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Tennessee football: Vols top 30 players since 1998 national championship

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 12: Eric Berry #14 of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on against the UCLA Bruins on September 12, 2009 at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. UCLA beat Tennessee 19-15. (Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 12: Eric Berry #14 of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on against the UCLA Bruins on September 12, 2009 at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. UCLA beat Tennessee 19-15. (Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images) /
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Kevin Simon, Tennessee football
Kevin Simon, Tennessee football. Photo by Matt Stroshane/Getty Images /

Starting alongside Omar Gaither in 2005 and in front of Omar Gaither in 2003 was a guy who may have been the greatest linebacker in Tennessee football history had he remained healthy. An elite outside linebacker from Concord, Calif., Kevin Simon was one of the top recruits in the 2001 class.

However, when he arrived, he had to take a redshirt due to injury. Then in 2002, he suffered another season-ending injury, as he stepped in for Kevin Burnett, who had his own season-ending injury. That was part of the injury bug year.

Simon’s first year as a starter on Rocky Top came the following season. And he made sure that was a season to remember. Playing alongside Burnett and Robert Peace, this linebacker corps was one of the best in the SEC.

For the year, Simon led the team in tackles with 115. He added six tackles for a loss, four and a half sacks, eight quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, two pass breakups and a key interception that set up the Vols’ first field goal in their 10-6 huge win over the Miami Hurricanes that year. Simply put, Simon did it all.

The next year, however, Simon suffered another season-ending injury against the Florida Gators. So he missed out on his team’s second-straight SEC East Division championship. But he came back for 2005.

That year, Simon joined Gaither to form an elite group of linebackers again that also had Jason Mitchell. He finished the season with 88 tackles, four tackles for a loss, a sack, a forced fumble and five pass breakups.

So despite being injured three of the five years he was on Rocky Top, Simon was an insanely great playmaker the two years he actually started. And it showed, as he made All-SEC both years he started. Injuries hampered a potential NFL career, but his college production was remarkable.

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