Trey Smith Named to Sporting News Preseason All-America First Team

[Freak]

UT Release

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee senior offensive lineman Trey Smith was named to the Sporting News' 2020 Preseason All-America first team, as announced by the organization on Thursday.

Smith is coming off a dominant junior campaign in which he helped lead the Vols to six consecutive victories to end the season, including a thrilling comeback win over Indiana in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. He was one of eight SEC players named to the first team, the most of any conference.

The Jackson, Tennessee, native received All-SEC first-team accolades from the league's coaches and media after starting 12 games in 2019. Making his season even more impressive was the fact that Smith was limited to no contact in practices throughout the season after battling back from blood clots in his lungs that forced him to miss the final five games of his sophomore season.

Smith's incredible return to football as well as his impactful work off the field and in the community earned him the inaugural Fritz Pollard Trophy and the 2019 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award. During the offseason, Smith elected to forgo the NFL Draft and return to school for his senior year.
With Thursday's announcement, Smith added to an already growing list of preseason All-America honors for the 2020 season that includes honors from the Walter Camp Foundation as well as Athlon and Street & Smith magazines.

Also earning recognition from the Sporting News was junior offensive lineman Cade Mays, who was a second-team selection. Mays transferred to UT from Georgia in the offseason after playing a key part on the Bulldogs' offensive line the past two years, playing in 25 games while making 18 starts.

Mays was a FWAA Freshman All-American and SEC All-Freshman team selection in 2018. The junior showed his versatility last season, starting at least one game at every position along the offensive line except for center, while helping lead the Bulldogs to a Sugar Bowl victory over Baylor.

Smith and Mays will be part of Tennessee's talented offensive line that has been rated among the best in the nation by SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic.

To see the full Sporting News Preseason All-America team, click HERE.

 

[StarRaider]

Congrats Big Trey! How long has it been since the VOLS have had a 1st team AA selection (preseason)? Eric Berry?

Edit - Cam Sutton 2016 Sporting News Preseason AA First Team
Cameron Sutton - Football - University of Tennessee Athletics

Football All Americans

 

[Freak]

Cade Mays made the second team.

QB: Justin Fields, Ohio State
RB: Najee Harris, Alabama
RB: Javian Hawkins, Louisville
OL: Walker Little, Stanford
OL: Sam Cosmi, Texas
OL: Trey Hill, Georgia
OL: Cade Mays, Tennessee
OL: Deonte Brown, Alabama
TE: Brevin Jordan, Miami
WR: Rondale Moore, Purdue
WR: Rashod Bateman, Minnesota

 

[BlackCreekVol]

Where's the "He'll never play another down" posters now? Congrats young man! Finish strong and get paid.

 

[lifeisdeep]

Couldn't have happened to a more deserving young man. Congrats, Trey, way to go! Can't wait to see you do some mauling in a couple months.

 

[savannahfan]

Where's the "He'll never play another down" posters now? Congrats young man! Finish strong and get paid.

I am one of those why thought his playing career was over. This recovery is a feather in the cap of the medical staff that has attended/attends to him. Now if they could just help with the C-19 problem with the same success.

 

[Freak]

I am one of those why thought his playing career was over. This recovery is a feather in the cap of the medical staff that has attended/attends to him. Now if they could just help with the C-19 problem with the same success.

Based on what we knew at the time, I don't think it was much of a stretch to believe his playing days were over. It really is amazing everything he's been through and overcome.