage situations.

That provides a practical possibility for Bishop: a physical runner complementing a more explosive back, with opportunities to finish drives and handle demanding interior carries.

This is a role comparison, not a prediction that Bishop will duplicate Montgomery’s career. It also does not mean slower testing eliminates explosive plays. Detroit’s own season review highlighted Montgomery’s 40- and 75-yard touchdown runs in 2023.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) hands off to running back David Montgomery (32) during the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Kyren Williams Shows Why Blocking Fit Matters

Kyren Williams supplies another useful example.

Williams ran an official 4.65-second combine 40-yard dash. He subsequently rushed for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns in just 12 games during the Rams’ 2023 season.

The scheme matters here. In a film analysis, Doug Farrar documented Los Angeles increasing its use of gap blocking to 42 percent of its rushing plays in 2023, including effective duo concepts built around double teams.

For Bishop, an offense featuring interior runs that reward reading blocks, making decisive cuts, and surviving contact is an appealing projection.

Nov 1, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) is congratulated by wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) after a touchdown in the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A Former Vol Already Supplied the Reminder

Tennessee fans have an especially relevant historical example in Arian Foster.

NFL.com reported that Foster posted 4.73 and 4.69 times at San Diego State’s 2009 pro day. He went undrafted, then led the NFL with 1,616 rushing yards in 2010.

Texans film analysis explained how Foster’s vision and decisive cuts helped him exploit developing blocks. His success offers a different scheme lesson: zone concepts can reward anticipation and commitment to a crease rather than simply straight-line speed.

Foster is an illustration of what fit can unlock, not a forecast for Bishop.

Vols — The VOLS letters during a NCAA football game between Tennessee and Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, on September 13, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Draft Argument Is About the Whole Job

Bishop’s eventual draft position remains a projection. Receiving, protection, athletic testing, and medical evaluations will help determine his opportunities.

But Montgomery, Williams, and Foster demonstrate why the evaluation should extend beyond a sprint.

Bishop does not need to win every footrace to offer NFL value. He needs to keep showing that when the blocking creates an opportunity, he can recognize it, attack it, and make the first defender’s job miserable.

Send your questions, comments, and hot takes to tennesseeonsi@gmail.com for the chance to be featured in an article!

Follow Our Social Media Accounts

• Follow Vols on SI on X (Click HERE)
• Follow Vols on SI on Facebook (Click HERE)
• Follow Vols on SI on Instagram (Click HERE)
• Subscribe to Vols on SI on YouTube (Click HERE)

Add us as a preferred source on Google