Wolf getting ready for NFL Draft

Eli Wolf has proved himself at every football stop, high school and college.

He isn't done proving himself.

The pass-catcher from Minster is currently auditioning for NFL teams - and he's doing a pretty good job of nailing it.

After his pro day was canceled over coronavirus concerns, the former Tennessee and Georgia tight end had his combine workout filmed at D1 Knoxville Sports Training. The numbers he posted in the various drills were quite impressive - most notably his 4.43-second 40-yard dash, a number better than some of the top projected tight ends and receivers on the draft board.

"I peaked at the right time," said the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Wolf, whose workout also included 23 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press, a 35-inch vertical jump, 10-foot broad jump, 6.72-second L-drill and 4.06-second shuttle drill.

"Some of the stuff in training I hit before, but everything (on pro day) was my best or better than it was in training," he added.

Wolf returned to Minster for Easter. He and his brother, Ethan, a former tight end for Tennessee who signed a futures deal with the Los Angeles Rams, have been working out together. They're staying football ready with whatever means are available.

"My uncle has a home gym down in his basement," explained Eli during a phone interview earlier this week. "It's easy to shred your arms in a home gym. The hard part is the legs because you've got to have a ton of weight to squat a bunch, but not a lot of people have that. So it's band work, a lot of running. I'm about to go run routes here in a little bit with Josh Nixon, who is now going to be a quarterback at Ashland."

That duo led Minster to the 2014 Division VI state football title - the program's first since 1989. In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, Nixon completed a 51-yard pass to Wolf for the game-winning touchdown as Minster defeated Kirtland 46-42 at Ohio Stadium. The Wildcats rallied from a nine-point deficit in the final 2 minutes.

Months later, Wolf decommitted from Eastern Michigan in favor of walking on at Tennessee, and Nixon headed to the University of Dayton to play baseball. Nixon recently committed to a football return with Ashland.

"I haven't thrown with him since high school, so we're going to find out if he's still got it," Wolf said.

Wolf certainly still has it.

At Minster, he graduated with the career record for receptions (124), receiving yards (2,234) and receiving touchdowns (27). Wolf had nine catches for 145 yards and three TDs in the Wildcats' state win over Kirtland.

He went to Tennessee a 6-4, 205-pound wide receiver. But like his brother, the Vol coaching staff saw Eli Wolf as a tight end. Instead of focusing on football season his first year in Knoxville, Wolf redshirted, hit the weights (and plates of food) and had his own bulk season.

"They said 'Hey, you're going to start playing tight end. Start stacking some weight on.' I looked at the challenge and said 'OK, let's do it,'" he said. "I changed everything about my lifestyle - the way I eat, the way I workout. I learned a whole new position, blocking and everything. But I knew it was probably going to happen, so I just said 'Let's go. Let's ride with it.'"  

He weighs 245 pounds now - and it wasn't easy getting there. The training staff had him eating between 5,000 and 6,000 calories a day.

"It got to the point where I hated food," he said. "I didn't eat it for the taste. I ate it because I had to."

The walk-on eventually earned a scholarship, and made contributions in 2016, 2017 and 2018. He played six games in 2016, nine the next year and all 12 (with seven starts) the following season. In three years with the Vols, he had nine catches for 86 yards and one touchdown. Wolf also won Tennessee's Harvey Robinson Award for most improved offensive player.

Then he decided to leave Rocky Top - for a Georgia program that had played against Alabama in the College Football Playoff national title a season before. Wolf finished his final season with 13 receptions, 194 yards and one touchdown for the Bulldogs, who went 12-2 and ended the season ranked No. 4 in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll.

"All the coaches understood that it wasn't personal, it was a business decision," he said. "There was no bad blood at Tennessee. I didn't burn any bridges there. It was just a business decision for me - I think I had a better opportunity to show what I could do and make it at the next level at another school."

Wolf has been in contact with roughly half the NFL teams - discussing his personal background and breaking down film. He has heard different opinions about where he might end up when the NFL Draft is held next Thursday through Saturday.

"Some teams have said 'Hey, you may be gone in the fifth round.' Some say 'You're going to be a free agent,'" Wolf explained. "There's so much uncertainty. I'm not putting too much thought into it. I'm just trying to think of how I can stay in shape, get better and take this time and use it to get an edge rather than laying around and being negative about it. I'm trying to find a way that I can gain a leg up."

And prove himself once again.