A little more than a week before Tennessee opens its 2024 campaign, four of its players landed on the Preseason All-SEC Teams as voted on by league coaches.
Offensive lineman Cooper Mays and defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. were first team selections, while wide receiver Squirrel White and running back Dylan Sampson were featured on the third team, the conference announced Thursday.
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Both Mays and Pearce, who were first selections in the media voting following SEC Media Days in Dallas last month, are expected to anchor Tennessee up front on both sides of the ball.
Pearce, regarded as a potential top 10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft as an edge rusher, is coming off of a breakout season as a sophomore in 2023.
He accounted for 14.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks and has appeared on nearly every preseason defensive award watchlist.
Mays is entering his fifth season at Tennessee and his fourth as the Vols’ starting center. He missed the first four games of the season with an injury last year but returned to continue his streak of 14 consecutive games without giving up a sack.
After leading Tennessee in receiving a year ago, White headlines a wide receiving corps that is expected to take a step forward in the Vols’ touted tempo offense, now under the leadership of quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
Another area where Tennessee is expected to produce is in the run game, where the Vols were one of the most productive teams in the SEC in 2023.
After serving as a backup the last two years, Sampson is preparing to spearhead Tennessee’s backfield after rushing for more than 600 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns last season.
The No. 15 Vols open their season against Chattanooga on Aug. 31 (12:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network) at Neyland Stadium.
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