Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter has landed on one of college football’s most selective academic honors list, earning a spot as a 2026 William V. Campbell Trophy finalist and giving the Volunteers their eighth National Football Foundation National-Scholar Athlete.
The announcement came Wednesday, with Carter named one of 18 finalists for the award. He and the rest of the class will each receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship through the 2026 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class presented by Fidelity Investments. Carter will head to the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 8, where his story will be spotlighted alongside the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class.
The Campbell Trophy sits at the top of college football’s scholar-athlete honors, and the NFF’s National Scholar-Athlete Awards are marking their 68th year in 2026. The program began in 1959 as the first initiative to award postgraduate scholarships based on both academic and athletic achievement.
This year’s finalists were selected from a record 206 semifinalists across all NCAA divisions. Tennessee’s previous winners include Michael Munoz in 2004 and Peyton Manning in 1997.
Carter is one of six SEC players in the 2026 Scholar-Athlete class, and Tennessee’s first since center Brandon Kennedy in 2020. The surprise announcement reached him in a video from Manning immediately after Wednesday’s practice.
"It's an honor to be a part of this amazing Scholar-Athlete class," said Carter. "I appreciate everyone who has helped me get to this point, especially my family, teammates and coaches.
I am excited to represent Tennessee on that stage in December. Thank you to the National Football Foundation for this recognition."
A Smyrna, Tennessee native, Carter has become one of the defining voices in the Vols’ locker room over the last three seasons, serving as a two-year captain. He graduated cum laude from Tennessee in August with a degree in public health, finished his undergraduate work in three and a half years, and posted a 3.53 GPA. He has also been a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection and a Dean’s List honoree, while looking ahead to postgraduate study in medicine.
" Arion Carter embodies everything that is right about college athletics," said Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel. "His character and commitment to this program, his teammates and to others is contagious.
He has spent all four years of his career here at Tennessee, which is a rare thing in this era. He turned an unfortunate situation into a positive, and he continues to impact people with his positive actions on and off the field.
I am proud to be his coach."
Carter’s impact reaches well beyond his tackle totals. After shaving his head in support of his girlfriend, Mariah, during her breast cancer treatment, he pledged part of his NIL earnings for each tackle and other defensive achievements to Girls in Real Life Situations (GIRLS), a nonprofit that helps young women overcome adversity. Through game seven, that effort has raised more than $19,000.
He has also taken part in the VOLeaders Academy service trip to Brazil, served on the SEC Football Leadership Council and visited patients at Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital. He has represented Tennessee at SEC Media Days in back-to-back years, making him one of only eight Volunteers chosen multiple times.
On the field, Carter has stacked up All-SEC honors and a strong career line: 204 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 10 pass breakups, one interception and three fumble recoveries. This season, he leads Tennessee with 7.2 tackles per game, which ranks 13th in the SEC, and has 43 tackles in six games with five tackles for loss and two sacks. He captains a defense that leads the SEC and ranks ninth nationally in scoring defense at 14.7 points allowed per game, while also sitting in the top 15 nationally in total defense at 280.4 yards allowed per game.
Even last season, when he played through injury for much of 2025, Carter still led the SEC in tackles per game at 7.6. He was part of Tennessee’s run to the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff in 2024, when the Vols finished 10-3 and ranked No. 9 nationally.
The Campbell Trophy, first awarded in 1990 to Air Force’s Chris Howard, remains one of the sport’s most prestigious individual honors. It’s named for the late Bill Campbell, an All-Ivy League player and captain of Columbia’s 1961 Ivy League championship team.
All-Time Tennessee NFF National Scholar-Athletes: 2026 - Arion Carter, LB
2020 - Brandon Kennedy, C 2004 - Michael Munoz, OT
1997 - Peyton Manning, QB 1976 - Mike Mauck, DB
1970 - Don Denbo, OG 1967 - Bob Johnson, C
1959 - Neyle Sollee, FB
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