Tennessee football: 5 Vols 2018 seniors who had the best careers

Micah Abernathy probably has the fewest splash plays of anybody on this list. But there’s been no greater model of consistency for Tennessee football through such a tumultuous period, and that is why we had to rank him so high.

Abernathy played in five games in 2015, then he played in 24 of 25 games in 2016 and 2017. This year, he’s been a bit more banged up. But he’s also been the most reliable safety when it’s come to picking up Jeremy Pruitt’s defense.

The Abernathy family, known for Civil Rights icon Ralph Abernathy, has been close with Butch Jones for a while. Other family members committed to him as well. So bringing in Jeremy Pruitt had to be difficult for the senior. But he’s pulled through.

A versatile player, Abernathy has gone wherever he was needed in the secondary. For his career, he has 181 tackles, six tackles for a loss and two interceptions. And he’s making a late impact, which is also a big deal.

Just look at their win over the Kentucky Wildcats. Abernathy had seven tackles in the game and was critical to the defense shutting down that offense. Meanwhile, he was a dominant force for the Vols all game long and helped to make sure that offense was one-dimensional. Abernathy has always had great intangibles and just been a smart player, and going about his business has served him well on Rocky Top.