BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Southeastern Conference office announced Tuesday afternoon that six members of the Tennessee football team were selected to the coaches’ 2024 All-SEC teams.
Tennessee’s six honorees on the coaches’ All-SEC teams are its most since also having six players recognized in 2012. Junior running back Dylan Sampson, senior center Cooper Mays and junior edge rusher James Pearce Jr. claimed First Team All-SEC accolades, while sophomore cornerback Jermod McCoy was tabbed Second Team All-SEC in his first year on Rocky Top. Senior guard Javontez Spraggins and redshirt sophomore kickoff specialist Josh Turbyville rounded out the honorees for the Vols, earning Third Team honors from the league coaches.
Tennessee has now produced 14 Coaches All-SEC honorees in the Josh Heupel era (2021-present), its most in a four-year span since also having 14 recognized from 2009-12.
Sampson was selected first team as both a running back and all-purpose recipient, becoming the first Vol running back to earn first-team honors since Travis Stephens in 2001. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native produced the most prolific rushing campaign in Tennessee history during the 2024 regular season, breaking school records for rushing yards (1,485), rushing touchdowns (22), points scored (132), total touchdowns scored (22) and consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (11). He led the conference in 11 different categories, including 123.8 rushing yards per game and 22 rushing touchdowns — tied for the fifth-most rushing scores in SEC single-season history.
A Rimington Trophy finalist, Mays is the Vols’ first first-team center since Scott Wells in 2003. He anchored Tennessee’s offense in 2024 as UT produced a top 10 rushing offense and total offense in the country and punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff. Mays played a team-high 816 offensive snaps according to PFF and did not allow a sack or QB hit throughout the entire campaign, and he carries a current streak of 26 consecutive games without allowing a sack that dates back to the 2022 season. Mays led an offensive line unit that paved the way for the top rushing attack in the SEC for the second year in row. Tennessee’s 232.0 rushing yards per game ranked first in the conference and ninth in the FBS, while its 462.9 yards of total offense per game were second in the league and eighth nationally.
At least one UT offensive lineman has received first or second team accolades in all four seasons under Heupel and six consecutive seasons overall dating back to 2019.
Pearce earned First Team All-SEC acclaim from the league coaches for the second consecutive season, and the Vols have now produced a first-team defensive lineman under the direction of Rodney Garner for three straight seasons. The junior from Charlotte, North Carolina, generated 52 total pressures according to PFF, which led the SEC and ranked fifth among edge rushers in the Power Four conferences. His 11 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks led the Tennessee defense in 2024, including an impressive stretch of logging at least half a TFL in eight straight games – spanning Sept. 21 at Oklahoma through Nov. 23 against UTEP.
McCoy made an immediate impact on the Tennessee secondary in his first season with the Vols, starting all 12 games during the regular season and leading the Big Orange with 13 passes defended (four interceptions, nine pass breakups) which ranked second in the SEC and second among underclassmen nationally. The sophomore from Whitehouse, Texas, is tied for the SEC lead with four picks, and his 13 passes defended are the most by a Vol since Theo Jackson also had 13 in 2021. McCoy’s 90.3 coverage grade according to PFF ranks second in the SEC and fifth in the FBS among cornerbacks in 2024.
One of the most experienced Vols in the trenches, Spraggins picked up Third Team All-SEC honors after starting 11 of 12 games in 2024 at right guard and helping pave the way for the league’s No. 1 rushing offense. The East St. Louis, Illinois, native saw action on 740 offensive snaps throughout the season and allowed only two sacks according to PFF, including no sacks allowed in his last seven games played. The seasoned veteran has appeared in 56 games with 48 career starts – the most of any player on the 2024 Tennessee roster – and helped the Vols earn three consecutive honors as Joe Moore Award semifinalists.
A former Knoxville Catholic standout, Turbyville handled kickoff duties for Tennessee for the second year in a row in 2024 and was effective on a national scale. His 66 touchbacks ranked second in the SEC and tied for third in the FBS, while his 84.62 touchback percentage and 63.87 kickoff average ranked third and fifth in the league, respectively.
The SEC office will continue to announce postseason awards throughout the week, recognizing its conference players and coach of the year on Wednesday before unveiling the league’s All-Freshman team on Thursday.
