Tennessee football is about a week from opening the 2026 season at Neyland Stadium, and the preseason recognition has already piled up across the roster.
The buzz starts on offense with freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon and veteran running back DeSean Bishop, while the defense has collected plenty of attention too thanks to a loaded linebacker group and a secondary that keeps showing up on preseason lists. Here’s how the awards have stacked up for Vols players so far.
Bishop leads the way with a pair of major watch list spots: the Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List and the Maxwell Award Watch List. He also landed All-SEC Second Team honors from Athlon and All-SEC Third Team recognition from the Coaches, Media and Phil Steele. Bishop was also named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000.
At quarterback, Brandon earned a spot on the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Watch List. He was also selected to both the On3 True Freshman All-America Team and the 247Sports True Freshman All-America Team.
The offensive line is well represented, too. Wendell Moe Jr. was named to the Lombardi Award Watch List and the Outland Trophy Watch List, while also earning Walter Camp All-America Second Team honors, On3 All-America Third Team recognition and Athlon All-America Third Team honors. He was tabbed All-SEC First Team by Athlon and All-SEC Third Team by the Coaches, Media and Phil Steele, and he made the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000.
Jesse Perry picked up All-SEC First Team honors from Phil Steele and All-SEC Fourth Team recognition from Athlon. David Sanders Jr. was named All-SEC Second Team by Athlon and Phil Steele, and All-SEC Third Team by the Coaches and Media. Donovan Haslam and Shamurad Umarov were both included on the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000.
At receiver, Mike Matthews is on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List, along with All-SEC Fourth Team honors from Athlon and Phil Steele and a place on the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000. Braylon Staley also landed on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List and was named All-SEC Second Team by Athlon and Phil Steele.
Bennett Brady, listed at long snapper, is on the Mannelly Award Watch List and earned All-SEC Third Team honors from Phil Steele.
Tennessee’s tight end room also got a nod, with Ethan Davis making the John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List. He was also named All-SEC Fourth Team by Athlon and Phil Steele and made the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000.
On defense, linebacker Amare Campbell is on the Bednarik Award Watch List and the Butkus Award Watch List. He was named All-SEC Second Team by Athlon and Phil Steele and was included in the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000.
Arion Carter earned a Butkus Award Watch List spot and a place on the Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List. He was also named All-SEC Third Team by the Coaches, Media and Athlon, All-SEC Fourth Team by Phil Steele, and he made the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000.
Jeremiah Telander was also included on the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000, while Edwin Spillman landed on the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and was selected as an AFCA Allstate Good Works Team Nominee.
In the secondary, Ty Redmond made the Bednarik Award Watch List and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. He also earned Athlon All-America Fourth Team honors, All-SEC Second Team recognition from Athlon and Phil Steele, and All-SEC Third Team honors from the Coaches.
Kayin Lee, TJ Metcalf and Qua Moss were each named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000.
Up front on defense, Xavier Gilliam earned All-SEC Fourth Team honors from Athlon, while Daevin Hobbs was named All-SEC Third Team by Phil Steele.
Special teams got their share of recognition as well. Cooper Ranvier is on the Lou Groza Award Watch List, and Jackson Ross made the Ray Guy Award Watch List and the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000.
That gives Tennessee a long list of preseason honors heading into the opener, with players across every position group getting early national and conference attention.
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For Tennessee, that matters because Knowles is arriving with fresh expectations and a roster in transition, and the defensive front will be one of the clearest indicators of how fast the new system takes hold. Gilliams emergence has added some early momentum to that process, and the attention he has earned suggests there may be more to this front than just a schematic change as camp gives way to game prep. [Read more 🡒]