Tennessee DT Kahlil McKenzie intends to enter 2018 NFL Draft

Published: Jan 08, 2018 at 01:34 AM

Dan Parr

Original Content Editor, Draft Strategy

Oakland Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie will have a chance to draft his son this year.

Tennessee DT Kahlil McKenzie, the 20-year-old son of Reggie, announced on Sunday via Instagram that he intends to apply for early entry into the 2018 NFL Draft.

View this post on Instagram

Where do I start... I still remember the first time I put on my dads old beat up Bowl Jersey and helmet; coming to Knoxville for whatever reason to spend time with family; going to the rooftop of Neyland Stadium and getting chills looking into that empty stadium... Well, first things first, Lord thank you for everything you have blessed me with, thank you for a family that loves me, supports me and guides me, thank you for your never-ending love and the lessons you teach me everyday. Secondly, I want to say thank you to the city of Knoxville and the ENTIRE VolNation for embracing me through the ups and downs through these past 3 years. Knoxville will always be my second home and I will love y’all tomorrow as much as I do now and have my entire life. Third, I want to thank my coaches for the opportunity they gave me to attend this amazing University. I also want to thank my teammates for pushing me everyday, I love every last one of y’all. The memories I have with y’all make me smile and proud to have been your teammate. I have so much love in my heart for all of y’all and hope that you can have that same love for me at the next level. I will be foregoing my senior season and entering the 2018 NFL Draft. Lord, the rest is in Your gracious and powerful hands. Now I’m on to the next chapter!

A post shared by Kahlil McKenzie (@kahlil_mckenzie) on Jan 7, 2018 at 6:52pm PST

McKenzie, a junior, recorded a career-high 35 tackles, including 3.5 for loss (2 sacks) in 2017. He played in just 7 games in 2016, as a pectoral injury cut his season short. The 6-foot-3, 320-pounder (school measurements) was a 5-star recruit out of Clayton Valley Charter School in Concord, Calif.

He showed flashes of being a highly effective disruptor up front for the Vols during his three seasons in Knoxville.

He'll join what could be a fairly deep class of interior defensive linemen, led by Michigan's Maurice Hurst and Washington's Vita Vea, who also intends to apply for early draft entry.

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