2024 Coaches’ All-SEC Teams
First Team All-SEC
Offense
QB
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
RB
Dylan Sampson, Tennessee
Jarquez Hunter, Auburn
WR
Ryan Williams, Alabama
Luther Burden III, Missouri
TE
Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
OL
Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
Will Campbell, LSU
Tyler Booker, Alabama
Tate Ratledge, Georgia
C
Cooper Mays, Tennessee
All-Purpose
Dylan Sampson, Tennessee
Defense
DL
Kyle Kennard, South Carolina
Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
James Pearce Jr., Tennessee*
Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss*
LB
Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
Whit Weeks, LSU
DB
Trey Amos, Ole Miss
Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
Malachi Moore, Alabama
Jahdae Barron, Texas
Special Teams
PK
Alex Raynor, Kentucky
P
Kai Kroeger, South Carolina
RS
Barion Brown, Kentucky
KOS
Peyton Woodring, Georgia
LS
Beau Gardner, Georgia
Second Team All-SEC
Offense
QB
Quinn Ewers, Texas
RB
Raheim Sanders, South Carolina
Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M
WR
Andrew Armstrong, Arkansas
KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Auburn
TE
Gunnar Helm, Texas
OL
Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
Dylan Fairchild, Georgia
Armand Membou, Missouri
Emery Jones Jr., LSU
C
Jared Wilson, Georgia
All-Purpose
Barion Brown, Kentucky
Defense
DL
Bradyn Swinson, LSU
Landon Jackson, Arkansas
R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
Johnny Walker Jr., Missouri*
Mykel Williams, Georgia*
LB
Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
Jalon Walker, Georgia
Chris “Pooh” Paul, Ole Miss
DB
Malaki Starks, Georgia
Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Will Lee III, Texas A&M
Isaac Smith, Mississippi State
Special Teams
PK
Peyton Woodring, Georgia
P
Jesse Mirco, Vanderbilt
RS
Martel Hight, Vanderbilt
KOS
Aeron Burrell, LSU
LS
Rocco Underwood, Florida
Third Team All-SEC
Offense
QB
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
RB
Quintrevion Wisner, Texas
Trevor Etienne, Georgia
WR
Tre Harris, Ole Miss
Kevin Coleman, Mississippi State
TE
Mason Taylor, LSU
OL
Trey Zuhn III, Texas A&M
Torricelli Simpkins III, South Carolina
Fernando Carmona, Arkansas
Javontez Spraggins, Tennessee
C
Eli Cox, Kentucky
All-Purpose
Davon Booth, Mississippi State
Defense
DL
Jared Ivey, Ole Miss
Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss
JJ Pegues, Ole Miss*
Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M*
Deone Walker, Kentucky*
LB
Chaz Chambliss, Georgia
Deontae Lawson, Alabama
Xavian Sorey Jr., Arkansas
DB
Daylen Everette, Georgia
Billy Bowman Jr., Oklahoma
Andrew Mukuba, Texas
Dan Jackson, Georgia
Special Teams
PK
Brock Taylor, Vanderbilt
P
Brett Thorson, Georgia
RS
Zavion Thomas, LSU
KOS
Josh Turbyville, Tennessee
LS
Ben Anderson, Oklahoma
* – ties
2024 Tennessee Postseason Award Honors as of Dec. 10
DC Tim Banks
Broyles Award Semifinalist
DB Will Brooks
Burlsworth Trophy Semifinalist
QB Nico Iamaleava
Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Semifinalist
OL Cooper Mays
Rimington Trophy Finalist
All-SEC First Team (Coaches)
WR Bru McCoy
Witten Award Semifinalist
Comeback Player of the Year Semifinalist
SEC Community Service Team
DB Jermod McCoy
Thorpe Award Semifinalist
All-SEC Second Team (Coaches)
DE James Pearce Jr.
Bednarik Award Semifinalist
Lombardi Award Semifinalist
Walter Camp Player of the Year Semifinalist
All-SEC First Team (Coaches)
LB Keenan Pili
NFF Campbell Trophy Semifinalist
RB Dylan Sampson
USA Today SEC Player of the Year
Maxwell Award Semifinalist
Doak Walker Award Semifinalist
All-SEC First Team (Coaches)
OL Javontez Spraggins
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches)
KOS Josh Turbyville
All-SEC Third Team (Coaches)
Offensive Line
Joe Moore Award Semifinalist
