Tennessee Football: 10 Vols Who Were Robbed of Postseason Awards in School History

Nov 22, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs free safety Eric Berry (29) in the field during the third quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

7. Eric Berry

Year: 2008

Award: Jim Thorpe Award (Best DB)

Winner: Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State Buckeyes

The only reason Eric Berry is not way higher on this list is because of the fact that he ended up winning the Thorpe Award in 2009. But he should have been a back-to-back Jim Thorpe Award winners.

No disrespect to Malcolm Jenkins, but Berry was a far better player all the way around in 2008. In the midst of a down year for the Vols, something that was clearly used against him, Berry still managed four more interceptions than Jenkins and 265 interception return yards to Jenkins’s seven.

He also returned two for a touchdown in 2008 while Jenkins returned none.

Berry also had more tackles and more tackles for a loss. So on what planet was Jenkins the better player? It was the planet that says team success is a factor to the award. Notice Al Wilson was not given the same leeway when he did not win his award? See the double-standard against the Vols?

This is what we mean. Berry was blatantly snubbed. He was the better defensive back then, and he’s the better NFL defensive back now.

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Next: #6: Doak Walker-Travis Stephens in 2001