Tennessee Football Star Snubbed From Mel Kiper Jr.'s Top Five

Despite ranking second in the SEC in rushing yards, Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop narrowly misses Mel Kiper Jr.'s top five running backs for the 2027 NFL Draft.

Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop has established himself as one of the Southeastern Conference's most productive offensive players, but his impressive numbers weren't quite enough to land him among ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s top five running back prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft.

Kiper released his latest rankings Thursday, listing Bishop among the players who "just missed" the top five. Despite the omission, the Knoxville native continues to put together an impressive 2026 campaign.

Bishop Among SEC's Leading Rushers

Through six games, Bishop ranks second in the SEC with 678 rushing yards, trailing only Missouri's Jamal Roberts, who has accumulated 828 yards.

Bishop has recorded 107 carries, eight rushing touchdowns and an impressive 6.3 yards per attempt. His average of 113 rushing yards per game ranks second in the conference and eighth nationally.

Perhaps even more impressive is his ability to produce after contact. According to Tennessee Athletics, 465 of Bishop's rushing yards have come after contact, while 422 have occurred in the second half of games.

Those numbers demonstrate his physical running style and ability to deliver when Tennessee needs him most.

Dominant Performances Against Auburn and Arkansas

Bishop's most impressive performance came against Auburn on October 3, when he rushed for a career-high 220 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries.

His performance helped Tennessee secure a 24–14 victory and earned him SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors.

One week later, Bishop delivered another outstanding performance against Arkansas, rushing for 138 yards on 19 carries.

His career-long 59-yard run helped set up the game-winning touchdown, which Bishop scored from eight yards out with 1:57 remaining in Tennessee's 24–17 victory.

Bishop's NFL Draft Stock Continues Rising

Kiper's rankings feature Florida's Jadan Baugh at No. 1, followed by Miami's Mark Fletcher Jr., Ole Miss' Kewan Lacy, Georgia's Nate Frazier and Texas' Hollywood Smothers.

Bishop joined BYU's LJ Martin and Alabama's Justice Haynes among the players who narrowly missed the top five.

The recognition comes after Bishop rushed for 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns during the 2025 season, earning second-team All-SEC honors.

Plenty of Opportunities Remain

Bishop's production makes him one of Tennessee's most valuable offensive weapons, particularly as the Volunteers continue navigating their SEC schedule.

With Alabama visiting Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Bishop will have another opportunity to showcase his abilities against a nationally recognized opponent.

While Kiper currently has five running backs ahead of him, Bishop's combination of production, physicality and consistency could make him difficult for NFL scouts to overlook.

For now, the numbers speak for themselves. Bishop is producing like one of the SEC's best running backs, even if his draft ranking hasn't quite caught up.

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