ESPN predicts former Tennessee Vols standout will be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026

ESPN thinks a former Tennessee Vols standout will be a Hall of Famer by 2026.

Earlier this week, ESPN's Bill Barnwell predicted the next 10 Hall of Fame classes.

And Barnwell has former Tennessee tight end Jason Witten getting elected to the Hall of Fame in 2026 (which will be Witten's first year of eligibility).

Witten would be the first Vol elected to the Hall of Fame since Peyton Manning in 2021.

From ESPN : Witten would be in already if it weren't for his yearlong stint with ESPN and subsequent two years back in the NFL with the Cowboys and Raiders. He had already long earned his trip to Canton before leaving and returning to the league, as he had metronome-like consistency throughout his career. After missing a game due to injury as a rookie, he played 16 games in each of his 16 subsequent pro seasons. He averaged more than 900 receiving yards per season over a 12-season run before slowing down at the end.

Witten played at Tennessee from 2000 to 2002. He was originally supposed to play the defensive end position, but injury issues forced him to switch to the offensive side of the ball (which clearly worked out for him).

The Dallas Cowboys selected Witten in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Witten went on to play for Dallas from 2003 to 2019 (minus a one year stint with ESPN in 2018). The former Vol finished his career with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020.

Witten reached 11 Pro Bowls during his NFL career. He was also the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2013.

Related: Tennessee OC Joey Halzle confirms suspicion about Nico Iamaleava's true freshman season with Vols