One of the first Tennessee players to suit up with their new NFL team this weekend was safety Will Brooks with the Kansas City Chiefs at their rookie minicamp.
One of the first Tennessee players to join their new NFL team this weekend was safety Will Brooks. His journey from walk-on and special-teamer to starter for the Vols has now progressed to the next level as an undrafted rookie with the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to the start of their rookie minicamp on Friday, the Chiefs announced Brooks as one of their 16 undrafted free agent signings. He participated in practices on Saturday and Sunday, donning No. 24 during workouts at Kansas City’s facility. He is the third confirmed undrafted free agent from Tennessee, following defensive linemen Omari Thomas (Saints) and Elijah Simmons (Cardinals).
Brooks, a 6-foot-1, 206-pound defensive back, is one of four undrafted rookies the Chiefs signed in this position. He joined his Tennessee teammate, defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott, Kansas City’s second-round pick, as they both began their NFL careers just a week after the 2025 NFL Draft.
Brooks garnered attention from NFL teams thanks to his impressive 2024 season as a fifth-year senior starter for a defense-oriented College Football Playoff team and a strong performance at Tennessee’s Pro Day, where he recorded a 4.59-second 40-yard dash, a 37-inch vertical leap, and a 10-foot, 5-inch broad jump.
He was rated as the No. 39 safety in the draft by ESPN analyst Mel Kiper and the No. 41 safety by Dane Brugler of The Athletic.
Brooks joined the Tennessee program as a walk-on in 2020 after graduating from Vestavia Hills High School in the Birmingham area, where he was an all-state free safety and an All-American lacrosse player. After redshirting his freshman year, he became a contributor on special teams under Josh Heupel and the new Tennessee coaching staff, playing in all 13 games in 2021. His first notable play came the next season when he recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff, helping set up a quick touchdown in the Vols’ blowout win over LSU in 2022, a game in which he also played every snap.
Towards the end of the 2023 season, Tennessee utilized Brooks’s experience in the secondary, where he had significant playing time at Star against Georgia and started the following week against Vanderbilt. He recorded six tackles against Georgia and eight tackles, including one for loss, against Vanderbilt.
Entering the 2024 season, Brooks secured a starting safety role and shone brightly, finishing second on the team in tackles (59), tying for the team lead with four interceptions, and contributing five pass breakups, four tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, and one forced fumble.
He made headlines by returning an interception 85 yards for a touchdown late in the first half during the decisive victory against NC State in the second game of the season. He also clinched the win over Alabama with an interception of Jalen Milroe in the final minute of a tight game, made a key pick against Kentucky, and initiated a 10-0 scoring run in the CFP first-round loss to Ohio State with a tip-drill interception in the end zone. He recorded five tackles and one tackle for loss against the Buckeyes, as well.
Brooks achieved a career-high of 10 tackles against Arkansas and had eight against Alabama, Georgia, and seven against Florida.
Among Tennessee’s defensive regulars, he finished with the fourth-best overall Pro Football Focus grade (77.5), behind only first-round pick James Pearce Jr., Joshua Josephs at LEO, and All-SEC cornerback Jermod McCoy.
It’s clear why a team like the Chiefs would be interested in Brooks. He was praised by coaches and teammates for his understanding of the defense and his consistent performance at Tennessee, adding significant value to an NFL team. Brooks has extensive experience on special teams (520 career snaps, including over 100 on kickoff duties and both kickoff and punt return units) and played multiple positions in the secondary, including safety and nickel.
Now, he will look to make his mark and stay with one of the top organizations in the NFL.
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